LEARNING

AUTOCAD 2D

Patrick Ngoy
01/01/2018
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CONTENT

USER INTERFACE ............................................................................................................................... 2

LESSON 1: Coordinate system ........................................................................................................... 5

LESSON 2 : Line and Rotate command in AutoCAD .................................................................... 7

LESSON 3 : CIRCLE AND UCS ....................................................................................................... 12

LESSON 4 : Chamfer and Fillet ........................................................................................................ 16

LESSON 5: Polygon in AutoCAD .................................................................................................... 23

LESSON 6 : Arrays in AutoCAD ..................................................................................................... 26

LESSON 7: OFFSET ........................................................................................................................... 32

LESSON 8: QUADRANT option of the Object Snap Settings ...................................................... 35

LESSON 9: how to use the ELLIPSE, MIRROR and Polar tracking in AutoCAD .................... 39

LESSON 10: HATCH command in AutoCAD. .............................................................................. 49

LESSON 11: Basics of Annotation in AutoCAD............................................................................. 50

LESSON 12: Working with Layers in AutoCAD ........................................................................... 58

LESSON 13 : External References in AutoCAD – xref .................................................................. 62

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USER INTERFACE

The AutoCAD Window

The AutoCAD program window is divided into several parts:

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The
Command
win- dow
and the
status bar

How to make use of your mouse in AutoCAD

Computer mice are very important when it comes to using AutoCAD, and you should
understand by the present sentence that it will be practically impossible to use AutoCAD
without making use of a computer mouse. It has become common to see CAD drafters handle
soft work nowadays on a laptop, and chances are you are going to be operating your AutoCAD
on a laptop as well at some point. What you need to know is, you need a mouse. You would
simply not be able to use AutoCAD using the track-pad.
I will advise finding a 3 buttons mouse (left button, right button and scroll wheel) to start with.
Later on, you can find a more sophisticated mouse with perhaps programmable buttons.
AutoCAD and the computer mouse
The scroll wheel is one if not the most important added button that will be of a great help
while using AutoCAD. The following 2 basics
movements will save you from a lot of
headaches.
Scroll up and down

Scroll up to zoom out and scroll down to

zoom in.

You can also do this by using appropriate

commands. Let’s see how much using this
helps.

If we were to use the zoom in and zoom out not using the mouse, we will have to click on the
navigation bar to select the command related to that action.

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Press and hold the scroll wheel, then drag

Click and drag will help you panning. Acting as

a shortcut for the Pan command.

To Pan in AutoCAD, Press and hold the scroll

wheel, and drag. Some computer mice like the
CadMouse comes with a center button (Center
click) that allow Panning without having to
press the scroll wheel. The latter can be beneficial
since it will require less effort to pan and there
won’t be any risk of Zooming in and out while
panning.

There is no need to remind you that the right and

left button play the same role as it would in
other software.

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LESSON 1: Coordinate system

In AutoCAD, the Drawing Area is composed of a sheet in which every location has the
particularity of having its own coordinate represented by x, y and z.

Since we are going to be solely working in 2D in this series, we can forget about the z
component of the coordinate system.

Looking at the following image, you will notice that each corner of the figure has coordinates

Though it is true you won’t be using this a lot while drawing in AutoCAD, we will spend a
minute talking about it. We will try creating the previous image using the coordinate system
and the command window. It is simple, the concept will be to use the four points to draw the
quadrilateral.

To do that using AutoCAD:

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1. Type LINE and Press Enter

2. Type 9,9 and Press Enter
3. Type #25,9 and Press Enter
4. Type #20,17 Press Enter
5. Type #14,17 Press Enter
6. Type #9,9 And Press Enter
7. Press Esc

The first step allows activating the LINE command. (Learn more about the LINE command)

The second step allows specifying the starting point of the line and the same goes for next
steps.

The last Step allows to Cancel the LINE command.

In AutoCAD stroking Esc (ESCAPE) allows exiting a command.

At this stage, you are not using the computer mouse, and you are required to pay close
attention to the command windows while drawing. As we go, we will learn more about the
command windows and how to use your mouse in AutoCAD.

Exercise
Use the technique we have just learned to create the following.

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LESSON 2 : Line and Rotate command in AutoCAD

We have lately learned the basic basics in AutoCAD, and you should by now know the
environment and I have no doubt that you are familiar with common words used here to
describe stuff such as Command window, Status Bar, Navigation bar…
We will use the image below, and try learning all things we need to learn to be able to create
something similar using AutoCAD.
We’ve learned a little how to use the coordinate system to create lines in AutoCAD. In this
Session, we will forget a little about the Cartesian coordinate system.

It is true that using the Cartesian coordinate system we could draw lines with specified
dimension, but this method is more convenient and is the one you will be making use of in the
future.

Execution
To create the image above

step 1

Draw the line of 80 units

1. Click on LINE
2. Specify the first point
3. Make sure the ORTHO mode is ON, Move your mouse rightward, type 80 and Press
Enter
4. Press Esc

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Step 2
Start the second line from the first point of the 80 units line, and draw the second line with an
inclination angle of 58 degrees.

Step 3

Draw the third line. It is a straight horizontal line.

Step 4
All you have to do now is to create a line from the 2 open points shown on the figure in step
3.

ROTATE an object in AutoCAD

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The ROTATE command will simply help rotate an object.

On the image above you can see how the trapezoidal object has been rotated 120 degrees.

To rotate an object in AutoCAD

1. Select the object to rotate

2. Click on the ROTATE icon
3. Specify the base point
4. Specify the rotation angle (positive angle for anticlockwise rotation and negative angle for
clockwise rotation) and Hit Enter

Exercise
Here is a good exercise that will help you practice what we have just learned.

The following figure is a 2D figure and where all data are being provided. We should be able
to replicate this with ease.

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Step 1

Draw the following line

Step 2

Draw the second line starting from the right end of the previously drawn line.

Use @50<-53 to draw it, and you should have the following.

Step 3
Draw a line starting at the left end of the 30 unit line using @50<-79 (50 of length is arbitrary
chosen and the angle 79 is found by doing 360-90-64-127 – the Sum of angles in any Quadrilateral is
360 degrees).

Step 4
Draw a line of an arbitrarily chosen length but make sure it forms 64 degrees with the line we
have created in Step 2

(You can do this by creating a line aligned with the line with created in Step 2 and rotating it with 64
degrees counterclockwise)

What I will do here is:

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Rotate the line created in step 2 from it bottom end with 64 degrees counterclockwise.

Step 5
Create a line on the open side of the quadrilateral from the 2 points such as having the
following.

Step 6
Use the Fillet command with R=0 to join those two lines to close that hole at the bottom of the
figure

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LESSON 3 : CIRCLE AND UCS

In this post, we will be learning how to use the TRIM, CIRCLE command while trying to
replicate the image below.
We have, in the last session, learned how to play with the LINE command and use Options of
the Status bar. We will keep on playing with those features, adding up to them few others.

The primary figure that will help easily replicate this exercise is the following.

Two circles and two Rectangles.

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What is the easiest way to get to this?

1. Create the big rectangle using the LINE command

2. Use the Center of the top side of the triangle to create the two circles.

For step 2, you need to turn the Midpoint ON if you want to be able to find the center of that
segment while creating the circle

Here is how to do it (right click on 1 and tick 2)

Now you should be at the following point

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Trim the big circle and Erase the top side of the rectangle

Now, all we need to do is create the small Rectangle. Given the dimensions above, if we
consider that the left corner of the figure is at the point of coordinates (0,0), we need to start
the small rectangle at the point of coordinates (10,15)

What we will do.

1. Move the UCS to the left down corner of the figure

2. Start the line at the point (10,15)

How to move the UCS to the left down corner of the figure

1. Type UCS
2. Select the point
3. Move the cursor on the x-direction and click
4. Move the cursor on the y-direction and click

This is what you are supposed to get

Notice the UCS

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Now you can easily start the line at the point (10,15) and create the small rectangle

Exercise

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LESSON 4 : Chamfer and Fillet

Chamfer and Fillet are two of the most used tools in the Modify ribbon.

Fillet helps convert sharp edges to round edges, Even though this command can be bypassed
using Circles and Trim, its use will still be appreciated seeing how easy getting to the final
result get while using it.

Chamfer is also a command you can avoid making use of.

Let’s start with the Chamfer command

Chamfer in AutoCAD

To use the Chamfer command

1. Click on the Chamfer icon

2. Type D and Press Enter
3. Specify the first chamfer distance and Press Enter
4. Specify the second chamfer distance and Press Enter
5. Select the first line
6. Select the second line

On the image below the first distance is 20, and the second distance is 30.
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Fillet in AutoCAD

To use the Fillet command

1. Click on the fillet command icon

2. Type R and Press Enter
3. Specify the fillet Radius and Press Enter
4. Select the first line
5. Select the second line

The image below shows an example of Fillet with R=20.

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Excercise a
The following should have nothing new to you if you have been here since the beginning. In
this session, we are going to make good use of what we have learned so far.

The image below will serve as today task.

All Fillet in the following exercise are 5 units.

You do not need to know the dimension of A to be able to accurately replicate the exercise. But
it is crucial to know that the value of those lines are the same, that is the reason we called it A.

As I said earlier, all FILLET are R=5. We have 3 FILLET in the following exercise.

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You will need to use the UCS command to place the circle at its appropriate distance using the
same technique we used in the last session.

The following information will also be important to know.

Basically, there is nothing added than the FILLET command here. Ignore the FILLET, complete
the figure and you can get those FILLET done at the end of the task.

Feel free to drop your thoughts below in case of any question or opinion.

hey! If you have any confusion about this, Just leave a comment below. Let me know what is
confusing about this, I will make it clear for you
Updates!

The following information was mistakenly omitted.

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Exercise b
We slow down a little today, and we would like you to come back and use some basic
commands we think we have not made use of enough.

Now, we are going to look at the CHAMFER command and play with the UCS command a
little bit more than we did in the past days.

Here is the object we will try replicate in this session, pretty quick one huh!?

We have been into more difficult situation!

Execution

Remember you can do it your own way, but here is how I will suggest you do it.

Start with the following. Four lines, you have all dimensions, pretty easy

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Then, use a line to close the object. You need not to know the length of this line, just use those
two points to get it.

Now use the CHAMFER command on the left upper corner. The Chamfer distances are 33 x
33 units.

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We have made an extensive use of the UCS command earlier. Move the UCS to the position
shown on the picture below, that will allow you to get the circles we are trying to create at
their right positions.

After Getting the UCS at the position shown above, the center of the bigger circle will be at the
point of coordinates (36,36) and the center of the small circle will be at the point of coordinates
(84,20)

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LESSON 5: Polygon in AutoCAD

POLYGON is not a command that is being used often but it can come in handy at times, this
command can help draw a star in AutoCAD. There is a technique that requires you to make
use of this command to draw a star in AutoCAD.
POLYGON:This command allows creating polygons in AutoCAD

To create a polygon, you need to specify the number of sides of you polygon when you are
creating it, the center of the polygon and whether the polygon will be inscribed or
circumscribed to a circle which you will specify the radius.

To create a polygon

1. Write POLYGON and Press Enter

2. Enter the number of sides and Press Enter
3. Specify the center of the polygon
4. Enter an option: I (for inscribed) and C (for Circumscribed). It is set to <I> by default.
Simply pressing Enter in this step will activate I
5. Specify the Radius of the circle

Pay attention to the command window while following the above procedure, you can notice
in step 3, that there is an option that will allow you specify the length of a side of the Polygon
instead of Center of Circle and Radius. Since all sides of a polygon have the same length, you
might want to use this feature to create a polygon, and this second option will be the one to
use.
As I was saying earlier, polygons can help you create a star in AutoCAD. Joining corners and
trimming could help create a totally different set of objects

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Exercise
Hope we are providing some insights to you with this series of learning AutoCAD through
exercises.

We previously worked on exercises that helped us master the following:

 The use of the LINE command in AutoCAD

 The use of the CIRCLE command in AutoCAD
 The use of the TRIM command in AutoCAD
 The USE of the UCS command in AutoCAD
 and more

We are going to continue learning and the object that will allow us do that is shown below.

As you can see the only added tools here is the POLYGON command which you will have to
learn if you want to successfully replicate the image above.
It is important to have you see the following.

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It is important to understand that the two polygons do not have same characteristics. The
Polygon on the left side of the image is a 6 side polygon circumscribed about a circle of R=20
and the Polygon on the right is a 5 side polygon inscribed in a circle of R=15. (illustrated on
the image using the dashed red circle)
All fillet are R=10 units and remember that you need to learn how to create a polygon in
AutoCAD before attempting to do this exercise.

A trick you can use

It is possible to use the FILLET command on two parallel lines.

Using all we have learned in previous sessions you should be able to come out of this one
without any hassle.

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LESSON 6 : Arrays in AutoCAD

It is a good time to learn how to use the ARRAYRECT, ARRAYPOLAR and ARRAYPATH
command in AutoCAD. These commands will help you create objects, and create a sort of
network made by copies of the original object arranged into a combination.
The ARRAYRECT will help distribute identical objects in rows and column, The
ARRAYPOLAR will help distribute objects in a circular pattern around a center point and the
ARRAYPATH will help distribute objects along a path.

You can find all these commands under the Modify section of the ribbon Panel.

Arrays in AutoCAD
Polar Array
The Polar Array is the most used of these and the command corresponding to it is
ARRAYPOLAR (If you type ARRAYPOLAR and hit ENTER it will activate this command)
How would this help you?
This command will help you get the following done.

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Notice how nicely, we copied the reference object and displaced copies around the circle, this
is what the Polar array will help you do.

We got the Fig 2 and Fig 3 from Fig 1.

How do you use the ARRAYPOLAR?

Before the use of this command, you will need you reference object, it could be anything.

To use the Polar Array command

1. Click on its icon (Shown above) or type ARRAYPOLAR and hit Enter
2. Select the reference object(s) and hit Enter
3. Specify the center point of the array

You will then have access to the following tools

Where the most interesting for now are the following.

As you can see on the image of the polar array we created above, we have 6 elements. You can
Enter the number of items you need in the provided box shown on the image below.

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The maximum fill angle is 360. You can decide to rotate items on the circle or not to rotate
them. (Fig 2 shows rotated items and Fig 3 shows item not rotated), The Direction features helps
you rotate items clockwise of counterclockwise, this makes more sense when the fill angle is
less than 360 degrees. The Associative feature unites all items in one block.

The following image shows a polar array with 6 items bull fill on 180 degrees.

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Path Array

The Path Array corresponds to the command line ARRAYPATH.

It works just like the polar Array but will distribute objects along a path like on the image
below.

Rectangular Array
Last but not the least, the rectangular array will help place objects in rows and columns like
shown below.

These commands are important and need to be mastered. You will have to play with their
respective features to see how high or low their potential are.

Exercise
In this session, we will be challenging ourselves to learn how to play with the ARRAY
command in AutoCAD.
The image below is one of those that may best serve this purpose. It is to be noted that all slots
are equally spaced around the circles.
There is not much to be done in this one but the proper use of the ARRAY command. All you
will need is to have mastered the TRIM command, the LINE command, the FILLET command
and the CIRCLE command.
Below we have split annotations in different figures to avoid having a bushy image. Combine
all information available on the figures if you want to accurately replicate today’s exercise.

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Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

The piece in the center of the exercise.

Execution
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The following image might be helpful to you to have a good start

After proper TRIMMING, you will be left with the following

Now all you need to do is to use the FILLET command to round edges and create objects that
are in the center of the figure.

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LESSON 7: OFFSET

The present is one of a kind. It is good to know that the objective is not only to be able to use
AutoCAD commands but also to use-your-brain-cells to help combine all these commands to
get to the final image.
One thing you should have in mind is that there is more than a way to get to a destination
using AutoCAD, just remember to check your dimensions at the end of the exercise and make
sure they match ones mentioned on the image-exercise.

We will look a little deeper into the OFFSET command today. It is needed.

OFFSET command in AutoCAD

The OFFSET command helps create parallel lines and parallel curves.

If you have an object and want a similar parallel object to it, this command will be helpful.

To use the OFFSET command

1. Click on the OFFSET icon

2. Specify the OFFSET distance and Press Enter
3. Select object to OFFSET
4. Specify a point on side to OFFSET

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Exercise
The use of the ROTATE command will be required in this exercise, as well as the OFFSET
command.
Below you will find diverse dimensions to help the replication of this session’s task.
Figure 1

Figure 2

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Execution
You need to start from the outer part of the object.

After getting the above figure done, OFFSET all circles with 10 units inwards, and OFFSET all
line with 15 units inwards.

And you should end up here.

All you need to use the TRIM command and the FILLET command to get all done.

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LESSON 8: QUADRANT option of the Object Snap

Settings

We hope your assessing skill has improved, meaning you are more able to judge the
difficulty of an exercise just by looking at it.

In this post, we are going to keep on using basic AutoCAD commands and focus more on
how to combine their use to accomplish a specific task.

The following are the images we are going to be using today.

Figure 1

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Figure 2

Execution
Start by creating the following.

The first object you should create is the red

circle. Then make sure the QUADRANT
mode is activated in the Object snap
settings, this will help you snap the center
of those big circles at the point A.

(Right click on 1 and tick 2)

After proper trimming, you will end up with the following image

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Use the OFFSET command on the red part to obtain the following. OFFSET distance = 12.5 units

Draw a line from the two openings of the object, and create a circle using the middle point B
of the line you have just created.

We have not talked about the small circles 30 and 60 degrees away from the vertical. Using

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techniques we have used to create objects in previous DAYS, those should not be a problem.

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LESSON 9: how to use the ELLIPSE, MIRROR and Polar

tracking in AutoCAD

The ELLIPSE command in AutoCAD

We will need to use the ELLIPSE command in this session.

To use the ELLIPSE command

1. Click on the ELLIPSE icon

2. Specify the center of the ellipse
3. Move the cursor in the direction of the first axis, type its value and press Enter
4. Type the value of the second axis and press Enter

The Polar tracking

For this experiment, we will make use of the POLAR TRACKING. Activating the following
mode of the POLAR TRACKING will contribute to ease our task.

MIRROR

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This command will help create a mirrored copy of a selected object.

On the example below I have used the vertical line to illustrate the mirror line.

To use the MIRROR command in AutoCAD

1. Select objects
2. Click on the MIRROR icon
3. Specify the first point of mirror line
4. Specify the second point of mirror line
5. Hit Enter

The first point and second point of the mirror line can be the bottom end and the lower end
of the line or Vice Versa.

Exercise a

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Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

The two red lines are both axes of symmetry of the object.

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Figure 4

Details about the object inside the ellipse.

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Figure 5

Execution

Creating the Ellipse

The ellipse is bent with an angle of 45 degrees.

1. Activate the ELLIPSE command

2. Specify the center of the Ellipse
3. Track 45 degrees
4. Type 70.5 and press ENTER
5. Type 52 and press ENTER

You should have the following.

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After creating the ellipse all you need to do is find the center line of the ellipse, OFFSET the
ellipse and the line with an OFFSET value of 15.5. The resulting image should look similar to
the following.

Use the TRIM command to obtain the wanted object.

Creating the remaining piece

To create the cross, you need to:

Step 1
Create the following, you can find the length of the red line using the information given earlier.

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Step 2
Create a mirrored copy of the current object, the line of symmetry should be a line with and
inclination angle of 45 degrees starting from the left end of the drawing.

Step 3
Create a vertical line that will serve as the new line of symmetry. The new line must have an
end common with the center of the newly create circle.

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You don’t have to select the highlighted circle while you use the MIRROR command.

After obtaining the figure we have just obtained, you can use the same trick to get the other
part of the image. And that will be it. Combining both structures should not be an issue.

Exercise b
in Lesson 6, we have worked with the ARRAY command for the first time. Today you will
need that command line more than EVER. And it is compulsory to have mastered it before
trying the coming exercise.
NOTE: Element in the array are equally spaced around the ellipse.
hey! If you have any confusion about this, Just leave a comment below. Let me know what is
confusing about this, I will make it clear for you

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Figure 1

Figure 2
On the following image, the red line represents the PATH of the array. It resulted of an
OFFSET of 5 units from the outer ellipse.

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More details about the star

Objects in the array

The object in the array is nothing but the following

You can find the dimension of the circles on the first image above.

Execution
The only thing that might be hard to accomplish here is the array. There is nothing like
ARRAYELLIPSE in AutoCAD, what you need to do to create this array is using the
ARRAYPATH.
To use the ARRAYPATH command using an ELLIPSE, you need to cut the ellipse into two
and use the ARRAYPATH on each of the side, that is it.

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LESSON 10: HATCH command in AutoCAD.

Today, we have a pretty straightforward image to replicate, and part of the task here is to use
the HATCH command once the image is created.

The image below can help you locate the HATCH command.

To sum it up, they won’t be lots of difficulties in this one. You need to be able to place objects
however it is required in a 2D space. We tend to the end of this series, and one thing that you
need to learn with these is to master the 2D space in AutoCAD. If you wish to jump into the
3D world, later on, it is necessary you master how to move elements in a 2D space.

Exercise
Figure 1

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LESSON 11: Basics of Annotation in AutoCAD

ANNOTATION is what make a project have all its meaning and its raison d’être to the eyes of
someone looking at it when the creator of the project is not around. Annotations can also help
CAD drafters keep track of all the important information a plain image can not express in a
project.
In AutoCAD, few of the many ways to Annotate a draft is to use DIMENSIONS pallet tools
and the TEXT pallet tools.
Those will help you put written information on your design making it easier to vision and to
elucidate.

TEXT

This pallet provides tools that help you write text in the drawing area. A text after creation
will be just behaving as an ordinary object in AutoCAD. You will be able to move it, to
duplicate it or do any other things you would with an image.
Create a text in AutoCAD

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Multiline TEXT (MTEXT command)

This command will simply allow you to create a multiline text object in AutoCAD as you
would if you are using Microsoft word. To use it, you have to first specify the area in the
drawing window where you would like the text to appear, then you will be able to enter your
text.

The following shows a result of a text created using MTEXT

After creating a text (or while), you will be able to control its style and formatting, you will
be able to create paragraphs, to insert symbols, break the text into columns and more.

To access to the formatting tools, double click on the text you created.

Single LINE (TEXT command)

Contrary to the latter, TEXT allows you to create a single line text object in AutoCAD. The
major difference between the TEXT command and the MTEXT command is that while creating
a text object with the TEXT command, each time you press the ENTER key, you are creating a
piece of text not in the same entity with the previous one. Both can be selected separately and
move independently one from another.

The TEXT command also easily allows creating texts while playing with their orientation.

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DIMENSIONS

Linear, Aligned, Angular, Radius and Diameter.

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DIMLINEAR command

DIMLINEAR most helps put the dimension in either horizontal or vertical lines.

DIMLINEAR settings
While using this command you can choose to make use of the following via the command
window.

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Where Mtext will help access the properties of the dimension text, Text will help edit the
dimension text, Angle will help rotate the dimension text, Horizontal and Vertical will help
specify the orientation of the dimension and Rotate will help rotate the dimension line.

So, how do I achieve the following using the DIMLINEAR command?

Figure 1

Figure 2

DIMSTYLE command
DIMYTYLE is the command that helps your access the Dimension Style manager.

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If you click on the modify button on the right side, the following will show up

That can help you modify the whole dimension style properties of your project.

It is all about practicing, go ahead and practice with the tools we’ve just talked about.
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Exercise
Nothing new under the sun. Here we come again with a bushy one. All AutoCAD basics has
practically been learned at this point. Here is a session where you will learn how to Annotate
an object in AutoCAD.
You will need the ARRAY command, the FILLET command and the OFFSET command (we
made an extensive use of the OFFSET command in Lesson 7). There is no need to mention that you
will need the LINE command, the CIRCLE command, may be the ROTATE command too.
Figure 1

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Figure 2

The following image provides some additional information needed to perform the exercise
with success.

For the sake of exercising with the HATCH command, you can HATCH the above project at
the end if you wish.

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LESSON 12: Working with Layers in AutoCAD

Now, we are going to learn how to work with Layers in AutoCAD.

Layers: independent drawing spaces that stack on top of each other to create an overall image.
(*Google)
Organizing objects in layers is important when you work on big projects (Architecture for
example). You use layers to organize your project in such a way that every group of similar
things is in their own layers. On the following image, I have created 3 layers (I have given each
one a unique color for you to differentiate between one and the other).

How do layers help?

 Layers allow you to easily control properties of a group of objects; line-weight, color,
line-type.
 Layers allow you to turn object or group of objects off, both on screen and on the plot.

Creating Layers in AutoCAD

To create a layer, click on the Layer Properties icon.

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The following will pop up, click on the indicated icon to create a new layer. The following
shows layers I created for the exercise above.

Each of your layers can be customized, such as having its own Linetype, line weight,
transparency and plot Style.

Close the windows when you are done creating layers.

Manipulating Layers
To put an object in a layer, make sure when you are creating that object, its layer is set to
current.

Example:

If I want to draw a circle in the layer Small Circles, I will make sure I select it first before
drawing.

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If you created an object in the wrong layer, don’t worry, it is possible to put an already created
element in a different layer.
Simply Select the object, Select the layers you want that object in, And Press ESC on your
keyboard.

Application
Now that you know how to create Layers, use what you have learned to replicate the exercise
below, and do not forget you need to put elements in 3 layers similar the first image in this
post.
Image 1

Image 2

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Exercise
The following image will serve as an exercise.

This is nothing but the image we worked on Lesson 10, Now the task will be to create 5
Layers, and place each of the parts of this project in its appropriate layer.

Layer 1: the Object itself

Layer 2: The Dashed lines
Layer 3: The center line
Layer 4: HATCH pattern
Layer 5: Annotations

Your layer properties manager

window should look like the
following.

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LESSON 13 : External References in AutoCAD – xref

Loosely speaking, in AutoCAD, XREF is the command that helps embed a file to the current
drawing. The XREF command allows to attach files such as raster images, DWG, DWF,
Microstation DGN files and more.
DWG (from DraWinG)
DWF (Drawing Web Format)

AutoCAD XREF
An xref is a reference to an external file, that appears in the current drawing and gives you the
visual impression that it is part of the drawing.
Xrefs are often compared to blocks, but they have a major advantage over the latter. When a
block is inserted into a project, its geometry does not change regardless of the source file’s
changes. When an Xref is inserted to a projects, the host project is updated at every opening
with what the current state of the xref is.
Let’s say, I have just xrefed a DWG project my colleague is working on, every time I open or
intentionally update the xrefs, I will have the last saved version of the content of his files.
Another Advantages of xref is that its content is not stored in your drawing, it just acts like a
pointer that returns the images of the seed file without eating any space.
When the project you are working on have some xrefed files, you will see the following tools
in your status bar.

How to xref in AutoCAD

To attach an external reference to your drawing in AutoCAD, you need to

Step 1
Make sure you are on the appropriate layer where you want the external reference to be, Type
XREF and press Enter

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Step 2

Click on the icon shown on the previous image.

Browse your computer (or your network) and select the file you want to attach

Step 3

Specify the parameters in the window below.

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You can use this window to set an insertion point, Scale the object you are going to
included, rotate it.

Reference type
This feature just tells AutoCAD what to do with overall project. If we set this to Attachment,
if someone else xrefs our drawing, he will also see files that are xrefed to it, but if we set this
to Overlay, that someone else wont be able to see files xrefed to our drawing if he does actually
xref our drawing.

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Path type

The path type simply tells AutoCAD how it will index the source file of the reference object.

It is recommended to use the Full Path option while attaching files to your drawing, this option
will store the path to the files, and AutoCAD will always find the xrefed files as long as its
location does not change on your computer or network.
As for No path, When using it, AutoCAD will actually store only the name of the xrefed files,
and this works best when all xrefed files are located in the same folder with the host drawing.

Xrefing file types

You can attach files of other types.

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Xref is a very important tools while working on a team project in AutoCAD, and remember
you can always hide, unload, load back, Detach files from your drawings.

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