Part 1 AUTOCAD INTERFACE AND PRELIMINARY SETTINGS

I will give to assume that the program is already installed on your computer and ready for use. If you do not have the program you can download a trial version from Autodesk's website at: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=13706332 When you start Autocad will be presented with a window similar to the one below.

And here is our program, you see similar to almost all Windows programs comes with a row of pop-up menu at the top with the commands "file, edit, view, insert" and so on.. , and several "toolbars" . All those buttons, which correspond to various commands that we will see below, are divided into groups, the "toolbars", which can be customized to make them visible or invisible, and move into desired position.

In the picture above this interface has already been partially done, so you might see things arranged differently from how have you on your screen. Do not worry about it for now, also depending on the version of Autocad, icons may look slightly different, but basically the symbols represented at least for the main controls are the same. Then we have the central area, that the drawing area (usually a black background), with the center of the cursor or " crosshairs " controlled by the mouse. In addition to this in the bottom left, still in the drawing area, you should see an icon with two arrows and the letters X, Y This is the icon called "UCS" and represents the coordinate axes X, Y on which you move the crosshairs. A large part of very important and I ask you to remember is the "command line" , which is the window at the bottom on two or more lines at the bottom where you see write "command:". It 's very important especially in the beginning you get used to observe what is written in this window when you run the command, Autocad every time you use a command here shows you the steps to run it.

Introduction to "Toolbars"

Well, back to the "toolbar" and see the first two to be taken into consideration. The "draw" toolbar

And the "modify" toolbar

Ideally they should already be visible to the sides of the canvas, perhaps a right, left and arranged vertically. If not, move the pointer over any button of the toolbar and click on this with the RIGHT CLICK of mouse, will bring up a menu like the one shown in the picture.

The entries in this menu correspond to the various "toolbar" visible and invisible, and as you have probably realized by this entry can be enabled or disabled. Click on the items "draw" and "modify" to make this toolbar visible. When they appear in the drawing area you can move by clicking and holding the button on its top in blue and drag them (one at a time) on the left side of the screen, at some point you'll see that you will have automatically vertically, then Release the mouse button . In this way, you can customize the interface of the program as desired by activating the toolbar that you use frequently and placing them where you want it, on right, at the top left or above the drawing area etc.

Preliminary Settings
Before you start drawing we see a couple of other things. Click your mouse on the menu "Tools"> "Options .." as in the image below.

You'll see a window containing a number of tables from which you can set a whole series of things such as background color, the command line, and other parameters that affect the operation of the program.

Ok, now click the "Open and Save" and under the "save as" open the popup menu by clicking the arrow to the side. It's the one highlighted in blue in the previous image... In this menu you'll see some entries with the words: AutoCAD2007 drawing (*. dwg) AutoCAD2004 drawing (*. dwg) AutoCAD 2000 Drawing (*. dwg) etc.. These entries written on the side (*. dwg) represent the types of files that our program can open and save. More specifically, for example by setting this item to "AutoCAD 2000" set Autocad that every time you save a drawing that we did or we open, it is saved in AutoCAD 2000 format. What does this mean? As you might know there are different versions of AutoCAD and comes out every 1-2 years a new, the latest "release" is the 2012. (Of this, like the previous ones, there is a version LT (light) and the normal, full. The light version does not have the ability to create designs in 3D (three dimensional), but can open and view them, while with the most comprehensive and expensive full version can be created through tools and additional commands).

The most important difference between the "release" of program is that older versions can not open drawings created by the later versions , unless those who have saved the file has not set his program for saving in a old version, as explained before. This is very important to know especially when collaborating with other users and you have to give or receive drawings. Beyond this, every file saved from AutoCAD will be of type "dwg", the files as normally autocad manage have "dwg" extension. For example, if we save a drawing and call it "Plan" or "kitchen" will be automatically saved in this way: plan.dwg kitchen.dwg Where the point. separates the filename from its extension, which identifies a file type to another. There are indeed many types of files with many different extensions: "Pianta.doc" would be a text document "Pianta.bmp".Gif, .Jpg, .Tiff and others, would rather the images. I digress a bit 'from Autocad but if you're not already aware, this information will be useful. The "dwg" however, is not the only type of file that can be read and saved from AutoCAD, but we will see this later. Then return to the Options window of Autocad, and always in the "open and save. look further down the "Automatic Save" (Auto-Save), which should already be enabled, and the window of the "Minutes Between saves" (Minutes of each save) type such as 10. In this way, Autocad perform an automatic save every 10 minutes the drawing you're working on, and put it in a specific folder. This feature is very useful for not losing your work as you'll see that sometimes the program crashes, or leaves the current or accidentally delete the file you were working. You will then be possible (and useful) to go back to the file that was saved in AutoCAD automatically, as we shall see ....

We are now going to set the right click of the mouse. Also in the options window, click on the table "user preferences (user preferences) and then again click on the button at the top left" right-click customization (customization right mouse button). In the window that appears, activate the first box for each item, click on it, for the following items. -Default mode, edit mode, command modeAccording to the release of AutoCAD you have, you can alternatively check the first entry is in the window, turn-on time-sensitive right.click. Finally, click on "Apply & Close". In this way, clicking the right mouse button, after completing a command, AutoCAD will repeat it.

If you just finished drawing a line for example, after clicking the right button will be repeated the command "line", and so for all other commands. This feature helps a lot to speed up the work, accustomed to use it, during the course you'll often put into practice.

On the Table "display" click on the "colors" , will open the window you see below on which to set the colors of the program interface.

On this window select the central area at the top, the first item in the "background" and then open the color menu on the right and select the desired color for the background. Usually used black. After click "apply and close" to assign changes made to the colors. Now click "OK" at the bottom of options window, to close it and accept the changes. What has been said so far are general settings to be done only once, the next time you open AutoCAD will not need to repeat them. If Autocad crashes before you have it closed and reopened, the settings will be lost as they are made.

SUMMARY:

Open Autocad, customize the interface and activating the toolbar and fixed to the screen. (We have seen thus far, "draw" and "modify"). Open the Options dialog from the "tools> options .." and set the auto-save, if necessary set the save to older versions. (For the moment leave it as it is with the default setting). Also in the options dialog set preferences for the right mouse button, the table "user preferences." From the chart "display options" if you prefer set the background color to black.

Part 2 START TO DRAW

The command "LINE".

Well at this point it's time to start drawing. On the "draw" toolbar click the left mouse button on the command 'line' is the key with this icon = LINE Now look what came written in the "command line".

The program suggesting steps that have to do to create a line, in this case is asking you to "Specify first point" (to specify the first point of the line). Now click with the mouse in a point mean any of the canvas and then looks back at what appears in the "command line": "Specify next point" (specify the second point). Now move the mouse on one side and you'll see that you are creating a line, before clicking the second test with the mouse to rotate around the first point you've already laid down, you'll see the line that follows your movement in all directions . Click and then at another point in the drawing slightly away from the first, doing so will create the first line between the two points just defined. At this point, the program gives you the opportunity to continue to create more connected line segments to the first, by clicking with the mouse in other areas of the screen. To stop the command and end the line, click the right mouse button, or press the "enter" key on your keyboard. You can resume the command line just completed by pressing one of two buttons (rightclick or enter), or by clicking again the "line" button on the toolbar.

To create a line and then it took at least four clicks of the mouse: beginning of the command, the first point, second point, the end of the control (Right). To run the various commands of AutoCAD you must use different combinations of mouse buttons that we will see from time to time, with practice you will become automatic and runs them without thinking.

However, if during the execution of this or any other commands you seem to have some wrong step by clicking the "esc" key on your keyboard to quit the command and you can start over. The latest versions of AutoCAD may be that during the execution of commands, some information and numbers will be displayed next to the cross-hairs, and repeat the "command line" informations, and others. It's called "dynamic input and can be turned off by clicking on the" DYN "bottom of the screen, under the command line. Personally I find it annoying but it is subjective, however, should turn it off initially.

The ORTHO function.

Now try to press the key "F8" on your keyboard and get the command line (line), click to establish the first point and then try to move the mouse back to it, you'll see that now the line no longer moves in all directions but only in the vertical and horizontal. Click again to the second point of the line and then with the right to end the command. Continue to press several times F8 and watch the "command line" and other small buttons below it. Press "F8" then turn on or off the "ortho", or alternatively you can click on the button under the "command line". This function key allows us to define with precision vertical and horizontal lines, but is also useful to move or copy items in a right angle with each other in technical design and therefore should be used whenever it can be activated or deactivated at any time, even during the execution of a command. Drawing with AutoCAD you should not go to the event, although it seems to do so, should not be drawn without vertical or horizontal "ortho" activated.

Units of Autocad.
Resume 'line' command and with "ortho" mode activated, decide the first point of the line on the screen, then move the mouse on the right to create an horizontal line. Now instead of clicking the second point of the line, dial a number with the keyboard, such as 100 and then press Enter or Right click twice to confirm and exit the command. As you understand you have just made a long line "100", but what is this value...? For Autocad are 100 units, but you decide how to draw where they could be 100 millimeters, centimeters or meters. It also depends on what you're drawing so there may be 100 mm of a metal object to draw on a locksmith, for example, was 100 cm if the side of a wooden table, or 100 meters of land for the fence. Generally I'm happy with the cms, but it is good to learn how to handle various situations. The thing to keep in mind however is that in Autocad we must generally think to draw in full scale 1:1 ! I mean if I have a room of 4x4 meters and i draw considerations in cm, draw the long walls of the 400 units, which will consider just "cm", or 4000 units, which will consider "mm". In general, you must draw by entering the actual measurements of what you represent, except in the case of magnified details you'll have to do on the same table. It will be at the time of print design that will set a scale, (to the plot) as needed, and here things will change in the units with which we have interpreted the drawing (cm or mm.).

Let's say, for the print settings, it might be more correct to draw considering the "mm", but we'll talk about this in due course.

Setting units in the "Format" menu.

Let's then see another important approach to manage units. From the menu "format" , click on "Units .."

In the window that appears, click on the popup menu items "length" and "angle", respectively, sets "Decimal" and "Decimal Degrees" , as in the picture.

As you'll notice AutoCAD can be set for different types of units, such as "inch", which correspond to the "Architectural". In our case the decimal units should be used for both the lengths to which the corners. Attention: the unit settings menu does not apply in a general format for the program, but in this case affect one individual "files" that we'll made.

Click "OK" to confirm and close the window. We will back on this when we print our design .

The "coordinates" of Autocad

Let us now see the "coordinates" of Autocad, even though they aren't crucial in simple designs, but it is still useful for understanding the operation of the program. If you look at the bottom left, under the command line, as you move the mouse on the drawing you'll see the numbers move fast. These numbers represent the XY coordinates of where the cursor is located. By clicking on the mouse, enable or disable the coordinates. A line drawn on the canvas will therefore have the X and Y coordinates for each of the two points that define the beginning and the end. Basically we are drawing on a Cartesian plane.

UCS
We have seen that the UCS symbol represents the XY axis of that "Cartesian plane" on which we are designing and using the "ortho" we can constrain the Autocad drawing parallel to these axes. If we wanted to draw for example 45 we can rotate the axis of the UCS. To do this just type in the letters on the keyboard UCS and then press the enter key. After typing the letter Z and then press Enter yet.

The letter Z indicates the third axis, it would be projected toward our eyes and it is the pivot around which rotate the axes X and Y. Type 45 hours and then press Enter yet. As you can see the UCS is rotated and with it the slider design, the command is completed. Drawing now "ortho" active we will be constrained to 45 I now repeat the command, writes UCS and press Enter twice in a row, the UCS will be reported to the inclination of origin. Simple no? We repeat again, type in UCS and then hit enter, now enter a E instead of Z, then hit enter. The cursor changes to a selection handle, if we have a slanted line on the design and selection, clicking on the mouse, the UCS will catch on that line. To bring it back to the origin, as before repeating the command and press Enter twice, or type a W instead of Z and then enter.

OFFSET command.
Until now we have a line drawn vertically or horizontally, the length of 100 units; imagine that they are centimeters. Let us now see a new command "Offset , we find that this function on "modify" toolbar" and has this icon It allows us to make copies parallel to a line, or concentric in the case of a circle or a geometric figure, one side or the other to the line of origin. Click on the "offset" and look at the "command line", the program asks: "Specify offset distance" , type 50 on the keypad and press "enter". At this point the program asks us where we want to do the offset line, appears on the command line says "select object to offset" and you'll notice how the cursor turns into a small square. You can then click on the line after you created earlier and click again on either side of this anywhere in the drawing, it will create a copy of the first line at a distance of 100 units as we have stated above. You can now click the right mouse button (or hit Enter on the keyboard) to exit the command offset, or continue by selecting one of the lines and still make others equidistant offset. Please note that running two or more offset of the same line in the same side, we'll create overlapping lines, we will see one but are actually more, is a classic mistake by trying to avoid. Then: A click on the command , Enter the offset distance and press enter to confirm it. Click the object to copy and then click again on either side of this, to create the copy, repeat these last two steps to make other offsets or click the right button to enter and exit the command.

Window selection and deletion.

If you want to select the lines created click the bottom right corner of the canvas and then again in the top left. Doing so will create a "selection window" within which you must include all or part of the

lines to select. You can also click the window first and then top to bottom and from left to right, but beware, in this last case is different because it will select only the objects that are entirely contained within the window. In later versions of Autocad this selection box is colored in, respectively, green or blue, just to highlight the difference. Without this, the lines are selected (and become slightly dotted the blue squares appear at the top and center), now press the "Del" key on the keyboard or the delete key modify toolbar. on the

You can also do the reverse, first activate the command "delete" button on the toolbar, then click the selection box and press "enter" to cancel. Make some tests of controls that have been described, (line, offset, window selection and delete).

Trimand Extend commands .

We see two other important functions, commands "Trim" and "Extend". These commands are on the "modify" toolbar and have the following icons: = Trim. = Extend Let's see how to put them into practice. With the command line, draw five segments, like those in the following figure.

Extend
Now click on the command "extend" . On the command line is written "select objects" and the cross-hairs is changed to a selection handle. Click on the right vertical line on the last hour, then click the right mouse button to confirm your selection. The command line now asks "Select object to extend. ..." , click on the two horizontal lines above, first one then the other, both will be extended until it meets the vertical line that we had selected. At this point by clicking with the right ends and exits the command.

In practice at the beginning of the command autocad asks us what objects (lines or shapes), we want to extend one or more lines, and once chosen, we choose to extend the lines on them. The condition for this is that the lines if projected going to meet the first selected. In 'fact, in previous image, the horizontal line at the bottom can not be extended because it would not meet the first line we have chosen as a target. Be careful because this is a situation that happens often, and drawing in which the neophyte Autocad drawers crashes. It's actually very easy to get out, just draw a temporary line, on which we will extend the first vertical line, so on this then, we can extend the horizontal line that was previously not possible to extend.

In doing so, however, we have extended the vertical line that maybe we wanted to remain as before ... We could then draw another piece of line, following the first, on which to extend the line down and then delete it. We could also copy ( we'll see after the copy command ) the vertical line above itself, extend this last line on a provisional basis, as in the image above and then delete them.

In fact, if we have two overlapping lines, and we do click on it to extend, it extends one, the other remains hidden below. If instead of direct single-click we select through a selection window, then extend both overlapping lines.

Trim
To use 'Trim' command the procedure is similar to the previous one: Continuing from where we are with the extend command, click on the 'Trim' command , select the vertical line on the left, right button to confirm, then click on the horizontal lines on the left of the vertical, the two lines will be cut from the first, now right-click to finish. Yet .. Press return or the right mouse button to resume the command "Trim" select now the two horizontal lines and also the right vertical, as cutting lines (try instead to make a selection window that intersects all) key right, select the four segments to be cut so going to form a rectangle.

Even for the "Trim" then you must select the first cutting objects (lines or shapes) and then the lines or geometric shapes to be cut. In this case it is obvious how these lines should already be intersected with each other because the former can cut the second. For both of these two commands you can shorten some steps: Once you click on control, cut or extend, after pressing the right mouse button or the enter key, it means that all lines could be extended or cut each other, depending on the selected command. For example: Draw three vertical lines (they can also be non-parallel) and three horizontal lines that intersect only one of the vertical. (See picture).

Now click on the "extend"command and then the right mouse button, now click on the horizontal lines several times, they will extend the first line on the first meet and then on the second. In doing so pay attention to the fact that if you click on the part left of these lines by their centers do not extend. It may seem that the command does not work, but it is not. If you were to extend a line to the left of course the opposite is true.

Now using the "trim" in the same way that tries to go back to cut the lines that have previously extended, (also try, in addition to select one at a time, to make a box selection that intersects two or three, the latest versions of AutoCAD can be cut or extended in this way many lines in one pass only). As you can see in this way is like chosen to cut or to extend all the lines in a single click.

Small introduction to "zoom".

As you surely know "zoom" is the magnification and see something that is more or less closely. You have, in theory, a mouse with a scroll wheel between the two buttons, well, after drawing something, just a line, try to rotate slowly in one direction and another with the mouse wheel. You will see items you have drawn closer until it disappears from the screen or leave up to a certain point and then stop. Note also, for example, after drawing a line, the difference to use the "zoom wheel" after you move the pointer near one end or the other of the line. You'll see that the design approaches and moves away relative to the position of the pointer, and then to an area of design that you have freely given with the mouse, in this case at one end of a line. We therefore have a dual function that allows us to approach or move away from the objects and to move in any direction on the design, moving away from a point and reconnecting to another. We'll see after other commands specific to the "zoom".

Fillet and Chamfer commands .

These two commands "Fillet" and "chamfer" , you will also find them on the "modify" toolbar and have the following icons: = Fillet . = Chamfer . Need both for joining two lines not parallel (*) or that are perpendicular, and when they do not meet each other, that when they are intersecting. Let's see how they differ: With the command "Fillet" , we can combine the two lines forming an angle or a connection between these rayed. Design with "ortho" active two perpendicular lines that do not meet, as in the image below:

Now click on the fillet command and observes the "command line" at the bottom. There are two things to note, first, that as I said Autocad asks us to select the first object "select first object, but on the second line is an important information," Radius = 0.0000 "(radius = 0.0000). This means that combining the two lines will create a link with zero radius, then a corner.

Continue with the command and select one of the two lines and after clicking on the other. The two lines join at an angle, which in this case is 90 because the lines were already drawn perpendicular to each other and you will automatically exit the command. Now let the same thing but running a ring "beam". You can delete and redo the two initial lines, but not perpendicular, or you can continue from where we came, is the same. Click again on the "Fillet" and then before you select the first line is still observed on the last line "command line", where Autocad writes: Select first object or [...] (Select first object or [...])

[See the items in brackets are the options among which is " Radius ". Attention to the syntax of these entries, the use of capital letters is the key to press to activate each option. We are interested to "radius" then it goes like this: Enter on the keyboard the letter "r" and then hit enter.

Specify fillet radius : we are asked the radius of curvature that we use and we are shown the current setting <0.0000>: Type 50 and press enter. Now we're back to where we are asked to select the first line. Then select the two lines, which should combine to form a curve that has radius of just 50 units and the command is completed.

If you repeat the command, the radius is now set to "50", because it remain set to the last measure that we used for the connection previously done, until you close the file. To set it back to "zero" or another measure, do the same procedure to that described above. If you try to repeat twice the ring on the same lines without deleting them, using for example a radius larger than the first, you'll notice that the first part of the curve fitting is done on the screen as an independent object, an arc. This is because running a link between these two lines get longer until they meet but do not become a single object in the case of a fillet radius is formed a third part of the curve, an arc precisely the range that you set during execution command. (*) Regardless of the set radius, if you run a "fillet" (connection) between two parallel lines, they are connected to each other forming a semicircle.

Now to the "chamfer" .This command is similar to the "Fillet" but instead of a curve, as mentioned above, create a chamfer between two lines are not parallel, and that they do not meet or are crossed each other. Delete everything and redo the two perpendicular lines as before, then take control by clicking the icon on the modify toolbar and as usual, look at the command line.

First the program asks you to select in sequence the two lines to merge, but the middle line is now written: Current chamfer Dist1, Dist2 , with values that should be initially "zero". If we select the two lines with these values set to zero as in the previous case, you will create a simple angle between the lines. Pressing the "d" on your keyboard and then "enter" at this point prompted the first value for the "Distance1" type 50 and press enter. Now we are asked to value the "distance2", press enter to confirm the same distance used for the first value. Now you can select the two lines, which join to form a rope that will distance as the assigned values. These values could have been too different from each other, forming an asymmetric chamfer. When you repeat the command, you'll find the distance values previously set.

As for the "Fillet", the segment that is formed will not be joined into a single object with the other lines, but we selected three items separately. The following image show two dimensions to see how involved the values set in the "chamfer" command.

Zoom tools.
Until now I have only explained the operation of the mouse wheel in relation to the "zoom", because in practice is the most used, but there are many other specific commands and now we will see the most important and frequently used. The zoom controls are on the "standard toolbar" at the top below the menu is this:

Draw some lines on the screen to see the operation of these commands. "Pan": By clicking this button, you activate the "pan", the cross-hairs turns into a hand and holding the left mouse button and moving it, you will see move the drawing in any direction, zoom factor in this case remains unchanged. To exit the command, just press "esc" key on your keyboard, or right click with your mouse and then click on "exit" in the small menu that appears.

"Realtime Zoom : Clicking here, cursor turns into a small magnifying glass, hold the left mouse button and drag up and down you have a zoom with an effect similar to the wheel mouse. Click "esc" to exit or right click and "exit". In the menu that appears when you right-click with the mouse when running these commands, we can switch between them by clicking on its entry "pan" or "zoom". "Zoom Window" : this approach enables us to zoom to an area of our design established by a selection window. Then you click on the command and then gets a window by double clicking with the mouse, to delimit the area to zoom in, the command terminates automatically when zooming. The zoom button on the standard toolbar, have a small black arrow in the lower right. This suggests that contains other hidden commands and you can see by clicking and holding the left button, you'll see these other commands.

Among these the most important is:

"Zoom Extents" , select it by dragging the cursor over it and releasing the button of mouse. Now AutoCAD do a zoom away from the drawing, until become visible all the objects present in it. A good habits after you've done a drawing, run this zoom before saving, so that the reopening is readily visible in its entirety.

"Zoom Previous" : After making one or more times zoom controls described, by clicking on this will come back to the previous display.

All "zoom" commands can be used at any time and in any order you want, even when running other commands eg. while you are drawing a line, or while you are moving or copying an object.

"Regen function.
Let's see "Regen" function (regenerating drawing), this command makes the Autocad regenerate the drawing to the screen.

Try to draw one or more lines and then with the mouse wheel do a "zoom", as far away as possible from the drawn lines. You'll see at some point, the zoom stops. To continue to zoom the picture we must regen it, by selecting in the menu bar at the top, the following entry: "View> Regen" , then we can still continue to move away from the drawing to zoom up to the next block, where we continue to invoke again the command "Regen".

What happens then, the program reached a certain percentage of the zoom no longer able to handle graphic design, and indeed should "optimize" to continue. This will become clear when we draw circles or arcs, in this case in fact moving away from a circle to having to use the "Regen" and then reconnecting it, you'll notice that the circle is multifaceted. We see design as well because it has simplified by the program, but only in terms of graphics on screen. Again using the command "Regen" in fact, we will show again the circle or arc, correctly. So when you happen to zoom a circle and see it multifaceted, you know it's for this reason and you just have to "regenerate the drawing." Also remember that this is only an approximation in terms of graphics on the screen, if you print it would normally appear on the paper. _____________________________________________________________ Well at this point, with the commands that we have seen, - Line - Offset - Trim - Extend - Fillet - Chamfer, with the "ortho" and "zoom" functions, although limited, you should be able to take their first steps and draw simple objects, such as the plan of a room, a table or the prospect of a library, with the size down. Experiment, simply start from a horizontal and a vertical one that could be two walls of an hypothetical room, then with the offset will create the opposite walls at the desired distance (think of the measures that can actually have a room) and join the All with "fillet"

or "extend" and "trim". Later, by the "offset" command, you can give depth to the outside walls and then join together again. Try to understand these commands and consider them collectively as the basic tools for drawing. The first few times you will be a little difficult, but it's only a matter of practice, take heart that we are only at beginning!

Saving and Opening files.

Here's how to save the drawing as you did and open a new one. Open the "File" menu and click on "Save As.".

This will open a window like the one in the picture, where you can choose the location where to saveyour file and give it a name, you can also create new folders or delete, through the controls at the top. It works like the regular Windows file manager. As you can see at the bottom of this window is the area that says next to "file name" where you have to write the name for the file, replacing the voice (drawing1.dwg) that AutoCAD automatically assigns. You can avoid to write the name with its extension (.dwg), Autocad will place it too and save the file according to the type shown in the window below. The entry below "Files of type" you can choose the type of file to be saved by choosing one of several versions available. As a basic approach will find the version you put in the preliminary settings, at the beginning of the course (where we talked about various types of AutoCAD files), but if necessary you can choose a temporary one, regardless of the base settings. Then clicking on the "Save", the file is just stored in the chosen path, but beware, it is not closed but remains active and you can continue to work on it. To save the changes you have made more simply click on "Save", always in the menu "File" and in this way the file, which you already have a name at the time of the first saving, will be updated by overwriting it on himself without creating a new one. Do you remember when we set the auto-save every 10 minutes, beginning in the options window ... well, keep in mind that this does not directly update the design you're working

but makes a copy in another specific folder and can be resumed in case of emergency, so often you must save the drawing, by the menu "File> save ..", because if the program crashes (I assure you it happens) you lose your job done. You can also save the file by clicking on the "standard toolbar" button on the third button representing a floppy disk.

To close the file on which you are working by clicking on the cross "X" in the upper right ( not the first higher on a red background, that closes Autocad, but the second post below ). At the time of closing, if the design has not been saved after the latest changes, a window appears where we are prompted to save the file or not. To open a drawing you have to go on the menu "File> Open ..", or click on the "standard toolbar" on the second button representing an open folder:

Will appear a window similar to the one for saving, where you can scroll through the folders on your hard drive, to the location where the file to open, then we double-click it or select it and then press "Open". In the next window under "Files of type" you can choose one from among several types of files that AutoCAD can open and where the "dwg" as mentioned above is the standard. The other type of files that AutoCAD can open and save is the 'dxf' which is similar to "dwg" which can be used to exchange drawings in Autocad with other programs. Then there is the format "dwt" drawing template, if that refers to a selected folder to indoor Autocad where there are files that already contain squaring and masks in various sizes A4, A3, according to specifications "ansi", "iso" etc.. known as the "template". For the moment being occupied by only normal "dwg". Please note that you can open multiple files at once , which similarly to the windows of "operating system ", can be reduced, enlarged or sent to an icon, can be viewed one at a time or simultaneously. I will not elaborate on what should be fairly intuitive if you have a minimum of familiarity with Windows. Below I have put a sample image:

Create a new design from scratch.

To create a new design from scratch you click the menu "File> New .." In the window that appears ( may be different from what appears to open and save if you have an old version of Autocad ), click on the arrow beside the button "Open". On the menu that appears select " Open with no template - Metric . " This will open a new drawing window.