Introduction

AutoCAD is a 2D and 3D computer aided drafting (CAD) program. It is used

primarily for mechanical and architectural drafting. Essentially, it provides a
computer-based method for producing engineering drawings.
The 2010+ versions integrates the Windows Ribbon interface which may be
unfamiliar to those who have used earlier versions.

Workspaces Defined
When you launch the application, the interface elements displayed are only those
associated with the active workspace. A workspace is a task-oriented drawing
environment oriented in such a way as to provide you with only the tools and
interface elements necessary to accomplish the tasks relevant to that environment.
By default, AutoCAD has four workspace configurations:
 2D Drafting & Annotation
 3D Modeling
 AutoCAD Classic
 Initial Setup Workspace.

AutoCAD is shown here with the 2D Drafting & Annotation workspace active.

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Navigating the Working Environment
The description of the working environment and the types of interface elements
that you must become familiar with if you are to become proficient in the software.
The following image identifies key interface elements:

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Add or Remove Menu Bar
Click on the down-arrow in the Quick Access bar and select Show Menu to display
the AutoCAD Menu Bar. The Menu Bar provides access to all AutoCAD
commands.

Add or Remove Tabs

To turn specific tabs on or off, right-click in the ribbon and select Tabs. Choose to
display or remove tabs from the ribbon. Tabs currently displayed are indicated with
a check mark.

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Command Window and Status Bar

The following image shows the command window. Somewhat unique to a

graphical windows application, the command window provides another method for
the user to interact with the application. If we type the letter l then a line will be
drawn and type e to erase.

The status bar is located at the bottom of the application window.

The left end of the status bar displays the coordinates that show the numerical
position of the crosshairs in the drawing. Click this area to turn the coordinate
display off or on. In the on position, there are two possibilities. The readout
displays the X,Y,Z values, or the distance and polar angle of the crosshairs as it is
moved in the drawing window.

Coordinates Display

To the right of the Coordinates Display, there are buttons that activate features to
facilitate drawing construction. Collectively, these features are termed drafting
settings.

Drafting Settings

[SNAP] (F9)
Increment Snap controls the movement of the cursor. If it is off, the cursor will
move smoothly. If it is ON, the cursor will jump in an incremental movement.
The increment spacing can be changed at any time using Tools / Drafting Settings
/ Snap and Grid. The default spacing is 0 .250.
[GRID] (F7)
The grid (dots) is merely a visual "drawing aid". The default spacing is 1 unit.
You may change the grid spacing at any time using: Tools / Drafting Settings /
Snap and Grid.
[ORTHO] (F8)
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When Ortho is ON, cursor movement is restricted to horizontal or vertical. When
Ortho is OFF, the cursor moves freely.
[POLAR] (F10)
POLAR TRACKING creates “Alignment Paths” at specified angles.
[OSNAP] (F3)
running object snap specific object snaps can be set to stay active until you turn
them off.
[OTRACK] (F11)
OBJECT SNAP TRACKING
Creates “Alignment Paths” at precise positions using object snap locations.
[LWT]
LINEWEIGHT. Displays the width assigned to each object
MODEL
Switches your drawing between paper space and model space.
6. UCS ICON (User Coordinate System)
Locaton: Lower left corner of the screen. The UCS icon indicates the location of
the Origin. The UCS icon appearance can be changed using: View / Display / Icon
/Properties.
7. ORIGIN
The location where the X, Y and Z axes intersect. 0,0,0

In the middle-right of the status bar are buttons to display the drawing model or the
drawing layout views.

Model Space and Layout Settings

To the right of the Model Space and Layout buttons are the real time Pan command
and the Zoom command.

Pan and Zoom

Towards the right side of the status bar are the Annotation options for the display
of annotative objects such as text and dimensions. When you create annotations
with the annotative property selected, the Annotation Scale displayed in the status
bar represents the scale in which the new objects are created.

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 Annotation Settings

Working with Files

Use the Quick Access toolbar to create, open, and save new drawings.

How to use the wheel mouse

As listed in the table below, the mouse can be used to zoom and pan the object .
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Function Keys

F1 Help Explanations of Commands.

F2 Flip screen Toggles from Text Screen to Graphics Screen.
F3 Osnap Toggles Osnap On and Off.
F4 Tablet Toggles the Tablet On and Off.
F5 Isoplane Changes the Isoplane from Top to Right to Left.
F6 Coordinate Display Changes the display from ON / Off /.
F7 Grid Toggles the Grid On or Off.
F8 Ortho Toggles Ortho On or Off.
F9 Snap Toggles Increment Snap on or off.
F10 Polar Toggles Polar Tracking On or Off.
F11 Otrack Toggles Object Snap Tracking On and Off.

Special Key Functions

Escape Key : cancels the current command, menu or Dialog Box.

Enter Key : ends a command, or will repeat the previous command if the
command line is blank.
Space Bar : same as the Enter Key, except when entering text.

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Erase ( Delete)

There are 3 methods to erase (delete) objects from the drawing.

METHOD 1.
Select the Objects first and then the Delete key
METHOD 2.
Select the Objects first and then the Erase command from the shortcut menu.
1. Select the object(s) to be erased.
2. Press the right mouse button.
3. Select “Erase” from the short-cut menu.
METHOD 3.
Select the Erase command first and then select the objects.
(See “Methods of Selecting Objects” )
1. Start the Erase command by using one of the following:
TYPING = E <enter>
TOOLBAR = MODIFY / ERASE
2. Select objects: pick one or more objects : press <enter> and the objects will
disappear

Inputting Data
Every drawing action requires some form of data input. Regardless of the types of
geometry you create, you are constantly inputting data in one form or another. The
following image illustrates how to use the Dynamic Input interface to draw a 10
unit line at 30 degrees.

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Drawing Units Setup
Every object we construct in a CAD system is measured in units. We should
determine the system of units within the CAD system before creating the first
geometric entities.

1. In the Bar select: [Format] _ [Units]

2. Click on the Length Type option to display the

different types of length units available.
Confirm the Length Angle Type is set to Decimal.
On your own, examine the other settings that are
available.

3. Set the Precision to two digits

after the decimal point as
shown in the above figure.
Finally pick OK to exit the
Drawing Units dialog box.

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Drawing Area Setup
Next, we will set up the Drawing Limits by entering a command in the command
prompt area. Setting the Drawing Limits controls the extents of the display of the
grid. It also serves as a visual reference that marks the working area. It can also be
used to prevent construction outside the grid limits and as a plot option that defines
an area to be plotted/printed.
1. In the Menu Bar select: [Format] _ [Drawing Limits] or simply type limits in
the drawing area.

2. In the command prompt area, the message “Reset Model Space Limits: Specify
lower left corner <0.00,0.00>:” is displayed. Press the ENTER key once to accept
the default coordinates <0.00,0.00>.
3.In the command prompt area, the message “Specify upper right corner , for
exaple<100.00,100.00>:” . Press the ENTER key again.
4. To ensure real scale , Type letter z with ENTER and then type letter a and
ENTER.

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