Wiley 978-0-470-26058-6 Datasheet

CHAPTER 1Getting to KnowAutoCADOpening a new drawingGetting familiar with the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTgraphics windowsModifying the displayDisplayin

used in 3D drawings. The Dynamic Input button is an on/off toggle that activates orsuppresses the dynamic display of information next to the crosshair

2. Click the Display tab, which is shown in Figure 1.8. Focus on theWindow Elements section. If scroll bars are visible on the lower andright edges of

FIGURE 1.9: The Drawing Window Colors dialog boxNOTEThe screen-captured images in this book are taken from AutoCADsessions using the Dark Color Scheme

TIPIf you choose a color other than black as the drawing area back-ground color, the color of the crosshair cursor remains the same as it was. Tochang

Using the RibbonNew to AutoCAD 2009 is the Ribbon, a consolidated location for nearly all the Auto-CAD tools in the form of easily recognizable button

The Ribbon’s default location is at the top of the screen, but it can be undocked,or floating over the drawing area, or it can be moved to a second mo

exposes the additional tools. Follow these steps to learn how the Ribbon toolswork and how they display information.1. Click the Home tab on the Ribbo

FIGURE 1.13: The cue card for the Copy tool6. Click the Modify panel’s title bar to expand the panels and expose allof the Modify tools.7. Often, you

Using the Menu BrowserThe Menu Browser has replaced the traditional row of drop-down menus thatreside at the top of many programs. The menus now proje

3. Submenus are identified by the pale, right-facing arrows to the left oftheir names. Click this arrow, or the name of a submenu, to expand itand dis

Your introduction to AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT begins with a tour of theuser interfaces of the two programs. In this chapter, you’ll also learn howto use

3. To open a file that you’ve worked on recently, hover over the RecentDocuments option in the lower-left corner of the Menu Browser. Thisdisplays the

NOTEAutoCAD 2009 drawing files use the same drawing format asAutoCAD versions 2008 and 2007. This means that the files are compatiblebetween versions

Another option for switching between open drawings is to click theQuick View Drawings button in the status bar. This displays thumb-nails for the open

The other eight (or nine) menus contain the most frequently used AutoCADcommands. You’ll find that if you master the logic of how the commands areorga

click on the Quick Access toolbar, click Toolbars, click a toolbar category, andthen click the toolbar that you want to open.Take a few minutes to exp

3. Place the arrow cursor on the button, and hold down the left mousebutton. A column of nine buttons opens vertically below the originalbutton (see F

NOTELT has 27 toolbars compared with AutoCAD’s 38. The additionaltoolbars in AutoCAD are almost all for 3D and rendering tools.WorkspacesYou haven’t b

commands. You can add more or change the existing aliases as you get morefamiliar with the program.In addition to the alias keys, you can use several

The next chapter will familiarize you with a few basic commands that willenable you to draw a small diagram. If want to take a break and close AutoCAD

FIGURE 1.1: The AutoCAD welcome screen provides access to the New Features Workshop.FIGURE 1.2: The New Features Workshop dialog boxThe Customer Invol

best meets their customers’ needs. If you haven’t yet agreed or declined to par-ticipate, when you first start AutoCAD, the Customer Involvement Progr

FIGURE 1.3: The AutoCAD graphics window using the 2D Drafting & Annotation workspaceFIGURE 1.4: The AutoCAD graphics window using the 3D Modeling

If your screen looks like Figure 1.4 or isn’t at all like Figure 1.3, you need tomake a few changes:1. Click the Workspace Switching button in the sta

FIGURE 1.6: Selecting the 2D Wireframe visual style4. Enter plan↵ and then world↵ or click the World option in the pop-upmenu if it appears.If dots ap

Introducing the AutoCAD Graphics WindowAt the top of the graphics window sit the Ribbon, the Quick Access toolbar to theleft, and the InfoCenter and r

commands, it will take on other forms, depending on which step of a commandyou’re performing.The icon with a double arrow in the lower-left corner of