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AUTOCAD Tutorials - Part 3 (Drafting Settings)

In the previous article, we studied about Line, Circle, and Erase Command. 
Today we will look into most used settings, Drafting Settings.
AutoCAD has some drawing aids which can help you to draw different drawings. These are placed in Status Bar as shown below: -

 If you don't understand these icons, right click any of these "icons" and uncheck "Use icons" (as seen below)

 You should now see the icons displayed as words as seen below.

 (A) Ortho Mode (Shortcut - F8)

• One of the simplest and oldest drawing aid.
• When On, it constrains drawn lines to the horizontal or vertical.

(B) Object Snap (Shortcut - F3)

•  I find it the most handy tool in the AutoCAD.
• It is a tool that you can use to refer for a location from existing objects like center of a circle, quadrant points of circle, intersection points of two objects, base points of blocks etc.
• Object Snap works only when AutoCAD is asking you for a point .
• Settings:
• Activating all of the object snaps is not wise decision, will cause errors in a complex drawing.
• PRESS F3 to turn on/off Object Snap.

(C) Object Snap Tracking (Shortcut - F11)

•  Object Snap Tracking works with Object Snap.
• This tool will help you to define a point from another point in a object.

 In this example, I want to define a circle center 400 units to the right of a rectangular corner. 
So I activate circle tool, place my pointer above the corner point of the rectangle . Wait for a while until AutoCAD recognize the point, and move your pointer above the corner point to the right.
The dynamic input should say 'extension'. Type the distance and press [enter] (shown in Fig. 1).

Fig. 1

You can use more than one point as a reference point.In this example, I use Object Snap Tracking to find a rectangle corner.(shown in Fig. 2)

Fig. 2

Or to find extended intersection from two lines.(shown in Fig. 3)

Fig. 3

Now you have enough knowledge to start drawing with AutoCAD precisely.

 SCORE POINT :-   Switch Polar tracking On (F10). It helps to snap to specific angles and these are user definable.

So, it's time to sign off !!
We will meet next time with an important all new topic - Drawing Setup & Properties.
Feel free to leave a comment for any queries,feedback or suggestions.

AUTOCAD Tutorials - Part 2 (Basic Commands)

Today we will dive into simple commands that are widely used in AutoCAD.

Before that, let’s get familiar with the working environment of AutoCAD.

AutoCAD Environment – Workspace

• ·         AutoCAD uses 3rd Angleof Projection.

• ·         Parts of AutoCAD

1.    2D

2.    Advance Commands/ Productivity Tools

3.    3D

• ·         Workspaces of AutoCAD

1.    Drafting & Annotation 3D Basics

2.    3D Basics

3.    3D Modeling

4.    AutoCAD  Classic

• ·         AutoCAD have commands which have further sub-commands. 

For e.g. Rectangle Command (used to draw a rectangle) will have further sub- commands Thickness, Width, Chamfer, Elevation etc.

• ·         Press Esc to exit from any command.

• ·         Press Enter/ Space to enter into any command.

• ·         Use of MOUSE

1.    Center Scroller Up to Zoom In

2.    Center Scroller Down to Zoom Out

3.    Center Scroller Press to pan the drawing

• ·         Window Selection

1.    Green Window :- To select complete object which lies in the window.

Click on the screen, hold and drag the mouse towards left to make Green Window. Any object which falls inside the window will get selected.

Making a Green Window

                   

 2.  Blue Window :- To select object only  which lies completely in the window.

Click on the screen, hold and drag the mouse towards right to make Blue Window. Any object which falls completely inside the window will get selected.

Making a Blue Window

 

 

Autocad Basic Commands

In this article we will look at most widely used Line Command, Circle Command and Erase Command.

1.    Line Command  (Shortcut – L):-

Used to draw lines to create objects. We draw line in between two points.

1^st  Method: 

• L and Enter
• Specify first point and Enter
• Specify next point and Enter
• Specify next point and Enter
• Above steps will keep on drawing a line till you press Enter or Esc or Press C and Enter

2^nd Method

Relative Polar Co-Ordinate System

• L and enter
• Specify first point - mouse click
• Specify next point (Undo) - @ 5 < 0 // It will draw a line at distance of 5 units from the selected point with angle between line and x- axis as 0 degrees
• Specify next point (Undo) - @ 5 < 90 // It will draw a line at distance of 5 units from the selected point with angle between line and x- axis as 90 degrees
• Press Enter or Esc or Press C and enter to stop drawing the line. 

2.  Circle Command (Shortcut – C) :-

1.    Center Radius

• C - Enter
• Specify center point – Mouse Click on your center of circle
• Specify Radius – enter your radius
• Press Enter

2.    Center Diameter 

• C - Enter
• Specify center point – Mouse Click on your center of circle
• Specify Diameter– enter your diameter
• Press Enter

3.    3 Point Circle

C – Enter

Specify center point for circle or (3P/2P/Ttr) – 3P

Specify first point on circle: mouse click on the required location

Specify second point on circle: mouse click on the required location

Specify third point on circle: mouse click on the required location

4.    2 Point Circle

C – Enter

Specify center point for circle or (3P/2P/Ttr) – 2P

Specify first end point on circle’s diameter: mouse click on the required 
location

Specify second end point on circle’s diameter: mouse click on the required location

5.    Ttr

C – Enter
  

Specify center point for circle or (3P/2P/Ttr) – T

Specify point on object for first tangent of circle : mouse click on the required location

Specify point on object for second tangent of circle: mouse click on the required location

Specify radius of circle – Enter your radius

3. Erase Command (Shortcut – E)

        Used to delete selected objects

Select the objects by using Green Window or Blue Window or using Mouse Click

Press Enter.
 

That's all folks!!  for today .

In the next post, we will look at  some Drafting Settings and Commands.