Intro to AutoCAD

Open drawing tab

"+" next to current drawing or start tab

Default size of the graphics area for English settings

12 units (X or horizontal) by 9 units (Y or vertical)

eccentric circles

2 circles in the same plane that do not have the same center

Fillet

A curve formed at the interior intersection between two or more surfaces; specifies the fillet radius of the corner

Tangent

A line in the plane of a circle that intersects the circle in exactly one point.

Triangle

A polygon with three sides.

Chamfer

A small angled surface formed between two surfaces, creates an angled corner.

obtuse angle

An angle that measures more than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees

Cartesian Coordinates

Any location in a drawing, such as the endpoint of a line, can be described in X, Y, and Z coordinate values

(Selection) window

Blue - Left-to-right click, selects everything that is entirely inside window only

Command letter: Creates a circle

C - CIRCLE

Lasso selection

Click and hold to select specific irregular areas to select objects... either blue or green

Command hx

Command history

Copy command

Command to create an object based on a current object and located based on distance and direction from current object using to specified points; MULTIPLE Copies - Type "M" once in the COPY command

Mirror Command

Command to create objects that represent half of a drawing, select and mirror object across specified line; by default, TEXT does not change direction > Set MIRRORTEXT system variable to "1" to reverse TEXT

CAD

Computer Aided Design

Array Command (Associated)

Create copies of select object to be arranged in a rectangular, polar or path pattern; Rectangular based on columns, rows AND distances; CAN be modified later once ARRAY command is closed

Array Command (Non-Associated)

Create copies of select object to be arranged in a rectangular, polar or path pattern; Rectangular based on columns, rows AND distances; CANNOT be modified later once ARRAY command is closed

Circle

Defined by its center point and either its diameter or radius; can create either by radius or by diameter after selecting centerpoint location

Title Bar

Displays the file name

Command letter: Removes objects from drawing

E - ERASE

UNITS

Equals units set for the drawing - "Drawing Units" usually set in decimal to 2 or 3 decimals... DEPENDING ON DRAWING

Command letter: Rounds and fillets the edges of adjacent objects

F - FILLET

Command letter: Creates and manages saved sets of objects called groups

G - GROUP

Crossing Window

Green - Right to left double-left click, selects everything inside & crossing window

Command letter: Fills an enclosed area or selected objects with hatching, gradient, solidfill; Normal, outer or ignore island selection options

H - HATCH

Ribbon

Houses control "Tabs" for tools: ie Tabs: Draw, Modify, Annotation, Layers, Block, Properties, Groups, utilities, Clipboard, View, Touch

Status bar

Indicates various settings and quick drawing tool links plus current drawing scale; ie Blue icons = active

Command letter: Joins similar objects to form a single, unbroken object

J - JOIN

Command letter: creates a straight line segment

L - LINE

Application Menu

Large Letter "A"... reveals several other menus and tools... ie "New"... "Open"... "Save"... "Save-As"... "Import"... "Export" DWG files

LTS

Line Type System

Linetype location

Located in the Properties Panel of the ribbon Home tab when NO objects are selected; can be set individually or by layer

Command letter: Moves objects a specified distance in a specified direction based on selected object, base point and second point; uses coordinates, grid snaps, object snaps, and other tools to move current object with precision

M - MOVE;

Command letter: Creates concentric circles, parallel lines, and parallel curves;

O - OFFSET; Click Home tab > Modify Panel > Offset; either by distance or pass-through point

Polyline Command

One continuous object between line segments; Enter PLINE in command window

Command letter: Saves the current drawing

Q - QSAVE

Object Properties

R-Click object - select properties to control the appearance and behavior of objects and used to organize them; includes general and special properties

Rotate Command

Rotates an object by specifies angle or by dragging;

Command letter: Stretches objects crossed by a selection window or polygon using base point and second point; moves only the verticies and endpoints that lie inside the crossing selections leaving those outside unchanged

S - STRETCH

Work Flow

Save-As > Z - enter, A - Enter > choose command

Polar Snap

Specifies distances and angles along the polar alignment path; CANNOT BE ON WITH GRID SNAP

DIRECT DISTANCE Entry Method

Specify a second point by first moving the cursor to indicate direction and then entering a distance... DRAG METHOD

UCS Icon

Tells you if you are in 2D or 3D, orientation icon in bottom left of drawing space

Command Line

Text Box at bottom of screen used to enter coordinates/command options

Graphics Area

The large central area of the screen is the Graphics Area, displays the lines, circles, and other objects you create to make up the drawing

Drawing Units

The units of measurement to be used in the creation of an AutoCAD drawing.

Crosshair

The vertical and horizontal crossing display for the cursor

Model "Tab"

This is where all drawing is done

Drawing Limits

This usable drawing area (12 x 9); The limits of an AutoCAD drawing define its drawing area; this is comparable to selecting the sheet size for the drawing

Type PR for what?

To pull up Property Dialog Box

F5

Toggle Isoplane

F12

Toggle dynamic input mode

F7

Toggle grid mode

F3

Toggle object snap mode

F11

Toggle object snap tracking

F8

Toggle ortho mode

F10

Toggle polar mode

F9

Toggle snap mode

Quick Access Bar

Top bar of page to right of Application Menu; New, Open, Save, Save-As, Print, Undu, Redo... etc.

supplementary angles

Two angles whose sum is 180 degrees

Complementary angle

Two angles whose sum is 90 degrees

concentric circles

Two or more circles with a common center.

RELATIVE POLAR COORDINATES Entry Method

Type a distance and angle relative to the last point... FORMAT: @DISTANCE<ANGLE

RELATIVE RECTANGULAR COORDINATES Entry Method

Type the X and Y coordinates relative to the last point... FORMAT: @X,Y

ABSOLUTE COORDINATES Entry method

Type the X and Y coordinates to locate the point on the current coordinate system relative to the origin... FORMAT: X,Y

Interactive Entry Method

Use the cursor to select on the screen... point and click

Layout Tab

Used for printing drawings with or without Titleblock

Line Command

Used to draw a link; precise and up to 8 decimals; INDIVIDUAL LINE SEGMENTS

Fence

Used to select objects easier when using Trim command; Use "R" to remove items from being erased in ERASE command... Use "A" to add items to be erased in ERASE command... hit enter to finalize command

Navigation bar

Vertical menu on right edge of screen with quick drawing navigation tools

opposite angles

When two lines intersect they form two pairs of opposite angles, A + C = 180 and B + D = 180. A = B and C = D... A and B are opposite angles and so are C and D

rubber-banding

When using ORTHO, designates a line on second pick point and shows direction and length of cursor

WCS

World Coordinate System: AutoCAD is based on this system for defining all objects and other coordinate systems

Command letter: Breaks a compound object into its component objects

X - EXPLODE

Command letter: Zooms

Z - ZOOM

quadrilateral

a four-sided polygon

3D drawing

a line can be created and defined by specifying X, Y, and Z coordinate values

2D drawing

a line is defined by the X and Y coordinate values for its two endpoints

Hexagon

a polygon with 6 sides

Right Angle

an angle that measures 90 degrees

acute angle

an angle that measures less than 90 degrees

Angles in AutoCAD are measured in what direction?

counterclockwise direction

Default Linescale Factor

default linescale = 1.0

Shift + R-Click

different than F3 or status icon, used for the current command only

180 degrees/Angle 180

positioned in a negative X direction, or to the left

270 degrees/Angle 270

positioned in a negative Y direction, or straight down

0 degrees/Angle 0

positioned in a positive X direction, that is, horizontally from left to right

90 degrees/Angle 90

positioned in a positive Y direction, or straight up

Elevation

specifies the elevation of the rectangle

Polar System

the entry system that uses distance and angle from the origin to locate points when creating objects; using r and Ө units away from the origin

adjacent angles

two angles that share a common vertex and side, but have no common interior points; Sum of two adjacent angles = 180