CONTENTS

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 Getting to Know AutoCAD

Starting AutoCAD

Accessing the Welcome Screen

Understanding the Customer Involvement Program

Exploring the User Interface

Introducing the Application Window

Working in the Command-Line Interface

Using the Ribbon

Displaying the Ribbon Tools

Using the Ribbon Tools

Using the Application Menu

Opening a Drawing with the Application Menu

Switching Between Open Drawings

Using the Drop-Down Menus

Using the Toolbars

Saving Workspaces

Using the Keyboard

Using the Mouse

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CHAPTER 2 Learning Basic Commands to Get Started

Using the Line Command

Using Coordinates

Using Relative Coordinates

Using the Direct Distance Method

Drawing the Shape

Using Relative Cartesian Coordinates

Erasing Lines

Controlling How the Selection Tools Are Displayed

Using Relative Polar Coordinates

Using Direct Input

Using the Offset Command

Using the Fillet Command

Completing the Shape

Offsetting Lines to Mark an Opening

Extending Lines

Trimming Lines

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CHAPTER 3 Setting Up a Drawing

Setting Up the Drawing Units

Setting Up the Drawing Size

Using the Grid

Setting Up Drawing Limits

Drawing with Grid and Snap

Taking a Closer Look at Dynamic Input

Saving Your Work

Saving Drawings to Your Hard Drive or Network Drive

Saving Drawings to Autodesk 360 Storage

Understanding AutoCAD Units

Linear Units

Angular Units

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CHAPTER 4 Developing Drawing Strategies: Part 1

Laying Out the Walls

Creating Polylines from Existing Objects

Creating and Editing Polylines

Creating the Exterior Wall Lines

Creating the Interior Walls

Cutting Openings in the Walls

Creating Doors

Drawing Swinging Doors

Copying Objects

Mirroring Objects

Scaling the Bathroom Door

Drawing a Sliding Glass Door

Drawing the Bifold Doors

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An Alternative Sliding Glass Door

An Addition to the Cabin

Three Views of a Block

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CHAPTER 5 Developing Drawing Strategies: Part 2

Starting and Running Commands

Drawing the Thresholds

Drawing the Front Threshold

Drawing the Back Threshold

Drawing the Decks and Stairs

Drawing the Front Deck

Drawing the Deck Posts

Drawing the Stairs

Mirroring the Post and Railing

Drawing the Back Deck and Stairs

Using Point Filters to Finish the Deck

Laying Out the Kitchen

Drawing the Counter

Drawing the Stove and Refrigerator

Completing the Stove with Parametrics

Drawing the Kitchen Sink

Constructing the Bathroom

Setting Running Object Snaps

Drawing a Shower Unit

Drawing the Bathroom Sink and Mirror

Positioning the Toilet and Shelves

Drawing the Hot Tub

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Drawing the Cabin Again

Drawing Something Else

Drawing Some Furniture for the Cabin

Drawing a Gasket

Drawing a Parking Lot

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CHAPTER 6 Using Layers to Organize Your Drawing

Using Layers as an Organizing Tool

Setting Up Layers

Assigning Linetypes to Layers

Assigning Objects to Layers

Turning Off and Freezing Layers

Drawing the Headers

Drawing the Roof

Setting a Linetype Scale Factor

Drawing the Ridgeline

Using the Layer Walk Tool

Setting Properties of Layers and Objects

Selecting Colors for Layers and Objects

Assigning a Color or a Linetype to an Object Instead of a Layer

Making a Color or a Linetype Current

Using the Action Recorder

Creating Layer States

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Experimenting with Linetypes and Linetype Scales

Setting Up Layers for Your Own Trade or Profession

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CHAPTER 7 Combining Objects into Blocks

Making a Block for a Door

Inserting the Door Block

Using Dynamic Blocks

Understanding and Using Groups

Finding Blocks in a Drawing

Using Grips to Detect a Block

Using the List Command to Detect a Block

Using the Properties Palette to Examine a Block

Creating a Window Block

Inserting the Window Block

Rotating a Block during Insertion

Using Snap Tracking to Set the Insertion Point

Changing a Block's Scale Factor by Using Object Properties

Finishing the Windows

Revising a Block

Sharing Information between Drawings

Dragging and Dropping between Two Open Drawings

Copying Objects between Drawings

Using the AutoCAD DesignCenter

Using Other Ways to Share Information between Drawings

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CHAPTER 8 Controlling Text in a Drawing

Setting Up Text Styles

Determining Text and Drawing Scale

Defining a Text Style for View Titles

Placing Titles of Views in the Drawing

Using Annotative Text

Defining an Annotative Text Style

Placing Room Labels in the Floor Plan

Using Text in a Grid

Creating a Title Block and Border

Using Multiline Text

Finishing the Title Block

Using Mtext for General Notes

Using the Spell-Check Feature

Exploring Other Aspects of Multiline Text

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CHAPTER 9 Using Dynamic Blocks and Tables

Using Attributes for a Grid

Defining Blocks with Attributes

Inserting Blocks with Attributes

Editing Attribute Text

Setting Up Multiple Attributes in a Block

Defining a Block with Multiple Attributes

Calculating Areas

Inserting the Room Information Block

Editing Attributes

Controlling the Visibility of Attributes

Exploring Other Uses for Attributes

Creating a Dynamic Block

Setting Up Parameters and Actions

Fine-Tuning the Dynamic Block with the Properties Palette

Inserting a Dynamic Block

Creating a Table

Defining a Table Style

Designing a Table

Creating Tables from Attributes

Modifying the Table Display

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CHAPTER 10 Generating Elevations

Drawing the South Elevation

Creating the South Elevation

Setting Up Lines for the Heights

Using Construction Lines to Project Elevation Points

Copying Objects by Using Grips

Trimming Lines in the Elevation

Assigning Elevation Layers

Drawing the Decks in Elevation

Generating the Other Elevations

Making the Opposite Elevation

Revising the New South Elevation

Making the Front and Back Elevations

Considering Drawing Scale Issues

Drawing Interior Elevations

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CHAPTER 11 Working with Hatches, Gradients, and Tool Palettes

Hatching the South Elevation

Looking at Hatch Patterns

Hatching the Rest of the South Elevation

Adding Special Effects

Using Hatches in the Floor Plan

Creating the User-Defined Hatch Pattern

Controlling the Origin of the Hatch Pattern

Finishing the Hatches for the Floors

Modifying the Shape of Hatch Patterns

Creating and Managing Tool Palettes

Creating a New Tool Palette

Setting Up a Palette for Hatches

Creating a Palette for Commands

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Creating the Hatch Patterns for the Other Elevations

Creating Your Hatch Palette

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CHAPTER 12 Dimensioning a Drawing

Introducing Dimension Styles

Preparing for Dimensioning

Making a New Dimension Style

Setting Up the Symbols And Arrows Tab

Making Changes in the Text Tab

Working with Settings on the Fit Tab

Setting Up the Primary Units Tab (Architectural)

Setting Up the Primary Units Tab (Metric)

Completing the Dimension Style Setup

Exploring the Alternate Units Tab

Exploring the Tolerances Tab

Placing Dimensions on the Drawing

Placing Horizontal Dimensions

Using the Dimension Continue Command

Using the Dimension Baseline Command

Setting Up Vertical Dimensions

Finishing the Dimensions

Using Other Types of Dimensions

Using Radial Dimensions

Adding a Diameter Dimension

Adding an Arc Length

Setting Up Parent and Child Dimensioning Styles

Using Aligned and Angular Dimensions

Using Ordinate Dimensions

Using Leader Lines

Modifying Dimensions

Editing Dimension Text Content

Moving Dimensions

Adjusting Space between Stacked Dimensions

Using Dimension Overrides

Dimensioning Short Distances

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Dimensioning the Garage Addition

Dimensioning to a Centerline

Completing Further Exercises

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CHAPTER 13 Managing External References

Drawing a Site Plan

Using Surveyor's Units

Drawing the Driveway

Setting Up an External Reference

Using the External References Palette

Organizing the Drawing Objects

Moving and Rotating an Xref

Modifying an Xref Drawing

Modifying an Xref by Making It the Current Drawing

Modifying an Xref from within the Host Drawing

Adding an Image to a Drawing

Putting Xrefs to Use

Exploring Additional Xref Features

Setting the Xref Path

Binding Xrefs

Exploring Further on Your Own

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Building Architectural References

Comparing Reference Types

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CHAPTER 14 Using Layouts to Set Up a Print

Getting Ready

Preparing the Title Block

Creating the Title Block Reference

Defining the Attributes

Making the Sheet Information Block

Setting Up a Sheet Template

Setting the Layout Parameters

Finishing the Sheet Template

Creating Your First Plan Sheet

Using Sheet Set Manager

Creating a New Sheet Set

Adding Existing Drawings to a Sheet Set

Creating Drawings with Sheet Set Manager

Setting Up Layouts

Referencing the Model

Creating the Paper Space Viewport

Setting the Viewport Scale

Copying the Layouts

Adjusting a Viewport's Contents

Setting the Linetype Scale

Managing the Floor Plan Sheet File

Managing the Elevations Sheet File

Setting Up the Site Plan Sheet

Defining a New Viewport Scale

Locking and Turning Off Viewports

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CHAPTER 15 Printing a Drawing

Using the Plot Dialog Box

Printer/Plotter

Paper Size and Number of Copies

Plot Area

Plot Scale

Plot Offset and Plot Options

The Expanded Plot Dialog Box

Applying Plot-Style Tables

Introducing Plot-Style Table Files

Understanding How Plot-Style Table Files Are Organized

Assigning Plot-Style Tables to Drawings

Printing a Drawing

Determining Lineweights for a Drawing

Setting Other Properties of Layers

Setting Up the Other Parameters for the Print

Previewing a Print

Viewing Plots in Design Review

Printing a Drawing Using Layouts

Updating Model File Layer Properties in Sheet Files

Plotting a Single Layout

Printing a Drawing with Multiple Viewports

Printing with a Large-Format Printer

Publishing Multiple Layouts

Publishing with Sheet Set Manager

Going Forward

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CHAPTER 16 Creating 3D Geometry

Modeling in 3D

Setting Up the 3D Workspace and Environment

Making the Walls

Creating the Door and Window Block-Outs

Moving and Rotating in 3D

Using the First Right-Hand Rule

Cutting the Openings

Creating the Floor, Foundation, and Thresholds

Creating the Foundation and Supports

Building the Windows

Navigating with the ViewCube

Adding the Sliding Door

Building the Decks

Putting a Roof on the Cabin

Getting Further Directions in 3D

Using Other Solid-Modeling Tools

Using Mesh-Modeling Tools

Using Surface-Modeling Tools

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CHAPTER 17 Rendering and Materials

Creating Cameras to Reproduce Views

Using the Loft Tool

Creating the Cameras

Creating a Lighting Scheme

Creating a Light Source

Enabling Shadows

Creating the First Render

Controlling the Background of the Rendering

Adding Materials

Adjusting the Material Mapping

Rendering to a File

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Index