AutoCAD Crash Course

AutoCAD Crash Course

Minjee Kim

CAD, also known as computer-aided design and drafting (CADD),

is the use of computer technology

for the process of design and design-documentation.

Based on C/C++ programming language, CAD may be used to

design curves and figures in two-dimensional (2D) space

or curves, surfaces, and solids in three-dimensional (3D) space.

AutoCAD

Basics

AutoCAD’s primary purpose is to

produce precise drawings and specifications.

Hence, it is easy to acquire exact measurements. AutoCAD

Basics

Urban planners are most likely to use AutoCAD

to manipulate and analyze site plans and possibly street sections.

AutoCAD

Basics

AutoCAD’s primary purpose is to

produce precise drawings and specifications.

Command line:

Text commands are used to enter

actions, and then options about

those actions are displayed

Drawing

Area

AutoCAD

Interface

Ribbon: context-sensitive tabs that display

the tools you need when you need them

To Zoom In To Zoom Out To Move Around

Scroll

Up (using mouse wheel)

Hold down the

Mouse Wheel

& Drag

Scroll

Down (using mouse wheel)

“Enter”

a Command

“Exit”

a Command

Spacebar Esc

“Undo”

a Command

Ctrl + Z

AutoCAD

Interface

* TIP: double click the mouse wheel,

the entire file you are working on will

fit in your current window

ALWAYS HIT THE SPACEBAR after entering a

command or selecting a feature to complete the action

Layers

to designate different layers for

different types of lines

Drawing

Tools

to create new

objects

Modifying Tools

to manipulate

existing objects

AutoCAD

Default Ribbon tabs

Texts

Object

Properties

Measuring

Tools

to measure

distances and

areas

Default Ribbon tabs are frequently used.

However, memorizing the text commands is much more

time-efficient.

AutoCAD

Making a Selection

from left to right:

select what is enclosed in the box

from right to left:

select what is touching the box

AutoCAD

Drafting Settings

OSNAP (F3)

to make objects snap to a point

ORTHO (F8)

to draw lines, move objects

in orthogonal direction

AutoCAD

Opening a file

The native file format of AutoCAD is .dwg

You are more likely to work with a pre-existing file than to

create a new one.

(i.e. topography, surrounding neighborhood etc)

To Make new document, Open, Save, Save As, & Print

AutoCAD

Understanding

& Clearing up a file

Properties Layer type, type of an

object, measurements

etc

Active Layer Visibility Lock

when a layer is locked, you can

see objects contained in that

layer but can’t make any edits

Properties of a layer

1. Turn off the layers you don’t need so that they don’t

confuse you.

2. Create your own layer that you are going to work on.

* TIP: try typing “layoff” and select the

objects you don’t want to see.

1

set to inches

AutoCAD operates under Absolute Coordinates,

which uses the Cartesian System to specify a position

according to its (X, Y) coordinates

Therefore, the numbers can be interpreted in ANY unit (i.e.

inches, meters, etc.)

2

3

4

AutoCAD

Understanding

& Clearing up a file

* TIP: Always draw true-to-scale

AutoCAD

Drawing your houses: REC and PLine

Type in “REC” to draw a rectangle

or “PL(PLine)” to draw a polyline.

* TIP: ALWAYS use PLine instead of

Line. Line will create objects

segmented at kinks.

* TIP: When drawing with PL,

Ortho(F8) option is useful.

AutoCAD

Drawing a setback line: Offset

1. Type in “O(offset)”

2. Enter the offset distance

3. Select the object

4. Specify a point on side to offset

AutoCAD

Modifying Objects: Move

1. Type in “M(Move)”

3. Specify a base point


4. Specify the point to move to

AutoCAD

Modifying Objects: ROtate

1. Type in “RO(ROtate)” 3. Specify a base point

2. Select the object 4. Type in “r” to designated a

reference line.

You can also rotate without using a reference line, but the angle would be arbitrary.

5. Specify a reference line by selecting the base point and a second point on the object

you want to rotate in order to align it with some other object

6. Align it with the setback line

AutoCAD

Modifying Objects: COpy

1. Type in “CO(COpy)”



4. Specify a second point

To keep an identical distance between objects:

1. Copy the object and place it at the desired distance from the original object.

2. Copy the new object.

3. Specify a base point on the original object.

4. Specify a second point at the same place on the second object.

5. Repat step 4 until you have the desired number of copies of the object.

AutoCAD

Modifying Objects: SCale

1. Type in “SC(Scale)”



As with rotating,

you can also scale without using a reference line, but it will be hard to control the size

4. Type in “r” to designate a

reference line.

5. Specify a second point

AutoCAD

Modifying Objects: MIrror

1. Type in “MI(MIrror)”

3. Specify the first point

of mirror line

2. Select the objects

4. Specify the second point

of mirror line

AutoCAD

Modifying Objects: TRim

1. Type in “TR(TRim)”

3. Specify the segments

of objects that you want

to trim

2. Select the objects you want

to trim AND the cutting object

If you want to trim segments of a line, be sure there is another line or object that intersects

the line you want to trim at the point(s) where you would like to trim it.

AutoCAD

Drawing your road: EXtend

1. Draw straight road using the

command: PL(PLine) & O(offset)

3. Specify the lines to extend

and the boundary line to

extend them to

2. Type in “EX(EXtend)”

4. Click on the lines to extend

* TIP: For TRim AND EXtend, instead

of specifying the lines you want to

work on, you can press enter twice.

This action will select ALL the lines

and work with all of them,

AutoCAD

Drawing your road: Fillet

2. Specify the first line to fillet

1. Type in “F(Fillet)”

4. Specify the second line to

fillet 3. Type in “r” and then

a number for radius

* TIP: At first, you might find it hard to

enter an adequate radius value. Try it

several times if your value doesn’t

work. Once you get used to it, you’ll

be able to find it intuitively.

Fillet allows you to choose two lines and the angle at which

you would like them to meet. The result is a curved

intersection resembling curbs on a street.

AutoCAD

Drawing your road: PLine

1. Type in “PL(PLine)” 3. Type in “A(Arc)”

2. Pay attention to the

command line. It’ll give

many more options.

You have many more options to draw a polyline than the example shown above.

Drawing an arc with a second pt, is just my own convenient way of controlling the shape.

4. Once again, pay attention

to the command line!

5. Type in “S(Second pt)”

AutoCAD


1. Select the PLine that

needs modification

3. Try manipulating individual

control points to edit the shape

of the curve

2. Control points will show up

AutoCAD


1. Select the PLine that

needs modification

4. Type in “j” to join

the polylines

2. Type in “m” to edit

multiple lines and select

the lines

3. Options will pop up on

the command line

If you join two polylines, you will end up with a single line.

Once again, you have many more options. Try them all out by carefully following the

command line. If you are editing a single polyline, you can also edit / insert / delete

individual vertexes (the control points) too.

AutoCAD

Inserting Patterns: Hatch

1. Type in “H(Hatch)”

3. Pick a point INSIDE

an ENCLOSED space

2. Select a pattern

The Hatch command allows you to indicate different types of

surfaces.

4. manipulate angle

and scale for

different

appearances

* TIP : if the scale is to low, it might

cause the program to crash

AutoCAD

Planting trees: Block

1. Type in “B(Block)”

3. Select objects for block

2. Define the name of the block

It is convenient to block the components of an object (i.e., an outline and a hatch) so it will be

easy to edit all at once

4. Right-click on the

block for edit options

AutoCAD

Plotting

Congratulations! Your neighborhood is complete.

Now you need to learn how to plot this cad file into

presentations.

AutoCAD

Plotting: plot scale

1. Draw a letter size

(8.5”x11”) rectangle

2. Scale it by 12,000

3. Adjust the plotting area

By scaling the letter size 12,000 times larger and then plotting

within the letter size, we are creating a plan that is in the scale

of 1:12,000, which also means 1”:1000’.

AutoCAD

Plotting: plot scale

Select printer

Select

paper size

Set it to

“Window”

Check the box Uncheck the box Set it to 1:12,000

Set orientation

Plot style

AutoCAD

Plotting: plot style

For B & W

plan

You can designate a specific line weight

and line type for each color

Rhino can import .dwg directly with all the attributes intact work with original layers, smooth curves

Sketchup can also import .dwg although not as intact as Rhino

Illustrator can open .eps files

but you can also simply copy & paste the objects

Therefore, AutoCAD is a very powerful design tool

that is the fundamental basic skill for many other design programs.

AutoCAD

Compatibility

Technology

AutoCAD Crash Course