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Exploring the AutoCAD user interface

When working with any application we must need to know the User interface for getting speed up the work with all tools in the application.

1. Open AutoCAD application from desktop short cut or start menu.

2. Now click on the big “A” icon locatated near top left corner of the application interface.
AutoCAD 2013 user interface Application menu

3. Now using mouse select the each option from the list displayed.
AutoCAD 2013 Application menu new
AutoCAD 2013 user interface open menu
AutoCAD 2013 user interface save as menu
AutoCAD 2013 user interface Export menu
AutoCAD 2013 user interface Publish menu
AutoCAD 2013 user interface Print menu
AutoCAD 2013 user interface Drawing Utilities menu
AutoCAD 2013 user interface Close menu

4. Click on Home menu to view the Home menu ribbon.
AutoCAD 2013 user interface home ribbon

5. Click on drop down arrow near Draw panel to view the total draw tools.
AutoCAD user interface Draw panel before clicking
See the below image with expanded draw tools.
AutoCAD user interface Draw panel total tools

6. Now click on the drop down arrow near Circle to view circle sub options list.
AutoCAD 2013 user interface Sub tools drop down arrow

7. Now select 3-Point Circle.
AutoCAD 2013 set 3 point circle as default tool of circle

8. Now press “Esc” key from key board to exit from circle command.
9. Then see the circle icon again, it looks like 3 point circle icon setted as default. See the bellow image.
AutoCAD 2013 set 3 point circle as default tool of circle

10. Right click on home ribbon to view pop up menu and move the cursor on to “Show panels” and turn off the “Draw” option. Now observe draw panel is disappeared.
AutoCAD 2013 user interface how to show panels
11. Now again right click on menu ribbon and move the mouse cursor on to “Show Panels” and click “Draw” option to activate the Draw panel.
AutoCAD 2013 user interface display drawing panel on menu ribbon

12. Now click on near point 1 shown like below and select “Minimize to Panel Titles”.
Minimize to Panel Titles

13. Now move the cursor on to Modify block to view the total tools on modify panel.
Modify block to view the total tools on modify panel

14. Now again click on point 1 shown like below image and select “Minimize to To Tabs” option.
Minimize to To Tabs

15. Now click on Annotate menu to show the annotate menu ribbon.
Annotate menu to show the annotate menu ribbon

16. Now click on point 1 like shown below to switch the express tools.
to switch the express tools

17. Move the cursor to top edge of the command window then we can observe the cursor change it’s shape then drag the edge by pressing left button of mouse.
command window size increased

18. Press “F1” function key from key board to view help window.
view help window

19. Enter the topic name to search topic from help.
topic name to search topic from help


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Draw a line using polar co-ordinate system in AutoCAD

1. Open AutoCAD software from desktop short cut or from start menu.   2. Now type "LINE" and press ENTER KEY. Then enter 0,0 as first point of the line.   3. Then type 5<30 as second point of the line. This "<" symbol is used for the line point moves to 30 degrees from positive x-axis. 4.  Now again type 2.45<270 as next point of the line. 5. After generating the line press <Esc> key from key board to exit from line command. The lines shown like below image. BACK to Day-1 Lessions CLICK HERE to get CAD HOME Work help or project help (paid)

Procedure to publish the drawing set in AutoCAD

1. a)Open AutoCAD application from desktop shortcut icon or start menu. b)Click on “Open icon” and select “welding_fx” file from database files then click on “Open” button to open the document. 2.Type “PUBLISH” command and press ENTER KEY. 3.Select “Welding_fix-Model” from sheet name list and click on “Remove” button. 4.Select “DWF” option from Publish to list. 5.Click on “Publish options” button. 6.Make sure “Multi-sheet file” as Type and “Include” as Layer information for general dwf options. 7.Click on Preview button to preview the drawing and click on close preview button. 8.Click on “Publish” button and give name as “CH15_EXERCISE5” and press ok button. 9.Click on “NO” button.

Procedure to plotting from model space in AutoCAD

1. a)Open AutoCAD application from desktop shortcut icon or start menu. b)Click on “Open icon” and select “db_file” file from database files then click on “Open” button to open the document. 2.Type “PLOT” and press ENTER KEY then plot dialog box appeared. 3.Select “DWF6ePlot.pc3” option as printer/plotter type from the list. 4.Select “Extents” as what to plot list. 5.Type 3/32 = 1 as scale. 6.Now click on “Center the plot” check box. 7.Now click on “Preview” button. 8.Drawing is shown like below. 9.Now set “Window” as what to plot. 10.Now draw a rectangle like shown below. 11.Now enter ¼ = 1 as plot scale and click on “Preview” button to view the drawing. 12.Click on “Close Preview” button to close the preview, then click on “Cancel” button from plot dialog box.

Procedure to create a block with attributes in AutoCAD

1. a)Open AutoCAD application from desktop shortcut icon or start menu. b)Click on “open icon” and select “acad” file then click on “Open” button to start new document. 2.Type “ATTDEF” and press ENTER KEY to create attributes. 3.Save the document by click on quick save icon from quick access tool bar.

How to offesetting objects with construction lines in AutoCAD

1. a)Open AutoCAD application from desktop shortcut icon or start menu. b)Open previously saved document. 2.Click on the drop down arrow near Draw and select “XLINE” tool. 3.Select “Offset” tool. 4.AutoCAD prompts for offset distance. 5.Type “2” as offset distance and press ENTER KEY. 6.Select right side vertical line to offset. 7.Move the cursor right wards and pick a point to offset the selected element. 8.Now again AutoCAD prompts for selecting elements. 9.Pick top most horizontal line and move the cursor upwards and pick a point anywhere at upside to the selected element. 10.Press ENTER KEY to exit from “XLINE” command. 11.Now select “XLINE” from draw panel and select “Offset” tool and type “3” as offset distance and press ENTER KEY then select newly generated vertical line and move the mouse right wards and pick a point to offset the selected element in right wards. Again select “XLINE” from draw panel and select “Offset” tool from modify panel and type “3” as offset...

How to use Undo and Redo in AutoCAD

1. a)Open AutoCAD application from desktop shortcut menu. b)Select new document icon from quick access toolbar and open “ansi-a” template. c)Now click on model layout tab. d)Draw a line by using line command. 2. 3. 4.Now save the drawing by clicking on save icon from quick access tool bar. BACK to Day-2 Lessions

How to work with Grid display and snap mode in AutoCAD

1. a)Open AutoCAD application from desktop shortcut menu. b)Select new document icon from quick access toolbar and open “ansi-a” template. c)Now click on model layout tab. d)To turn off Gid display click on Grid icon from status bar or press “F7” key from key board. e)To turn ON snap mode click on Snap icon from status bar or press “F9” key from key board. 2.We can observe the cursor movement co-ordinates from status bar. 3.Now we can turn ON the grid display and turn off the Snap mode by clicking on the icons located near status bar or by pressing “F7” and “F9” function keys from key board. Now we can observe the cursor not locked to move the snap points. Note: The snap co-ordinates are locked only when the command is active. 4.Now TURN ON the SNAP Mode by clicking Snap mode icon from status bar. Then click on “LINE” command icon form Draw tools. NOTE: We can observe the 0.5 multiflied co-ordinate value after click on the line command. Incase the cursor locking va...

How to use Cartesian Coordinates in AutoCAD

Cartesian co-ordinate system is used to represent the X and Y coordinate values. We can draw elements by using a Cartesian coordinate system in AutoCAD. Generally in Cartesian coordinate system the x and y coordinate values are separated with comma (“,”). 1. See the two-dimensional cartesian coordinate grid system in the below image. 2. Generally co-ordinate system represents with its x and y co-ordinate values enclose with brackets. The first value in the enclosed brackets is for X value and the second value in the enclosed brackets if for Y value. The below image represents the line from (2,1) to (4,5). Syn: Type "LINE" and press ENTER KEY from key board. (the data we typed is inserted in command window). Then type 2,1 and press ENTER KEY. Then again type 4,5 and press ENTER KEY. Press <Esc> (escape) key to exit from line command. 3. The bellow line is drawn from (-2,-1) to (0,0). Syn: Type "LINE" and press ENTER KEY from key board. (th...

How to draw a line using polar co-ordinate system.

we can use absolute or relative polar coordinates (distance and angle) to locate points when creating objects. The polar coordinate system is a two-dimensional coordinate system in which each point P on a plane is determined by the length of its position vector r and the angle q between it and the positive direction of the x-axis . BACK to Day-1 Lessions CLICK HERE to get CAD HOME Work help or project help (paid)