The document discusses AutoCAD, a computer-aided design and drafting software developed by Autodesk, first released in 1982. It details the software's features, history, applications across various industries, and its capabilities in creating 2D and 3D designs. AutoCAD is noted for its extensive editing tools, accuracy, and ability to manage geometric entities, making it essential for architects, engineers, and graphic designers.

1. Name = AMIT SAHNI
Program = B.Tech ( MAE

2. SR. NO. TOPIC PAGE NO.
1 INTRODUCTION 3 - 4
2 HISTORY OF AUTOCAD 5
3 AUTOCAD’S APPLICATIONS 6 - 7
4 AUTOCAD FEATURES 8 - 9
5 Geometry 10 - 13
6 MODIFY TOOLS 14 - 15
7 BASIC KEYBOARD
SHORTCUTS
16 - 19
8 Manage Drawings 18
9 Manage Workflow 18
10 Toggle Drawing Modes 19
11 Manage Screen 19
12 HOTS KEYBOARD
SHORTCUTS
20 - 27
13 BLOCKS 28 - 32
14 DIMENSIONING 33 - 49
15 LAYER 50 - 53
16 PRINTING 54 - 58
17 Advantage 59 - 60
18 DISADVANTAGES 61
INDEX
2

3. INTR0DUCTION
AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design
(CAD) and drafting software application. Developed and marketed
by Autodesk AutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app
running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers. Before
AutoCAD was introduced, most commercial CAD programs ran on mainframe
computers or minicomputers with each CAD operator (user) working at a
separate graphics terminal. Since 2010, AutoCAD was released as a mobile-
and web app as well, marketed as AutoCAD 360.
AutoCAD is used across a wide range of industries, by architects, project
managers, engineers, graphic designers, and many other professionals. It was
supported by 750 training centers worldwide in 1994
AutoCAD is a software application developed by Autodesk that enables
computer-aided design (CAD)
and drafting. The software is used to produce 2D and
3D drawings. AutoCAD software allows users to conceptualize ideas, produce
designs and drawings to the required levels of technical accuracy, and even
perform rapid design calculations and simulations across a wide range of
industries.
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4. Autodesk AutoCAD is a computer-aided design program for
two- and three-dimensional drawing. It is a software
recognized internationally for its extensive editing
capabilities, which make it possible to digitally draw building
plans or recreate 3D images. Drawing in this program has
revolutionized the way of working, since in any work that is
related to the technical, it is now done digitally.
Like other computer aided design programs, AutoCAD
manages a database of geometric entities (points, lines, arcs,
etc.) with which it can be managed through a graphic screen
in which these are displayed, the cited drawing editor. The
user interaction is done through commands, editing or
drawing, from the command line, to which the program is
fundamentally oriented.
4

5. HISTRAOY OF AUTOCAD
Autodesk has also created mobile and cloud-based apps,
including AutoCAD 360, Fusion 360, and A360 Viewer. These programs
couple design and documentation tools together with the ability to share
and collaborate via the Internet.
The company behind AutoCAD, Autodesk was founded in 1982 by John
Walker. H
AutoCAD was derived from a program begun in 1977 and released in
1979 called Interact CAD also referred to in early Autodesk documents
as MicroCAD, which was written prior to Autodesk's (then Marinchip
Software Partners) formation by Autodesk cofounder Michael Riddle.
The first version by Autodesk was demonstrated at the 1982 Comdex and
released that December. As Autodesk's flagship product, by March 1986
AutoCAD had become the most ubiquitous CAD program
worldwide. The 2019 release marked the 33rd major release of AutoCAD
for Windows. The 2014 release marked the fourth consecutive year of
AutoCAD for Mac.
5

6. AutoCAD as an architectural planning tool: It comes with a user-interface
with built-in design lay-outs. The lay-outs contain numerous templates specially
designed for architectural planning and building construction. The latest
versions of AutoCAD come with analytical tools. The tools can analyse the
components of the building to troubleshoot stress and load levels of building
supports. AutoCAD enables architects to design, plan, execute and analyse the
strength of a building, at design stage level.
•AutoCAD as an engineering drafting tool: You can use AutoCAD to draw
accurate 2D drawings for any engineering domain and also use AutoCAD
to render to 3D models to help in visualization of the end product. It is useful
for Civil, Mechanical and Electrical systems. It helps engineers to design,
analyse and solve design issues resulting in accurate designs.
6
AutoCAD was initially created for mechanical engineers, but very quickly
extended to encompass a range of fields. In fact, AutoCAD’s success is
largely due to its mass adoption by a wide range of design professionals,
including architects, project managers, animators and engineers.
AUTOCAD APPLICATIONS

7. •AutoCAD as a graphic design tool: AutoCAD has innate features
that enable users to plan and map out spaces and take advantage of
the space available. It can be used simultaneously with 3D Max and
various other application softwares including animation tools.
•AutoCAD in 3D Printing: For a 3D print of an object, one has to
choose the object, get a virtual 3D representation and then feed it to
the 3D printer. A 3D print has its own advantages for designers and
this is where AutoCAD helps them. It ensures file compatibility so that
designs can be exported to various preferred formats.
•AutoCAD in the fashion industry: Every pattern and design of
jewellery does not come by chance; it is the result of careful planning
and designing. AutoCAD has the tools necessary for planning intricate
designs for manufacture of jewellery, toys and other delicate objects.
•AutoCAD as industrial design tool: AutoCAD helps to reduce
manufacturing costs as it saves time and efforts required for manual
designing.
7

8. AUTOCAD FEATURES
•Storage and accessibility: AutoCAD files can be saved on a computer or
archived in any storage media. Software files occupy lesser storage space as
compared storage space required for keeping manually drafted paper
drawings. Paper drawings also need care and protection from loss or damage
due to floods, fires or other calamities and can get damaged over time. .The
software files can also be stored on any cloud storage, from where they are
easily accessible at anytime, from anywhere provided there is an internet
connection.
•3D View: Although it is possible to sketch 3D drawings manually, they are not
as effective and realistic as computer aided drawings. AutoCAD help model 3D
objects with colors, materials and/or textures applied to various surfaces
making them vivid and easier for the user to visualize the end product.
•Revisions and modifications: Any changes in manually drafted paper
drawings would require the draftsman to draw the drawing again. Since this
involved a lot of effort, the draftsmen just scratched out the older details and
drew new details, resulting loss of older details and also not-to-scale drawings.
CAD has inbuilt tools that allow any number of revisions and changes easily
and quickly.
8

9. •. You can edit or delete details easily using simple user-friendly
commands.. You can also save the previous versions of the file in case
you wish to re-use them.
•Speed: Creating a drawing in AutoCAD is much faster than drawing
manually. You can also save time and effort by creating re-usable block
library. Easy edits are possible with commands like copy, mirror,
stretching, rotate and scale and many more such commands.
•Accuracy: AutoCAD enables you to draw with fractional dimensions
and also define precision to any number of decimal places, which is
not possible to achieve in hand-drafted manual drawings, hence
offering accuracy in all dimensions.
9

10. Geometry
Now onto the actual drawing! AutoCAD comes with a wide variety of basic geometric
shapes that you can use in your 2D sketches (we’ll cover 3D shapes in a later section).
These objects range from lines to circles and hatched areas. You can use these objects by
clicking on their icons, locating them in the toolbar, or by typing their command into the
Command window. We’ve included a short list of basic objects below : -
Lines
Command/Shortcut:= L
Location: Draw > Line
The Line command draws a straight line from one point to another. When you pick the start
point of the line, you need to specify the endpoint of the line segment on screen. You can
either continue to specify additional line segments or end the line there. If you want to undo a
previous line, enter U at the prompt. To end the command, you can press Enter or ESC, or
enter C to close a series of line segments.
You can choose to pick the position of your lines by using your mouse to click on the screen.
If you want to be more precise, you can use coordinates instead. When you type LINE or L
into the command window and press Enter, you’ll be prompted to specify a point location by
using coordinates.
10

11.  Circle
Command/Shortcut: CIRCLE / C
Location: Draw > Circle > Centre, Radius
The Circle command draws a circle based on a radius and center point. The
default command requires you to specify a center point and a radius—
usually on screen. If you enter CIRCLE or C into the Command window,
you’ll be prompted to pick an option where you can specify the center point
or click a highlighted command option.
 Polyline
Command/Shortcut: PLINE / PL
Location: Draw > Polyline
A polyline is a connected sequence of line or arc segments created as a
single object. You can use this command to create open or closed polylines.
These polylines can have a constant width or different starting and ending
widths. Once you’ve specified the first point of the polyline, you can use the
Width option to specify the width of all the subsequently created segments.
11

12.  Rectangle
Command/Shortcut: RECTANGLE / REC
Location: Draw > Rectangle
The Rectangle command is used to draw a rectangle with sides that are vertical and
horizontal. You can specify the position and size of the rectangle by choosing two
diagonal corners. Essentially, a rectangle is a closed polyline that is automatically drawn
for you by AutoCAD.
 Hatch
Command/Shortcut: HATCH / H
Location: Draw > Hatch
A hatch is an object that covers an area with a pattern of lines, dots, shapes, solid fill
color, or gradient fill. When you start this command, the ribbon will display the ‘hatch
creation’ tab where you can pick from a variety of hatch patterns. After you’ve chosen
your pattern and the scale, you just need to click inside an area that’s enclosed by
objects. After you’ve created the hatch, you can adjust the area or delete any surrounding
objects to create partial hatches.
1

13. AutoCAD drawings are rarely completed simply by
drawing lines, circles etc. Most likely you will need to
Modify these basic drawing objects in some way in
order to create the image you need. AutoCAD provides
a whole range of modify tools such as Move, Copy,
Rotate and Mirror.
MODIFY TOOLS
13

14. COMMAND ICON SHORTCUT ACTION
Trim TRIM / TR Trims object to a
selected cutting edge
Extend EXTEND / EX Extends object to
selected boundary edge
Offset OFFSET / O Offsets an object
by a set distance
Explode EXPLODE / X Breaks object into
its component objects
Fillet FILLET / F Converts sharp edges
into round edges
Stretch STRETCH / S Stretches a selected
Object
Mirror MIRROR / MI Creates mirror image
of selected object
Array ARRAY / AR Creates a repeating
pattern
Chamfer CHAMFER / CH Creates angled corner
between two lines
Dimstyle DIMSTYLE / D Creates and modifies
dimension styles
14

15. Q = QSAVE / Saves the current drawing.
A = ARC / Creates an arc.
Z = ZOOM / Increases or decreases the
magnification of the view in the current viewport.
W = WBLOCK / Writes objects or a block to a new
drawing file.
S = STRETCH / Stretches objects crossed by a
selection window or polygon.
X = EXPLODE / Breaks a compound object into its
component objects.
E = ERASE / Removes objects from a drawing.
D = DIMSTYLE / Creates and modifies dimension
styles.
C = CIRCLE / Creates a circle.
R = REDRAW / Refreshes the display in the current
viewport.
F = FILLET / Rounds and fillets the edges of objects
.
V = VIEW / Saves and restores named views, camera
views, layout views, and preset views.
BASIC KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
15

16. T = MTEXT / Creates a multiline text object.
G = GROUP / Creates and manages saved sets of
objects called groups.
B = BLOCK / Creates a block definition from selected
objects.
H = HATCH / Fills an enclosed area or selected objects
with a hatch pattern, solid fill, or gradient fill.
J = JOIN / Joins similar objects to form a single,
unbroken object.
M = MOVE / Moves objects a specified distance in a
specified direction.
I = INSERT / Inserts a block or drawing into the current
drawing.
O = OFFSET / Creates concentric circles, parallel lines,
and parallel curves.
L = LINE / Creates straight line segments.
P = PAN / Adds a parameter with grips to a dynamic
block definition.
16

17. Manage Drawings
• Ctrl + n = New Drawing
• Ctrl + s = Save drawing
• Ctrl + o = Open drawing
• Ctrl + p = Plot dialog box
• Ctrl + Tab = Switch to next
• Ctrl + Shift + Tab = Switch to previous drawing
• Ctrl + Page Up = Switch to previous tab in current
drawing
• Ctrl + Page Down = Switch to next tab in current
drawing
• Ctrl + q = Exit
• Ctrl + a = Select all objects
Manage Workflow
 Ctrl + c = Copy object
 Ctrl + x = Cut object
 Ctrl + v = Paste object
 Ctrl + Shift + c = Copy to clipboard with base
 point
 Ctrl + Shift + v = Paste data as block
 Ctrl + z = Undo last action
 Ctrl + y = Redo last action
 Ctrl+[ Cancel current command (or ctrl+)
 ESC Cancel current command
17

18. Toggle Drawing Modes
 F1 = Display Help
 F2 = Toggle text screen
 F3 = Toggle object snap mode
 F4 = Toggle 3DOsnap
 F5 = Toggle Isoplane
 F6 = Toggle Dynamic UCS
 F7 = Toggle grid mode
 F8 = Toggle ortho mode
 F9 = Toggle snap mode
 F10 = Toggle polar mode
 F11 = Toggle object snap tracking
 F12 = Toggle dynamic input mode
Manage Screen
 Ctrl+0 = (zero) Clean Screen
 Ctrl+1 = Property Palette
 Ctrl+2 = Design Center Palette
 Ctrl+3 = Tool Palette
 Ctrl+4 = Sheet Set Palette
 Ctrl+6 = DB Connect Manager
 Ctrl+7 = Markup Set Manager Palette
 Ctrl+8 = Quick Calc
 Ctrl+9 = Command Line
18

19. HOTS KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
 A = ARC / CREATES AN
ARC.
 AL = ALIGN / ALIGNS OBJECTS
WITH
OTHER OBJECTS IN 2D
AND 3D.
19

20.  BR = BREAK / BREAKS THE SELECTED
OBJECT
BETWEEN TWO POINTS.
 CHA = CHAMFER / BEVELS THE EDGES OF
OBJECTS
20

21.  EL = ELLIPSE / CREATES AN ELLIPSE OR
AN
ELLIPTICAL ARC.
 F = FILLET / ROUNDS AND FILLETS THE
EDGES OF OBJECTS.
21

22.  H = HATCH / FILLS AN ENCLOSED AREA OR
SELECTED OBJECTS WITH A HATCH
PATTERN, SOLID FILL, OR GRADIENT FILL.
 ID = ID / DISPLAYS THE UCS COORDINATE
VALUES OF A SPECIFIED LOCATION.
ID lists the X, Y, and Z values of the specified point and stores the
coordinate of the specified point as the last point. You can reference the
last point by entering @ at the next prompt that requests a point.
The UCS coordinate values of the location are displayed at the
Command prompt.
22

23.  J = JOIN / JOINS SIMILAR OBJECTS TO FORM
A SINGLE, UNBROKEN OBJECT.
 LE = QLEADER / CREATES A LEADER AND
LEADER ANNOTATION.
23

24.  MI = MIRROR / Creates a mirrored copy
of selected objects.
BEFORE APPLY MIRROR COMMAND
AFTE
R
 O = OFFSET / CREATES CONCENTRIC
CIRCLES, PARALLEL LINES, AND
PARALLEL CURVES.
24

25.  RO = ROTATE / ROTATES OBJECTS AROUND
A BASE POINT.
X
Y
 TR = TRIM / TRIMS OBJECTS TO MEET THE
EDGES OF OTHER OBJECTS.
25

26.  X = EXPLODE / BREAKS A COMPOUND
OBJECT INTO ITS COMPONENT OBJECTS.
 EX = EXTEND / EXTENDS OBJECTS TO MEET
THE EDGES OF OTHER OBJECTS.
26

27.  B = BLOCK / CREATES A BLOCK
DEFINITION FROM SELECTED OBJECTS.
 M = MOVE / MOVES OBJECTS A SPECIFIED DISTANCE IN
A SPECIFIED DIRECTION.
 MT = MTEXT / CREATES A MULTILINE TEXT OBJECT.
 MT = MTEXT / CREATES A MULTILINE TEXT OBJECT.
 POL = POLYGON / CREATES AN EQUILATERAL CLOSED
POLYLINE.
 PYR = PYRAMID / CREATES A 3D SOLID PYRAMID.
 Q = QSAVE / SAVES THE CURRENT DRAWING
 REC = RECTANG / CREATES A RECTANGULAR POLYLINE.
 SC = SCALE / ENLARGES OR REDUCES SELECTED
OBJECTS, KEEPING THE PROPORTIONS OF THE
OBJECT THE SAME AFTER SCALING.
 SPL = SPLINE / CREATES A SMOOTH CURVE THAT
PASSES THROUGH OR NEAR SPECIFIED POINTS.
 SP = SPELL / CHECKS SPELLING IN A DRAWING.
 T = MTEXT / CREATES A MULTILINE TEXT OBJECT.
 UN = UNITS / CONTROLS COORDINATE AND ANGLE
DISPLAY FORMATS AND PRECISION.
 Z = ZOOM / INCREASES OR DECREASES
THE MAGNIFICATION OF THE VIEW IN THE
CURRENT VIEWPORT.
27

28. BLOCKS
What is an AutoCAD block?
A block is simply a collection of objects (it could be one object) that
has a name. Blocks have several advantages:
•You can insert them again and again, saving time. In fact, you can
insert them into other drawings as well.
•A block uses less electronic space than individual objects, so your
drawing file is smaller.
•By updating a block’s definition, you can update all the blocks in the
drawing.
Note: Dynamic blocks are blocks that have added
parameters that function in certain defined ways. Look at
the end of this post for links to some posts on dynamic
blocks.
28

29. How do you create a block?
To create a block, follow these steps:
1. Draw the objects that you want in the block.
2. Choose Home tab> Block panel> Create to start the BLOCK command. The
Block Definition dialog box opens.
3. Type a name in the Name text box. The name can have spaces.
4. You need to specify a base point. That’s the point at which you’ll insert the
block. In the Base Point section, click Pick Point. Be sure to use an object snap
for accuracy! You’ll immediately be returned to the dialog box.
5. In the Objects section, click the Select Objects button. Select the objects and
press Enter to return to the dialog box.
Tip: You can select the objects before using the command and they’ll show up
in the dialog box.
6. Just below, choose Retain, Convert to Block, or Delete. These options control
what happens after you create the block.
7. In the Behavior section, you can make a block Annotative force it to scale
uniformly and choose whether to allow exploding.
29

30. 8. In the Settings area, choose the block unit. You can choose Unitless but
if you choose a unit, AutoCAD will try to scale the block appropriately
when you insert it into another drawing. You can also add a hyperlink if
you want.
9. Finally, you can add a description in the Description box. A description
is helpful in the Design Center, when you want to insert the block from
another drawing.
10. Click OK to complete the box. If you chose Delete, the objects
disappear. You can use the OOPS command to bring them back.
30

31. Insert a block from your current drawing
When you have the block definition in your drawing (perhaps you just
created it), follow these steps to insert it:
1. Go to Home tab> Block panel> Insert to start the INSERT command
and open the Insert dialog box.
2. From the Name drop-down list, choose the block that you want to
insert. The list contains the names of all the blocks in the drawing.
3. In the Insertion Point section, you would usually leave the default
setting, which is to specify the insertion on-screen. However, if you know
the coordinates, you can deselect that option and enter the coordinates.
You might do this for a title block that you want to insert at 0,0.
4. In the Scale section, you can pre-specify a scale. By default, the
Specify On-screen option is not checked. You’ll still be able to specify the
scale after you return to your drawing, but before you specify the
insertion point. Again, if you know the scale you want, you can enter X, Y
and Z scale factors in this section. By default, the Uniform Scale
checkbox is checked, which means that the same scale will be used for
X, Y and Z directions. Uncheck this checkbox to use varying scales for
the 3 dimensions.
5. In the Rotate section, you can pre-specify a rotation angle. By default,
the Specify On-screen option is not checked. You’ll still be able to
specify the rotation after you return to your drawing, but before you
specify the insertion point. Of you know the rotation you want, you can
enter an angle in this section.
31

32. 6. Sometimes, you may want to explode the block when you insert it. For example,
you might want to change the block. Of course, you can explode the block after
insertion, using the EXPLODE command, but the Insert dialog box gives you a
shortcut. Just check the Explode checkbox at the lower-left corner.
7. Click OK to close the dialog box and return to your drawing.
8.At the Specify insertion point or [Basepoint/Scale/Rotate]: prompt, specify
the insertion point for the block. The base point of the block (which you specified
when you created the block) will go at the insertion point. You can also use the
following options:
•Basepoint: Freezes the location of the block to let you temporarily change the
block’s basepoint. Keep the cursor in the drawing area as you do this, so you can
specify the new basepoint.
•Scale: Lets you specify a scale factor
•Rotate: Lets you specify a rotation angle.
32

33. DIMENSIONING
You can create horizontal, vertical, aligned, and radial dimensions with the DIM
command. The type of dimension depends on the object that you select and
the direction that you drag the dimension line.
33

34. Creates new styles, sets the current style, modifies styles, sets overrides on
the current style, and compares styles.
D = DIMSTYLE / CREATES AND MODIFIES DIMENSION STYLES.
DIMENSION STYLES MANAGER
A dimension style is a named collection of dimension settings that
controls the appearance of dimensions, such as arrowhead style, text
location, and lateral tolerances.
34

35. Current Dimension Style
Displays the name of the dimension style that is current. The default dimension
style is STANDARD. The current style is applied to dimensions you create.
Styles
Lists dimension styles in the drawing. The current style is highlighted. Right-click
in the list to display a shortcut menu with options to set the current style, rename
styles, and delete styles. You cannot delete a style that is current or in use in the
current drawing.
The icon before the style name indicates that the style is annotative.
Unless you select Don't List Styles in X refs, dimension styles are displayed in
externally referenced drawings using the syntax for externally referenced named
objects. Although you cannot change, rename, or make current externally
referenced dimension styles, you can create new styles based on them.
The item selected in List controls the dimension styles displayed.
List
Controls the display of styles in the Styles list. Select All Styles if you want to see
all dimension styles in a drawing. Select Styles in Use if you want to see only the
dimension styles currently used by dimensions in the drawing.
Don’t List Styles in X refs
When selected, suppresses display of dimension styles in externally referenced
drawings in the Styles list.
35

36. Preview
Shows a graphic representation of the style selected in the Styles list.
Description
Describes the style selected in the Styles list relative to the current style. If the
description is longer than the space provided, you can click in the pane and use arrow
keys to scroll down.
Set Current
Sets the style selected under Styles to current. The current style is applied to
dimensions you create.
New
Displays the Create New Dimension Style dialog box, in which you can define a new
dimension style.
Modify
Displays the Modify Dimension Styles dialog box, in which you can modify dimension
styles. Dialog box options are identical to those in the New Dimension Style dialog
box.
Override
Displays the Override Current Style dialog box, in which you can set temporary
overrides to dimension styles. Dialog box options are identical to those in the New
Dimension Style dialog box. Overrides are displayed as unsaved changes under the
dimension style in the Styles list.
Compare
Displays the Compare Dimension Styles dialog box, in which you can compare two
dimension styles or list all the properties of one dimension style.
3

37. Dimension Lines
Color
Displays and sets the color for the dimension line. If you click Select Color
(at the bottom of the Color list), the Select Color dialog box is displayed.
You can also enter a color name or number. (DIMCLRD system variable)
You can select colors from the 255 AutoCAD Color Index (ACI) colors, true
colors, and Color Book colors.
Linetype
Sets the linetype of the dimension line. (DIMLTYPE system variable)
Lineweight
Sets the lineweight of the dimension line. (DIMLWD system variable)
37

38. Extend Beyond Ticks
Specifies a distance to extend the dimension line past the
extension line when you use oblique, architectural, tick, integral,
and no marks for arrowheads. (DIMDLE system variable)
Baseline Spacing
Sets the spacing between the dimension lines of a baseline
dimension. Enter a distance. For information about baseline
dimensions, see DIMBASELINE. (DIMDLI system variable)
38

39. Suppress
Suppresses display of dimension lines. Dim Line 1 suppresses the
first dimension line; Dim Line 2 suppresses the second dimension
line. (DIMSD1 and DIMSD2 system variables)
Extension Lines
Controls the appearance of the extension lines.
Color
Sets the color for the extension line. If you click Select Color (at the bottom of
the Color list), the Select Color dialog box is displayed. You can also enter a
color name or number. (DIMCLRE system variable.)
You can select colors from the 255 AutoCAD Color Index (ACI) colors, true
colors, and Color Book colors.
Linetype Ext Line 1
Sets the linetype of the first extension line. (DIMLTEX1 system variable)
Linetype Ext Line 2
Sets the linetype of the second extension line. (DIMLTEX2 system variable)
Lineweight
Sets the lineweight of the extension line. (DIMLWE system variable)

40. Suppress
Suppresses the display of extension lines. Ext Line 1
suppresses the first extension line; Ext Line 2 suppresses the
second extension line. (DIMSE1 and DIMSE2 system
variables)
Extend Beyond Dim Lines
Specifies a distance to extend the extension lines above
the dimension line. (DIMEXE system variable)
40

41. PRIMARY UANITS
List of Options
The following options are displayed.
Linear Dimensions
Sets the format and precision for linear dimensions.
Unit Format
Sets the current units format for all dimension types except Angular.
(DIMLUNIT system variable)
The relative sizes of numbers in stacked fractions are based on the DIMTFAC
system variable (in the same way that tolerance values use this system
variable).
Precision
Displays and sets the number of decimal places in the dimension text.
(DIMDEC system variable)
Fraction Format
Sets the format for fractions. (DIMFRAC system variable)
Decimal Separator
Sets the separator for decimal formats. (DIMDSEP system variable)
41

42. Round Off
Sets nearest rounding value for dimension measurements for all
dimension types except Angular. (DIMRND system variable)
If you enter a value of 0.25, all distances are rounded to the nearest
0.25 unit. If you enter a value of 1.0, all dimension distances are
rounded to the nearest integer. Take note that the number of digits
displayed after the decimal point depends on the Precision setting.
Prefix
Includes a prefix that you specify in the dimension text. (DIMPOST
system variable)
You can enter text or use control codes to display special symbols. For
example, entering the control code %%c displays the diameter symbol.
When you enter a prefix, it overrides any default prefixes such as those
used in diameter and radius dimensioning.
If you specify tolerances, the prefix is added to the tolerances as well as to
the main dimension.
For more information, see Control Codes and Special Characters.
42

43. Suffix
Includes a suffix that you specify in the dimension text. (DIMPOST
system variable)
You can enter text or use control codes to display special symbols. For
example, entering the text mm results in dimension text similar to that
shown in the illustration. When you enter a suffix, it overrides any default
suffixes.
If you specify tolerances, the suffix is added to the tolerances as well as
to the main dimension.
For more information, see Control Codes and Special Characters.
Scale Factor
Sets a scale factor for linear dimension measurements. It is
recommended that you do not change this value from the default value
of 1.00. (DIMLFAC system variable)
For example, if you enter 2, the dimension for a 1-inch line is
displayed as two inches. The value does not apply to angular
dimensions and is not applied to rounding values or to plus or minus
tolerance values.
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44. Zero Suppression
Controls the suppression of leading and trailing zeros and of feet and inches that have a value of
zero. (DIMZIN system variable)
Zero suppression settings also affect real-to-string conversions performed by the
AutoLISP® rots and argots functions. (Not applicable to AutoCAD LT.)
Leading
Suppresses leading zeros in all decimal dimensions. For example, 0.5000 becomes .5000.
Select leading to enable display of dimension distances less than one unit in sub units.
Sub-units factor
Sets the number of sub units to a unit. It is used to calculate the dimension distance in a
sub unit when the distance is less than one unit. For example, enter 100 if the suffix is m and
the sub-unit suffix is to display in cm.
Sub-unit suffix
Includes a suffix to the dimension value sub unit. You can enter text or use control codes to
display special symbols. For example, enter cm for .96m to display as 96cm.
Trailing
Suppresses trailing zeros in all decimal dimensions. For example, 12.5000 becomes 12.5,
and 30.0000 becomes 30.
0 Feet
Suppresses the feet portion of a feet-and-inches dimension when the distance is less than
one foot. For example, 0'-6 1/2" becomes 6 1/2".
0 Inches
Suppresses the inches portion of a feet-and-inches dimension when the distance is an
integral number of feet. For example, 1'-0" becomes 1'.
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45. SYMBOLS AND ARROWS
List of Options : -
45

46. Arrowheads
First
Sets the arrowhead for the first dimension line. When you change the first arrowhead type,
the second arrowhead automatically changes to match it. (DIMBLK1 system variable)
To specify a user-defined arrowhead block, select User Arrow. The Select Custom Arrow
Block dialog box is displayed. Select the name of a user-defined arrowhead block. (The block
must be in the drawing.)
Second
Sets the arrowhead for the second dimension line. (DIMBLK2 system variable)
To specify a user-defined arrowhead block, select User Arrow. The Select Custom Arrow
Block dialog box is displayed. Select the name of a user-defined arrowhead block. (The block
must be in the drawing.)
Leader
Sets the arrowhead for the leader line. (DIMLDRBLK system variable)
To specify a user-defined arrowhead block, select User Arrow. The Select Custom Arrow
Block dialog box is displayed. Select the name of a user-defined arrowhead block. (The block
must be in the drawing.)
Arrow Size
Displays and sets the size of arrowheads. (DIMASZ system variable)
Note: Annotative blocks cannot be used as custom arrowheads for dimensions or leaders.
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47. Center Marks
Controls the appearance of center marks and centerlines for diameter and radial
dimensions.
The DIMCENTER, DIMDIAMETER, and DIMRADIUS commands use center marks
and centerlines. For DIMDIAMETER and DIMRADIUS, the center mark is drawn only
if you place the dimension line outside the circle or arc.
Type
Sets the type of center mark or line to use.
None
Creates no center mark or centerline. The value is stored as 0 in the DIMCEN
system variable.
Mark
Creates a center mark. The size of the center mark is stored as a positive value in
the DIMCEN system variable.
Line
Creates a centerline. The size of the centerline is stored as a negative value in the
DIMCEN system variable.
Size
Displays and sets the size of the center mark or centerline. (DIMCEN system
variable)
Dimension Break
Controls the gap width of dimension breaks.
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48. Break Size
Displays and sets the size of the gap used for dimension breaks.
Arc Length Symbol
Controls the display of the arc symbol in an arc length
dimension. (DIMARCSYM system variable)
Preceding Dimension Text
Places arc length symbols before the dimension text. (DIMARCSYM system
variable)
Above Dimension Text
Places arc length symbols above the dimension text. (DIMARCSYM system
variable)
None
Suppresses the display of arc length symbols. (DIMARCSYM system variables
Radius Jog Dimension
Controls the display of jogged (zigzag) radius dimensions.
Jogged radius dimensions are often created when the center point of a circle or
arc is located off the page.
Jog Angle
Determines the angle of the transverse segment of the dimension line in a jogged
radius dimension. (DIMJOGANG system variable)
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49. Linear Jog Dimension
Controls the display of the jog for linear dimensions.
Jog lines are often added to linear dimensions when the actual measurement is not
accurately represent by the dimension. Typically the actual measurement is smaller
than the desired value.
Jog Height Factor
Determines the height of the of the jog, which is determined by the distance between
the two vertices of the angles that make up the jog.
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50. LAYER
Layers are the primary method for organizing the objects in a drawing by function
or purpose. Layers can reduce the visual complexity of a drawing and improve
display performance by hiding information that you don’t need to see at the
moment.
Before you start drawing, create a set of layers that are useful to your work. In a
house plan, you might create layers for the foundation, floor plan, doors, fixtures,
electrical, and so on.
In this example, the display is limited to the objects on the Floor Plan layer by
turning off the other layers.
For or other disciplines, the names and number of layers that you create will be
different. Once you create a standard set of layers, you can save the drawing as a
template file (.dwt) that you can use when you start a new drawing.
For complex drawings, you might want to consider a more elaborate layer naming
standard. For example, layer names could begin with 3 digits followed by a naming
code that accommodates multiple floors in a building, project numbers, sets of survey
and property data, and so on. This type of naming convention also makes it easy to
control the order of the layers and limit the layers displayed in the layer list.
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51. Layer Tools
Use the Layer Properties Manager to manage your layers. Find
• Create, rename, and remove layers
• Set the current layer on which new objects are
automatically created
• Specify the default properties for objects on the layer
You can override any layer property of an object. For
example, if an object’s color property is set to BYLAYER,
the object displays the color of that layer. If the object’s
color is set to Red, the object displays as red, regardless
of the color assigned to that layer.
• Set whether the objects on a layer are displayed or
turned off
• Control whether objects on a layer are plotted
• Set whether layer is locked against editing
• Control the layer display properties for layout viewports
• Sort, filter, and group layer names
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52. Layer Settings
The following are the most commonly used layer settings in the Layer Properties
Manager. You click the icon to turn the setting on and off.
•Turn off layers. You turn off layers to reduce the visual complexity of your
drawing while you work.
•Freeze layers. You freeze layers that you do not need to access for a while.
Freezing layers is similar to turning them off, but improves performance in very
large drawings.
•Lock layers. You lock layers when you want to prevent accidental changes to the
objects on those layers. Also, the objects on locked layers appear faded, which
helps reduce the visual complexity of your drawing, but still lets you see the
objects faintly.
•Set default properties. You set the default properties for each layer, including
color, line type, line weight, and transparency. New objects that you create will
use these properties unless you override them. Overriding layer properties is
explained later in this topic.
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53. 53

54. PRINTING
SHORCUTS KEY = CRTL+P
To display all of the options in the Plot dialog
box, click the More Options button.
As you can see, there are a lot of settings and
options available for your use.
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55. For convenience, you can save and restore collections of these
settings by name. These are called page setups. With page setups
you can store the settings that you need for different printers, printing
in gray scales, creating a PDF file from your drawing, and so on.
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56. Create a Page Setup
To open the Page Setup Manager, right-click on the Model tab or a layout tab
and choose Page Setup Manager. The command is PAGESETUP.
Each layout tab in your drawing can have an associated page setup. This is
convenient when you use more than one output device or format, or if you have
several layouts with different sheet sizes in the same drawing.
To create a new page setup, click New and enter the name of the new page
setup. The Page Setup dialog box that displays next looks like the Plot dialog
box. Choose all the options and settings that you want to save.
When you are ready to plot, you simply specify the name of the page setup
in the Plot dialog box, and all your plot settings will be restored. In the
following illustration, the Plot dialog box is set to use the Hitchhiker page
setup, which will output a DWF (Design Web Format) file rather than print to
a plotter.
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57. Output to a PDF File
The following example shows you how to create a page setup for creating PDF files.
From the Printer/plotter drop-down list, choose AutoCAD PDF
Next, choose the size and scale options that you want to use:
•Paper Size. The orientation (portrait or landscape) is built into the choices in the drop-down
list.
•Plot Area. You can clip the area to be plotted with these options, but usually you plot
everything.
•Plot Offset. This setting changes based on your printer, plotter, or other output. Try centering
the plot or adjusting the origin, but remember that printers and plotters have a built-in margin
around the edges.
•Plot Scale. Choose your plot scale from the drop-down list. A scale such as ¼” = 1’-0”
is meant for printing to scale from the Model tab. On a layout tab, you normally print at a 1:1
scale.
The plot style table provides information about processing colors. Colors that look good on your
monitor might not be suitable for a PDF file or for printing. For example, you might want to
create a drawing in color, but create monochrome output. Here is how you specify
monochrome output:
57

58. The resulting Preview window includes a toolbar with several controls,
including Plot and Exit.
After you are satisfied with your plot settings, save them to a page setup
with a descriptive name such as "PDF-monochrome." Then, whenever you
want to output to a PDF file, all that you need to do is click Print, choose the
PDF-monochrome page setup, and click OK.
58

59. Advantage
• Working in AutoCAD is more feasible and practical than if it were to
be done by hand. It saves time and is simpler.
• It allows exchanging information not only by paper, but by means of
files, and this represents an improvement in speed and effectiveness
when interpreting designs.
• It has been linked to multiple platforms, with the benefit of being able
to export and import files of all kinds.
• It has tools so that the paper document is perfect, both in terms of
aesthetics and information, since the finishing and presentation of a
project or plan is important.
• It is possible to draw both in 3D and in 2D: from the 2D drawing in
plan, there is the possibility of generating the 3D model in a much
shorter time than it is used to draw an isometric or a perspective by
hand.
59

60. •It has become a standard in computer design because it is very
versatile, being able to expand the base program through
programming.
•Less work time: productivity when drawing. With tools for project
management you can share information effectively and immediately.
•Practicality: ease in the modifications and order.
•It is used in many branches, in which stand out: architecture, civil
industry, electronics, electromechanics, chemistry, oil, and technology,
etc.
•The program gives the artist the opportunity to convert their work to
other files such as PDF and share them effectively and easily with
whomever you want.
60

61. DISADVANTAGES
•The program has a high cost, due to its license.
•Knowing how to fully use the software requires a lot of time since there are
many functions, and even that they are of little application, since they are
very specific
.
•It requires a powerful computer to work with processing speed, and a high
space on the hard drive.
•Most people who want to learn to use this program have to choose to pay
quite expensive courses to learn how to use them completely.
61