This document discusses various drawing aids in AutoCAD, including: - Layers and their properties like color, linetype, lineweight. It describes how to create and manage layers. - Object snaps that allow snapping to precise points like endpoints, midpoints, intersections. - Grid and snap settings for aligning objects. - Ortho mode for drawing horizontal and vertical lines. - The DesignCenter for accessing templates and symbols. - Drafting settings for configuring grid, snap, and other options.

1. Learning Objectives
• Layers and line types.
• Properties toolbar.
4. Working with Drawing Aids
• PROPERTIES command.
• Current, global line type scaling, and LTSCALE factor.
• Grid, Snap, and Ortho modes.
• Object Snaps.
• Combine Object Snap modes and running Object Snap modes.
• AutoTracking.
José A. Rodriguez

2.  UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT AND USE
OF LAYERS
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Drawing lines and
dimensions in different
overlays

3. Advantages of Layers
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Drawing lines and dimensions in
different
layers

4.  WORKING WITH LAYERS
Ribbon: Layers > Layer Properties
Command: LAYER or LA
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Toolbar: Layers > Layer Properties Manager
The Layers panel of the Ribbon
The Layers toolbar

5. Creating New Layers
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Partial view of the Layer Properties Manager with the new layer
created

6. Making a Layer Current
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Layer Properties Manager with the shortcut
menu

7. Controlling the Display of Layers
Turn a Layer On or Off
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Freeze or Thaw in ALL Viewports
New VP Freeze
VP Freeze
Lock or Unlock a Layer
Make a Layer Plottable or Nonplottable
Assigning Linetype to Layer Turning layer Border
Text off in the
Assigning Color to Layer
Ribbon

8. 4. Working with Drawing Aids
Partial view of the Layer Properties Manager with the
VP Freeze icons
The Select Linetype dialog box

9. Assigning Lineweight to Layer
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Lineweight dialog
box

10. Assigning Plot Style to Layer
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Select Plot Style
dialog box

11. Deleting Layers
Managing the Display of Columns
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The shortcut menu to manage column
heads

12. 4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Customize Layer Columns dialog
box

13. Selective Display of Layers
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Layer Filter Properties dialog
box

14. Layer States
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Layer States Manager dialog box

15. Reconciling New Layers
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The information bubble
for
unreconciled layers
Isolating and Unisolating Layers
Ribbon: Layers > Isolate/Unisolate
Command: LAYISO/LAYUNISO
Toolbar: Layers II > Layer
Isolate/Layer Unis

16. Controlling the Layer Settings
New Layer Notification Settings
Area
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Isolate Layer Settings Area
Dialog Settings Area
The Layer Settings dialog box

17. Example 1
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Drawing for Example 1

18. 4. Working with Drawing Aids
Layers created for Example 1
Selecting the Hid layer from
the Layers panel of the
Ribbon to set it as the
current layer

19. Object Properties
Changing the Color
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Different colors in the Object
Color drop-down list

20. Changing the Linetype
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Line type The Linetype Manager dialog box
drop-down
list

21. Changing the LineWieght
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Lineweight Settings dialog box
Changing the Plot Style

22. Properties Palette
Ribbon: View > Palettes >
Properties
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Toolbar: Standard > Properties
Command: PROPERTIES, CH, MO
The Properties
palette

23. Quick Properties Palette
Status Bar: Quick Properties
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Quick Properties palette
 GLOBAL AND CURRENT LINETYPE SCALING
Using CELTSCALE to control current linetype
scaling

24. 4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Details area of the Linetype
Manager dialog box

25.  LTSCALE FACTOR FOR PLOTTING
Changing Linetype Scale Using the PROPERTIES Command
4. Working with Drawing Aids
 WORKING WITH THE DESIGNCENTER
Ribbon: View > Palettes >
DesignCenter Command: ADCENTER
Toolbar: Standard > DesignCenter
DRAFTING SETTINGS DIALOG BOX
Command: DSETTINGS

26. 4. Working with Drawing Aids
The DesignCenter with the shortcut
menu

27. 4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Snap and Grid tab in the Drafting Settings dialog
box

28. Setting Grid
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Grid as check lines Grid as dots
The Grid Spacing area of the Drafting Settings dialog
box

29. Setting Snap
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Creating unequal grid spacing

30. Snap Type
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Invisible Snap grid Isometric snap grid

31.  DRAWING STRAIGHT LINES USING THE
ORTHO MODE
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Drawing a horizontal line Drawing a vertical line
using the ORTHO mode using the ORTHO mode

32.  WORKING WITH OBJECT SNAPS
Toolbar: Object Snap
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Object Snap toolbar The Object snap
modes shortcut
menu

33. AutoSnap
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Drafting tab of the Options dialog
box

34. Endpoint Midpoint
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The ENDpoint Object Snap mode The MIDpoint Object Snap mode

35. Nearest Center
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The NEArest Object Snap mode The CENter Object Snap mode

36. Tangent Quadrant
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The TANgent Object Snap mode The QUAdrant Object Snap mode

37. Intersection
Apparent Intersection
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Perpendicular
The INTersection Object Snap mode Selecting the start point and
then
the perpendicular snap

38. Node Insert
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Using NODe object snap The INSert Object Snap mode
None

39. Parallel Extension
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Using the PARallel Object Snap Using the EXTension Object
mode Snap
mode

40. From Midpoint Between 2 Points
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Using the From Object Using the Midpoint Between 2 Points
Snap mode to locate a Object Snap mode to locate a point
point

41. Temporary Tracking Point
Combining Object Snap Modes
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Using temporary tracking point

42.  RUNNING OBJECT SNAP MODE
Toolbar: Object Snap > Osnap
Settings Command: OSNAP
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Drafting Settings dialog
box (Object Snap tab)

43. Overriding the Running Snap
Cycling through Snaps
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Setting the Priority for Coordinate Entry
Using the TAB key to cycle the coordinate entry
through the snaps priority

44. 4. Working with Drawing Aids
Setting the priority for coordinate data
entry

45.  USING AUTOTRACKING
Object Snap Tracking
4. Working with Drawing Aids
Using AutoTracking to Using AutoTracking to locate
locate a
a point (center of circle) point (midpoint of rectangle)

46. Polar Tracking AutoTrack Settings
4. Working with Drawing Aids
The Polar Tracking tab of The AutoTrack Settings area in
the Drafting Settings dialog the Options dialog box (Drafting
box tab)

47.  FUNCTION AND CONTROL KEYS
F1 F2 F3
4. Working with Drawing Aids
F4 F5 F6
F7 F8 F9
F10 F11 F12