Chapter 1

Getting Started
As you begin this book on AutoCAD®, I’m reminded of a quote by Chinese
philosopher Lao-Tzu: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
In much the same way, learning AutoCAD is something anyone can do by

AL
taking it one step at a time. And I promise that AutoCAD is much easier than
walking a thousand miles!

RI
By buying this book, you have already taken the first step in this journey.
When you finish, you will have a solid understanding of AutoCAD.

TE
 Exploring the AutoCAD 2013 for Windows User interface

 Setting drawing units

MA
Exploring the AutoCAD 2013 for
D
Windows User Interface
TE

P Autodesk has recently released new versions of AutoCAD, including

GH

AutoCAD for Mac

AutoCAD® 2013 and AutoCAD LT® 2013. The two Windows versions look
has a user interface nearly identical and function in almost the same way. The main difference
between them is that AutoCAD LT doesn’t support automation and some
RI

that is customized
to the Mac experi- of the advanced 3D functions. The Mac version looks a bit different than
ence. Although the
PY

its Windows cousins, but it functions nearly identically to AutoCAD for

Mac user interface
is not covered in this Windows, albeit with a slightly reduced set of features. Although this book
book, its commands was written using AutoCAD 2013 running on Windows XP Professional, you
CO

and capabilities can use it to learn any of the current versions of AutoCAD.
are similar to those
in AutoCAD for
Windows. Exploring the Graphical User Interface
Before you can use AutoCAD, you’ll need to familiarize yourself thoroughly
with its graphical user interface (GUI). The AutoCAD 2013 (for Windows)
user interface is shown in Figure 1.1.
2 Chapter 1 • Getting Started

Drawing-specific
Windows controls
AutoCAD-specific
Quick Access toolbar Workspaces Drawing Title InfoCenter ViewCube Windows controls

Application menu
Ribbon
In-canvas
viewpoint controls

Cursor

Drawing canvas

UCS icon
Command line
window

Status bar Application handle

Navigation bar

F igu r e 1 . 1   AutoCAD 2013 user interface

Let’s now step through the basic user interface for AutoCAD:
Certification 1. Click the Application menu. Type polygon, and observe that the text
Objective
appears in the search box at the top of the Application menu. The
search results (see Figure 1.2) list many related AutoCAD commands.
Search is useful when you’re not sure how to access a command in
the interface or what its exact name is.
2. Click the red X at the extreme right edge of the search box to make
the initial Application menu interface reappear. Here you can create
new or open existing drawings, export or print drawings, and more.
Hover the cursor over Open, and then click Drawing (Figure 1.3).
 E xploring the AutoC AD 2013 for Windows User Inter face 3

F igu r e 1 . 2   Searching for commands in the Application menu

Certification
Objective

F igu r e 1 . 3   Opening a drawing from the Application menu

4 Chapter 1 • Getting Started

3. Select the following sample file, and click Open in the Select File
dialog box:
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2013\Sample\
Sheet Sets\Manufacturing\VW252-02-0142.dwg

P If you are using AutoCAD LT, open any of the sample files located
under C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD LT 2013\Sample. The
Sheet sets are
Sheet Set Manager palette appears when the sample file is opened
not available in
AutoCAD LT, and (see Figure 1.4). This palette automatically appears when you open
they are an optional any drawing that’s a part of a sheet set. AutoCAD has many palettes
feature in AutoCAD. to organize tools and reusable drawing content.

Tabbed interface
Auto-hide toggle
Palette-properties menu

Palette bar

F igu r e 1 . 4   Opening a sample drawing reveals this palette.

P 4. Click the Sheet Views tab along the right edge of the Sheet Set Manager,
and observe that tabs provide a means of accessing additional interface
Drag floating pal-
ettes to a secondary content. In its present state, the Sheet Set Manager is a floating palette.
monitor to maximize Drag its palette bar, and relocate it on screen.
the drawing area
on your primary 5. Click the Auto-hide toggle, and watch the palette collapse to its verti-
monitor. cal palette bar; this saves space on screen. Hover the cursor over the
palette bar, and watch the whole palette reappear so that you can
access its content. Now toggle Auto-hide off.
6. Click the palette properties menu and select Anchor Left. The Sheet
Set Manager palette is docked along the left edge of the user interface
(see Figure 1.5). There are many options you can use to organize the
user interface to match the way you work.
 E xploring the AutoC AD 2013 for Windows User Inter face 5

The Quick Access

toolbar is a conve-
F igu r e 1 . 5   Docking a palette nient way to open
drawings, especially
when you’re not
7. Double-click Detail-B under 04 – Brush Roller Sub Assy in the using the Sheet Set
Manufacturing sheet set. A new drawing appears in the drawing window. Manager.

8. Click the Open button in the Quick Access toolbar. Select any draw- O
ing in the Manufacturing folder and click Open. If you are using
Certification
AutoCAD LT, open any other sample file. Objective
6 Chapter 1 • Getting Started

9. Click the Quick View Drawings button in the application status bar
(see Figure 1.6). Move the cursor over the first drawing, and observe
that two smaller views appear above it. These are the highlighted
drawing’s spaces. Move the cursor over Model, and its view will enlarge.
Click the model view icon to go there immediately. Use Quick View to
navigate through open drawings and their spaces.

Highlighted drawing’s spaces Open drawings

Close Quick View Current drawing Open Quick View

F igu r e 1 . 6   Accessing open drawings and their spaces with Quick View

A u t o C A D D r aw i n g S pac e s
AutoCAD has two types of drawing spaces: paper and model. Paperspace is
a two-dimensional area analogous to, and having the dimensions of, a sheet
of paper. Various sizes of “paper” can be created in individual layouts (see
Chapter 13, “Working with Layouts and Annotative Objects”). Modelspace,
on the other hand, is a single three-dimensional volume where everything
is drawn in actual size. Modelspace is typically scaled down in viewports
and displayed in paperspace. Most of the drawing you will do in AutoCAD
will be in modelspace. Both paper- and modelspaces are saved in the same
drawing file.
 E xploring the AutoC AD 2013 for Windows User Inter face 7

Exploring Workspaces
AutoCAD workspaces (not to be confused with drawing spaces) are stored sets of
user interface controls, which include menus, toolbars, palettes, and the ribbon.
People use workspaces to configure the interface quickly for the task at hand.
Let’s take a brief look at the workspaces in AutoCAD:
1. Select the AutoCAD Classic workspace from the drop-down menu O
on the Quick Access toolbar. The user interface changes dramatically
Although longtime
(see Figure 1.7). The AutoCAD Classic workspace makes AutoCAD users might feel
look similar to how it did in 2008 and earlier. more comfortable
with the AutoCAD
Floating toolbars Classic menu bar Classic interface,
there are many
advantages to using
all the workspaces.

Docked
toolbars

Scroll
bars

F igu r e 1 . 7   AutoCAD Classic workspace

2. Drag a docked toolbar out from the edge of the screen and convert Certification
it into a floating toolbar. Select Tools a Toolbars a AutoCAD a Objective

Dimension from the Classic menu bar. Drag the Dimension floating
toolbar to any edge of the screen and dock it.
8 Chapter 1 • Getting Started

Certification 3. Position the cursor over a docked toolbar button and right-click; a
Objective
toolbar context menu appears. Select Object Snap from this menu
(Figure 1.8).

Context menus
appear when you
right-click cer-
tain items. What
appears in the menu
depends on the F igu r e 1 . 8   Using the
context of what you context menu to open toolbars
right-click on.

P 4. Right-click in the drawing window, and you’ll see a different context

menu. Right-clicking over most items, from the tool palettes to the
status bar buttons, brings up other unique context menus. In the
Classic workspace, right-clicking is the means for accessing numer-
ous context-sensitive menus throughout the user interface.

The AutoCAD Ribbon

P AutoCAD has so many toolbars, palettes, and menus that finding the right tool
The ribbon doesn’t
for the job can seem like a job in itself. The ribbon is therefore an important fea-
appear in the ture that was introduced to AutoCAD 2010. Autodesk adopted Microsoft’s ribbon
AutoCAD Classic standard to organize the ever-increasing number of toolbars in a single palette,
workspace. making tools much easier to find. Now let’s explore the various ribbon modes
and identify the user interface elements of each mode.
Certification 1. Choose the 3D Basics workspace from the drop-down menu in the
Objective
Quick Access toolbar. The ribbon replaces all the Classic menus and
 E xploring the AutoC AD 2013 for Windows User Inter face 9

toolbars (see Figure 1.9). Close the Tool Palettes and the Online float-
ing toolbar.

Tabbed interface Minimize ribbon

Typical panel

F igu r e 1 . 9   The full ribbon interface

2. Click the Minimize Ribbon button, and observe that the full ribbon
changes to display tabs and panel buttons (see Figure 1.10). Hover the
cursor over the panel buttons. The buttons expand to reveal all the
tools shown on the full ribbon.

Panel buttons

Panel titles

Tabs

F igu r e 1 . 1 0   Ribbon modes

3. Click the Minimize Ribbon button again. The panel buttons change into
panel titles. Hover the cursor again over the titles to reveal each panel’s
tools.
4. Click the Minimize Ribbon button once again. Hovering the cursor Certification
Objective
over the tabs doesn’t have any effect. Click the Home tab to reveal the
full panel temporarily. It disappears after you move the cursor away.
O
5. Click the Minimize Ribbon button one last time. The full ribbon I recommend using
interface is restored. the full ribbon inter-
face until you learn
6. Click the Create button at the bottom of the Create panel to reveal the location of all
additional tools. Hover the mouse over one of the tools to display a the tools. Use one
tooltip that identifies the tool and describes its function. Holding the of the minimized
modes to save space
on the screen.
10 Chapter 1 • Getting Started

cursor still a while longer reveals either a drawing or a video (without

audio) that visually demonstrates what the tool does (see Figure 1.11).

F igu r e 1 . 1 1   Tooltip and video

P 7. Observe that the bottom of the tooltip shown in Figure 1.11 reveals the
command name (SURFSCULPT in this case). The ribbon, menus, tool-
AutoCAD is based
on commands. If you bars, and palettes are all graphical alternatives to typing commands.
know the name of a
command, you can
8. Press and release the Alt key. Keytips appear on the ribbon (see
type it instead of Figure 1.12). Pressing any of the letter combinations activates that
finding it in the GUI. part of the GUI. Type IN, and observe that the Insert tab is selected
without moving the cursor.

F igu r e 1 . 1 2   Keytips allow you to press keys to manipulate

the ribbon with the keyboard.
 E xploring the AutoC AD 2013 for Windows User Inter face 11

9. Press the F2 key to open the AutoCAD Text window. The bottom line, O
Command:, is called the command line. It is the active line where com-
If you undock the
mands appear, regardless of whether they are typed or triggered from command line, it can
the GUI. The complete history of commands scrolls upward as new be configured to be
commands are entered. Close the AutoCAD Text window. Three lines partially transpar-
of this command history appear at the bottom of the user interface, ent and to show a
number of lines of
just above the application status bar.
prompt history.
10. The application status bar contains a coordinate readout on the left,
a number of status toggle buttons, and various items, as shown in
Figure 1.13. Toggle off all the status bar toggles so that none of their
icons are highlighted in blue. Click the application status bar menu,
and deselect Clean Screen; its button disappears. You can control
which buttons appear using this menu.

Application
Drawing status bar
Coordinate readout Status toggles Quick View controls status bar menu

Paper/Model Specialized tools Tray

Clean screen

F igu r e 1 . 1 3   Application, drawing status bars, and the tray

11. Type POL, and observe how the command line’s AutoComplete feature O
highlights commands in alphabetical order as you type (see Figure 1.14).
To cancel a current
Use the arrow keys to move up or down through the list, and press command, press the
Enter when you find the command for which you are looking instead Esc key.
of typing the entire word. (Note: Some commands and system vari-
ables can be quite lengthy.)

F igu r e 1 . 1 4   Command line’s

AutoComplete feature
12 Chapter 1 • Getting Started

Certification 12. Take a look at the InfoCenter at the top right of the screen (see
Objective
Figure 1.15). This is where you connect to Autodesk and the larger
community. Click in the search field and type solid.

Search box Search button Exchange

Autodesk online Help

services

F igu r e 1 . 1 5  InfoCenter

P 13. Click the binoculars icon on the right of the search field, and the
AutoCAD Exchange dialog box appears. Multiple online books are
The AutoCAD
Exchange dialog searched and relevant results appear in the left panel. The description
box contains help, of the SOLID command appears in the right panel.
the Autodesk
store, and access 14. Click the Help button on the right edge of the InfoCenter. The Help
to the AutoCAD Table of Contents page opens in your browser. All AutoCAD documen-
community. tation is accessible through this interface.

Setting Drawing Units

Before you start drawing, it’s important to decide what one drawing unit rep-
resents in the real world. Architects in the United States typically equate one
drawing unit with one inch in AutoCAD. You need to choose a unit type that
matches your country’s industry standard.
Architectural  As the name suggests, most American architects will choose this
type, which displays units in feet and inches. For example, 12 feet, 61/2 inches is
typed as 12f6-1/2g. The hyphen is used to separate inches from fractions of an
inch rather than feet from inches.
Decimal  Metric users should select this type. One decimal unit can be equal to
one millimeter, one centimeter, or any metric unit.
Engineering  Like the architectural type, engineering units feature feet and
inches, but the inches are represented in decimal form—for example, 126.500.
Fractional  American woodworkers often prefer to set AutoCAD drawings in
fractional units of inches because that is how their work is normally reckoned.
For example, 12 feet, 61/2 inches reads 150-1 / 2 g in fractional units.
 Setting Drawing Units 13

Scientific  For example, 12 million parsecs reads 12.000E+06 in scientific

units, where 12.000 indicates 12 accurate to a precision of three decimal places
and E+06 indicates the exponential function to the sixth power, or one million.
Let’s set the AutoCAD drawing units:
1. Click the New button on the Quick Access toolbar. Click the arrow Certification
Objective
button next to the Open button in the Select Template dialog box,
and choose Open With No Template – Imperial (see Figure 1.16).

F igu r e 1 . 1 6   Opening a drawing with no template

2. Type UN, and press Enter to bring up the Drawing Units dialog box O
(see Figure 1.17). UN is the command alias (abbreviation) of the UNITS
You can press Enter
command. Most commands have aliases that minimize typing. or the spacebar to
enter commands
(command names
never have spaces).
Commands and
their options can be
typed in upper or
lowercase.

F igu r e 1 . 1 7   Setting drawing units

14 Chapter 1 • Getting Started

3. Select Architectural from the Type drop-down menu. We’re using

Architectural in this book, but you should select the unit type that
fits your industry when working professionally. Metric users should
select Decimal length units.
4. Click the Length Precision drop-down menu, and select 1/8g (or 0 for
metric). Set Angle Type to Decimal Degrees and Angle Precision to
0.00 (two decimal places).
5. Click the Insertion Scale drop-down menu, and select Inches (or
Centimeters for metric). Click OK to close the Drawing Units dialog box.

T h e E ss e n t i a l s a n d B e yo n d
You have had a brief overview of the user interface and learned how to control the look
and feel of AutoCAD to suit your working style and needs. In addition, you’ve learned
how to create a new drawing and set the drawing units, and you’re ready to get started
on the business of drawing.

A dd i t i o n a l E x e r c i s e s
 Drawing templates are drawing files that store styles, layers (which you will learn
about in Chapter 6, “Controlling Object Visibility and Appearance”), and settings
that you want to keep consistent in every drawing you create. Set up the drawing
units according to the way you work, and save a new template file (.dwt). Then
create a new drawing file (.dwg) based on your template, and verify that the units
are as expected. As you learn more about styles, layers, and settings later in this
book, you can add your preferences to this template file. Be aware that templates
do not affect preexisting drawings.