INTRODUCTION TO

AUTOCAD
WHAT IS AUTOCAD ?
 AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software
application.
 Developed and marketed by Autodesk

 Before the invention of AutoCAD, all designing and modeling were done
manually. This was a time-consuming task and resulted in a lot of costly
errors.
 with the invention of AutoCAD, the process of modeling and designing got
digitalized and simplified.
IMPORTANCE OF AUTOCAD:-
 The designers and architects can create accurate models, sketches, and
drawings with AutoCAD. This is next to impossible when done manually.
 With the introduction to AutoCAD, the user can even model 3D objects with
colors & materials that can be applied to various surfaces, making it simpler
for the user to anticipate the outcome, which cannot be fulfilled in manual
3D sketches.
 Creating drawings manually is a time-consuming task. When designers create
drawings on a digital platform with computer software, they get the benefit
of the application interface. Editing is also easy with AutoCAD as it has many
editing commands.
 AutoCAD is an advanced program that has default commands incorporated in
the application. With these commands, the users can edit and change their
files without any limitations.
AutoCAD interface 1:-

WE HAVE THREE COLUMNS:

1) Get Started,
2) Recent Documents,
3) Notifications.

 Get Started has all the options you will need to start a new drawing or open an existing one
 The Recent Documents column shows a list of all the recently opened drawings and you can use this tab
to directly open any drawing.
 The Notifications column has information related to your account, such as an update notification and
A360 account notifications. A360 is the cloud-based storage provided by Autodesk
AUTOCAD INTERFACE 2:-
Following are found in
the AutoCAD interface:-

1) Application button
2) Quick access toolbar
3) Info bar
4) Ribbon area
5) File tabs
6) View cube
7) Selection cursor
8) Navigation bar
9) UCS(user coordinate
system)
10)Layout tab
11)Command line
12)Status bar toggles
 The application button
Clicking on this big A icon will open a menu with options to open an existing drawing; open a new
template; save, print, or export drawings; and other common options.

 The quick access toolbar contains tools such as open, save, plot, layer, workspace, sheet set
manager, properties, and the menu bar. Some of these tools are also available in the application menu
of AutoCAD.

 The ribbon area contains all the tools and commands properly arranged into different tabs and panels.
Home, Insert, Annotate, Parametric, and so on are the tabs in which different panels are placed in a
meaningful order. For example, the Home tab contains the Draw and Modify panels, which in turn
contain most of the frequently used commands:
 The file tabs
The file tabs show the drawing files that are open in the current session of AutoCAD. You can open as many
file tabs as you want and to open any new blank drawing, you can click on the + icon right next to the last
file tab:

 The command line/palette

Just at the bottom of the drawing area, you will see the command line or command palette. All your
typed commands will show up in this command line; you don't need to click on the command line to start
typing any AutoCAD command, just start typing without selecting anything and the input will be added to the
command line directly.

 The user coordinate system

The user coordinate system (UCS) shows the X, Y, and Z directions of the Cartesian coordinate system in the
drawing area. Usually, the UCS will be visible at the bottom-left corner of the drawing area
 The layout tabs
The layout tabs are like the sheets of your drawing on which you can arrange different views of the drawing
and finally plot multiple sheets. For example, if you have a house plan in a model space where the floor plan,
elevations, section, and detail drawings are all made in the model space, then you can use the layout tabs to
place them separately on different sheets, such as a layout for plan view, another for all elevations, and
another for all detail drawings.

 The status bar toggles

The options in the status bar help in making precise drawings. The tools in the status bar, such as Object
Snap, help you to select precise points, such as the midpoint and endpoints of any geometry, and tools such
as polar and ortho mode help you to make lines that are inclined at any angle or horizontal and vertical lines.
The toggles on the status bar can be turned on by clicking on them once, and similarly, clicking on them again
turns them off.
Layers :-
Layers are the primary method for organizing the objects in a drawing by function or purpose. 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,

 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.
 Use the Layer Properties Manager to manage your layers.

 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.
 Set whether the objects on a layer are displayed or turned off
 Control whether objects on a layer are plotted
 Set whether a layer is locked against editing
 Control the layer display properties for layout viewports
 Sort, filter, and group layer names
 In addition to the Layer Properties Manager, you can access layer tools on the Layers panel on the
Home tab of the ribbon.

 For example, the Off button turns off the layers of any objects that you select
 Current Layer
All new objects are drawn on the current layer. The green check mark on the Layer Properties Manager
indicates the current layer.
A layer cannot be the current layer if:
The layer is frozen
The layer is part of an external reference
Function keys:-
Toggle Drawing Modes
 F1 Display Help
 F2 Toggle text screen
 F3 Toggle object snap mode
 F4 Toggle 3DOsnap
 F5 Toggle Iso plane
 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
Shortcut keys :-
AutoCAD has many short cut keys
which can be used by the designer
to design plan, elevation, section
etc.

They are many shortcut keys

available using which we can
manual enter the command when
required.

These options enable easy

application of the command and
future enable in less time
consumption .
Modify keys :-
Erase command :-
shortcut key- E
This command is used to erase any elements in the drawing screen
Copy command :-
Shortcut keys – CO

This command is used to copy an object to multiple objects of the

same kind.

Mirror command:-
Shortcut key – MI

This command is used to create a mirror image of the object being

selected .

Offset:-
Shortcut keys :- O

This command creates a offset of the object selected either

outside the object line or within the object line
 Array
 Shortcut key - AR
Creates copies of objects arranged in a pattern. You can
create copies of objects in a regularly spaced rectangular,
polar, or path array. Distributes copies of the selected
object into any combination of rows, columns, and levels.

Move command :-
Shortcut key- M

This command is used to move the object selected from

one point to another point in the drawing area.

Rotate :-
Shortcut key – RO

The rotate command helps in rotating object in any

angle or direction .
 Scale :-
Shortcut key: SC
This command is used to change the scale of an object.

Stretch:-
Shortcut key:- S
STRETCH/Stretches objects crossed by a selection
window or polygon.

Trim :-
Shortcut key: tr(enter) (enter)
This command helps in the erasing of the excess lines

Extend command :-
Shortcut key :EX
The objects are extended so that the edges of
other objects can be converged. It displays the
effect of the Extend command on the figure
 Chamfer:
shortcut key : VHA
CHAMFER / Bevels the edges of objects

Fillet :-
Shortcut key:- F
FILLET/Rounds and fillets the edges of objects.

Explode command:-
Shortcut key
EXPLODE / Breaks a compound object into its component objects.
Units style
AutoCAD allows you to work with internationally
recognized length measurements and the accuracy with
which they will be displayed, i.e. their fractional size.
The units are as follows:

Decimals
Feet and inches
Franchisees
Scientific

You can also specify the different angle measurements

and their accuracy:

Decimal degrees
Degrees – minutes – seconds
Centesimal degrees (with lower case g suffix)
Radians (with lowercase r suffix)
Topographic units
 Dimension style manager:-
 to view the Dimension Style Manager dialog box, click the Dimension Style
button from the Ribbon Annotate tab > Dimensions panel. Command line: To
open the Dimension Style Manager from the command line, type “DDIM” and
press [Enter].
BASIC SHAPES IN AUTOCAD:-
Some of the basic shapes in AutoCAD are :-

1) Line
2) Polyline
3) Circle
4) Arc
5) Rectangle
6) Ellipses
CIRCLES
To show the Circle tools click the Circle tool drop-down from
the Ribbon Home tab > Draw panel.
CENTER, RADIUS
Specify the location of the center point then the radius; the radius can either be
entered as a numerical value by typing the radius or by clicking a point on the
screen. The distance from the center point to the second point will be used as the
radius.

CENTER, DIAMETER
The Center, Diameter tool works in the same way as the Center, Radius tool
except you are prompted for a diameter instead of a radius.
 2-POINT
Specify the two points of the circle’s diameter.

3-POINT
A 3 point circle is a circle that is defined by 3 points. The circle will pass
through each of the 3 points.

TAN, TAN, RADIUS

The Tan, Tan, Radius circle is one which touches two shapes with a specific
radius value. Select the two objects you wish your circle to be tangential to,
then specify a radius value.

TAN, TAN, TAN

A Tan, Tan, Tan circle is one which touches 3 shapes.

Select the three objects you wish your circle to be tangential to.
2) ARCS
From the Ribbon Home tab > Draw panel, click the Arc tool drop-down to
show the available arc options. The order displayed on the tool is the
order in which you will need to place your points.

3-POINT
The first point you click is the start of the
arc. The second point is the point the arc
passes through. The third point the end of the
arc.

START, CENTER, END

The first point is the start of the arc.
The second point is the center of the arc.
The third point is where the arc will end.
 START, CENTER, ANGLE
Click the start, then the center point, then enter an angle value.

START, CENTER, LENGTH

Click the start, then the center point, then type a length for the arc. The length
you specify is the “chord length” - that is the distance from point 1 to another
point on the circle’s circumference. This means the length cannot be greater
than the diameter (i.e. 2x the distance between points 1 and 2).
RECTANGLES
The Rectangle tool in AutoCAD creates a closed Polyline in the shape of a
square or rectangle.

To create a Rectangle, from the Ribbon Home tab > Draw panel, click the
Rectangle button.

Specify the first corner point, then the opposite corner point.

POLYGONS
The Polygon tool creates a Polyline with a determined number of sides of
equal length.

To place a Polygon, from the Ribbon Home tab > Draw panel, expand the
Rectangle drop-down and click the Polygon tool.
 You are prompted to enter a number of sides. Enter a number between 3 and 1024.

 Specify the center of the polygon. You are then prompted Enter an option [Inscribed in circle/Circumscribed about
circle] <I
 Inscribed in circle
Creates a polygon where the specified radius is the distance from the center to one of the vertices of the polygon.

 Circumscribed about circle

Creates a polygon where the specified radius is the distance from the center to the midpoint of one the edges of the
polygon.

 You will finally be prompted Specify radius of circle enter a radius value to create the polygon.
ELLIPSES
There are two tools for creating ellipses in AutoCAD.
There is also a tool to create an elliptical arc.

To place an Ellipse, from the Ribbon Home tab >

Draw panel, click the Ellipse tool drop-down to show
the available ellipse tools.

CENTER
Specify the center point, then the endpoint of the first axis followed by the endpoint of the second
axis.

AXIS, END
Specify the start and endpoints of the first axis, then the endpoint of the second axis.
 Limits:-
at the command prompt enter the limits . Enter the co ordinate for a point at the below left
corner of the grid limits and the upper limit.
At the command prompt enter grid display and enter a value of 0.

Snap :-
Snap is a command using which you can trace an imaginary line to your desired point on AutoCAD
drawing page .

Properties palette :-
The properties palette is an essential tool , you can open it with the properties command (PR) or you
can press ctrl +1
It displays a list of all the important property settings of the object selected
Hatch :-
 Hatch is a single compound object that covers a specifies area with a patterns
, of lines , pots , shapes , a solid fill colour or a gradient fill.
 When you start the hatch compound the ribbon temporarily displays the hatch
creation tab .
 On this tab you can choose from over to industry standard imperial and ISO
hatch patterns along with many specialized options .
Match properties:-
 For the fast way to copy the properties of a selected object to other object

 Use the match properties tool or MA in the command window .

 Select the source object and then select all of the objects that you want to
modify.
Layers:-
 One dwg can have many layers and depend on the complexity of the
dwg. You may have a few to dozens of layers .
 You can use each layer to draw a specific object type
 E.g., you can use wall layer to draw walls on it .
you can use furniture layer to draw furniture on it and so on .
 AutoCAD supports tens of thousands layers in a single dwg. Which is
virtually unlimited.
 Changing active layer regularly to draw objects might seems tedious
and takes longer to complete a dwg. However , you will find it very
useful during the design process and the drawing presentation.

When do we use layers:-

 Common usage of layers is to draw objects on layers based on their
function
 Create all the dimension on a specific layer .
 Create walls , doors , windows on separate layers and so on .
Site plan :-
 A site plan usually shows a building footprint , travel ways , parking, drainage
facilities , sanitary sewer lines , landscaping etc,
such a plan of a site is a graphical representation of the arrangement of
a budling , parking , drives , landscaping etc .
FLOOR PLAN LAYOUT :-
 A floorplan is a type of dwg that shows you the layout of a home or property from
above .
 floor[plan typically illustrate the location of walls , windows, door, stair as well as
fixed installation such as bathroom fixtures , kitchen cabinetry and appliances.
 They may also show furniture layouts and include outdoor areas.
 Illustrate home and property layout ,show the location of walls , windows, doors ,etc.
 It includes , dimensions room names , measurements etc.
 Elevation :-
An elevation is a view of a building seen from side, a
flat representation of one façade.

 Section :-
represents a vertical plane cut through the object .
Sections are used to describe the relationship between
different levels of a budling .

 Sectional elevation:-
it is a combination of a cross section with
elevations of other parts of the building seen beyond
the sectional plane .
Printing output to pdf file :-
 Output a drawing layout to a printer , a plotter, or a file , save and restore the
printer setting for each layout
 The command to output a drawing is PLOT and you can access if from the quick
access toolbar
 Ribbon: Output tab > Plot panel

 Menu: Application menu > Print > Plot

 Toolbar: Standard

 Command entry: plot

 Shortcut key CTRL+P