Book description
Whether you're new to AutoCAD or a veteran, you will undoubtedly find this book to be an excellent resource.
-- Abhi Singh, AutoCAD Product Manager, Autodesk, Inc.
Here's the book that makes AutoCAD approachable
Even the people at Autodesk look to Ellen Finkelstein for AutoCAD training, so who better to teach you about AutoCAD 2008? This comprehensive guide brings veterans up to speed on AutoCAD updates and takes novices from the basics to programming in AutoLISP(r) and VBA. Every feature is covered in a logical order, and with the Quick Start chapter, you'll be creating drawings on your very first day. Success is in your hands.
* Start drawing right away with the easy Quick Start project
*
Master commands and procedures for 2D drawings
*
Work in 3D with hiding, shading, and rendering techniques
*
Automate drawing annotation and the display of layers in viewports
*
Organize and share data
*
Customize commands, toolbars, hatch patterns, and more
What's on the DVD?
* 30-day trial versions of AutoCAD 2008 and AutoCAD LT 2008
*
All drawings needed to complete the exercises in the book, including before-and-after versions
*
The entire text of the book in searchable PDF format
*
A selection of add-on programs that will enhance your use of AutoCAD
System Requirements: Please see the DVD-ROM appendix for details and complete system requirements
Connect to external spreadsheets and extract essential data from your drawing objects
Draw and display sophisticated 3D models
Develop flexible, easy-to-use dynamic blocks
Table of contents
- Copyright
- About the Author
- Credits
- Foreword
-
Preface
- 0.1. Is This Book for You?
-
0.2. How This Book Is Organized
- 0.2.1. Part I: AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Basics
- 0.2.2. Part II: Drawing in Two Dimensions
- 0.2.3. Part III: Working with Data
- 0.2.4. Part IV: Drawing in Three Dimensions
- 0.2.5. Part V: Organizing and Managing Drawings
- 0.2.6. Part VI: Customizing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT
- 0.2.7. Part VII: Programming AutoCAD
- 0.2.8. Appendixes
- 0.3. How to Use This Book
- 0.4. Doing the Exercises
- 0.5. Conventions Used in This Book
- 0.6. What the Icons Mean
- 0.7. About the DVD
- 0.8. Other Information
- 0.9. Contacting the Author
- Acknowledgments
-
I. AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Basics
- Quick Start: Drawing a Window
-
1. Starting to Draw
- 1.1. AutoCAD's Advantages
- 1.2. Comparing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT
- 1.3. Starting AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT
- 1.4. Creating a New Drawing
- 1.5. Using the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Interface
- 1.6. Creating a New Folder
- 1.7. Using the Interface
- 1.8. Saving a Drawing
- 1.9. Closing a Drawing and Exiting from AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT
- 1.10. Summary
- 2. Opening a Drawing
- 3. Using Commands
-
4. Specifying Coordinates
- 4.1. Understanding the X,Y Coordinate System
- 4.2. Typing Coordinates
- 4.3. Displaying Coordinates
- 4.4. Picking Coordinates on the Screen
- 4.5. Overriding Coordinate Settings
- 4.6. Locating Points
- 4.7. Summary
- 5. Setting Up a Drawing
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II. Drawing in Two Dimensions
- 6. Drawing Simple Lines
- 7. Drawing Curves and Points
-
8. Viewing Your Drawing
- 8.1. Regenerating and Redrawing the Display
- 8.2. Panning
- 8.3. Using the ZOOM Command
- 8.4. Using Aerial View
- 8.5. Creating Named Views
- 8.6. Working with Tiled Viewports
- 8.7. Using Snap Rotation
- 8.8. Understanding User Coordinate Systems
- 8.9. Creating Isometric Drawings
- 8.10. Summary
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9. Editing Your Drawing with Basic Tools
- 9.1. Editing a Drawing
- 9.2. Selecting Objects
- 9.3. Summary
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10. Editing Your Drawing with Advanced Tools
- 10.1. Copying and Moving Objects
- 10.2. Resizing commands
- 10.3. Using Construction Commands
- 10.4. Creating a Revision Cloud
- 10.5. Hiding Objects with a Wipeout
- 10.6. Double-Clicking to Edit Objects
- 10.7. Grips
- 10.8. Editing with the Properties Palette
- 10.9. Selection Filters
- 10.10. Groups
- 10.11. Summary
-
11. Organizing Drawings with Layers, Colors, Linetypes, and Lineweights
- 11.1. Working with Layers
- 11.2. Changing Object Color, Linetype, and Lineweight
- 11.3. Working with Linetype Scales
- 11.4. Importing Layers and Linetypes from Other Drawings
- 11.5. Matching Properties
- 11.6. Summary
- 12. Obtaining Information from Your Drawing
-
13. Creating Text
- 13.1. Creating Single-Line Text
- 13.2. Understanding Text Styles
- 13.3. Creating Multiline Text
- 13.4. Creating Tables
- 13.5. Inserting Fields
- 13.6. Managing Text
- 13.7. Finding Text in Your Drawing
- 13.8. Checking Your Spelling
- 13.9. Customizing the Spelling Dictionary
- 13.10. Summary
-
14. Drawing Dimensions
- 14.1. Working with Dimensions
- 14.2. Drawing Linear Dimensions
- 14.3. Drawing Aligned Dimensions
- 14.4. Creating Baseline and Continued Dimensions
- 14.5. Dimensioning Arcs and Circles
- 14.6. Dimensioning Angles
- 14.7. Creating Ordinate Dimensions
- 14.8. Drawing Leaders
- 14.9. Using Quick Dimension
- 14.10. Creating Inspection Dimensions
- 14.11. Creating Geometric Tolerances
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14.12. Editing Dimensions
- 14.12.1. Editing associativity
- 14.12.2. Using the DIMEDIT command
- 14.12.3. Using the DIMTEDIT command
- 14.12.4. Flipping dimension arrows
- 14.12.5. Editing dimension text
- 14.12.6. Using the Properties palette to edit dimensions
- 14.12.7. Changing annotative scales
- 14.12.8. Spacing dimensions equally apart
- 14.12.9. Breaking dimensions
- 14.12.10. Using Quick Dimension to edit dimensions
- 14.12.11. Using grips to edit dimensions
- 14.12.12. Editing objects and dimensions together
- 14.13. Summary
-
15. Creating Dimension Styles
- 15.1. Understanding Dimension Styles
- 15.2. Defining a New Dimension Style
-
15.3. Changing Dimension Styles
- 15.3.1. Choosing a new current dimension style
- 15.3.2. Creating a variant of a dimension style
- 15.3.3. Modifying a dimension to use a new dimension style
- 15.3.4. Modifying dimension styles
- 15.3.5. Overriding a dimension style
- 15.3.6. Updating dimensions
- 15.3.7. Comparing dimension styles
- 15.3.8. Copying dimension styles from other drawings
- 15.4. Summary
-
16. Drawing Complex Objects
- 16.1. Creating and Editing Polylines
- 16.2. Drawing and Editing Splines
- 16.3. Creating Regions
- 16.4. Creating Boundaries
- 16.5. Creating Hatches
- 16.6. Creating and Editing Multilines
- 16.7. Creating Dlines in AutoCAD LT
- 16.8. Using the SKETCH Command
- 16.9. Digitizing Drawings with the TABLET Command
- 16.10. Summary
-
17. Plotting and Printing Your Drawing
- 17.1. Preparing a Drawing for Plotting or Printing
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17.2. Creating a Layout in Paper Space
- 17.2.1. Entering paper space
- 17.2.2. Using the Layout Wizard
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17.2.3. Laying out a drawing in paper space on your own
- 17.2.3.1. Managing layouts
- 17.2.3.2. Using the Page Setup Manager
- 17.2.3.3. Preparing layers
- 17.2.3.4. Inserting a title block
- 17.2.3.5. Creating floating viewports
- 17.2.3.6. Returning to model space while on a layout
- 17.2.3.7. Setting viewport scale
- 17.2.3.8. Locking the viewport
- 17.2.3.9. Setting viewport size, placement, and display
- 17.2.3.10. Controlling scale for noncontinuous linetypes
- 17.2.3.11. Setting layer visibility and properties within a viewport
- 17.2.3.12. Setting hidden and shaded views for viewports
- 17.2.4. Annotating a layout
- 17.2.5. Saving a layout template
- 17.3. Working with Plot Styles
- 17.4. Plotting a Drawing
- 17.5. Summary
-
III. Working with Data
-
18. Working with Blocks and Attributes
- 18.1. Combining Objects into Blocks
- 18.2. Inserting Blocks and Files into Drawings
- 18.3. Managing Blocks
- 18.4. Creating and Using Dynamic Blocks
- 18.5. Using Windows Features to Copy Data
- 18.6. Working with Attributes
- 18.7. Summary
- 19. Referencing Other Drawings
- 20. Working with External Databases
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18. Working with Blocks and Attributes
-
IV. Drawing in Three Dimensions
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21. Specifying 3D Coordinates
- 21.1. Working in a 3D Environment
-
21.2. Using 3D Coordinates
- 21.2.1. Absolute and relative Cartesian coordinates in 3D
- 21.2.2. Cylindrical and spherical coordinates
- 21.2.3. Using the Dashboard for 3D drawings
- 21.2.4. Using editing commands with 3D wireframes
- 21.2.5. Using point filters, object snaps, object tracking, and grips in 3D
- 21.2.6. Creating 3D polylines
- 21.2.7. Creating helixes
- 21.3. Using Elevation and Thickness
- 21.4. Working with the User Coordinate System
- 21.5. Summary
-
22. Viewing 3D Drawings
- 22.1. Working with the Standard Viewpoints
- 22.2. Using DDVPOINT
- 22.3. Creating a Named View with a Camera
- 22.4. Adding a Background to a Named View
- 22.5. Working with the Tripod and Compass
- 22.6. Displaying a Quick Plan View
- 22.7. Working with Visual Styles
- 22.8. Displaying Parallel and Perspective Projections
- 22.9. Using 3D Orbit
- 22.10. Using Tiled Viewports
- 22.11. Walking Through a Model
- 22.12. Using DVIEW to a Create a Perspective View
- 22.13. Laying Out 3D Drawings
- 22.14. Summary
-
23. Creating 3D Surfaces
- 23.1. Converting Objects to Surfaces
- 23.2. Drawing Surfaces with 3DFACE
- 23.3. Drawing Surfaces with PFACE
- 23.4. Creating Plane Surfaces
- 23.5. Creating Polygon Meshes with 3DMESH
- 23.6. Drawing Standard 3D Shapes
- 23.7. Drawing Revolved Surfaces
- 23.8. Drawing an Extruded Surface
- 23.9. Drawing Surfaces Between 2D Objects
- 23.10. Drawing Edge Surfaces
- 23.11. Working with Multiple Types of 3D Objects
- 23.12. Summary
-
24. Creating Solids and Editing in 3D
- 24.1. Drawing Basic Shapes
- 24.2. Creating Extruded Solids
- 24.3. Drawing Swept Solids
- 24.4. Drawing Revolved Solids
- 24.5. Drawing Lofted Solids
- 24.6. Drawing Polyline-Like Solids
- 24.7. Creating Complex Solids
- 24.8. Sectioning and Slicing Solids
-
24.9. Using Editing Commands in 3D
- 24.9.1. Grip-editing solids
- 24.9.2. Subselecting solids
- 24.9.3. Using the move grip tool and the 3DMOVE command
- 24.9.4. Mirroring in 3D
- 24.9.5. Arraying in 3D
- 24.9.6. Rotating in 3D
- 24.9.7. Aligning in 3D
- 24.9.8. Trimming and extending in 3D
- 24.9.9. Filleting in 3D
- 24.9.10. Chamfering in 3D
- 24.9.11. Exploding and converting 3D objects
- 24.10. Using the SOLIDEDIT Command
- 24.11. Listing Solid Properties
- 24.12. Summary
-
25. Rendering in 3D
- 25.1. Understanding Rendering
- 25.2. Creating Lights
- 25.3. Working with Materials
- 25.4. Doing the Final Render
- 25.5. Summary
-
21. Specifying 3D Coordinates
-
V. Organizing and Managing Drawings
-
26. Keeping Control of Your Drawings
- 26.1. Accessing Drawing Components with the DesignCenter
- 26.2. Accessing Drawing Content with Tool Palettes
- 26.3. Setting Standards for Drawings
- 26.4. Working with Sheet Sets
- 26.5. Organizing Your Drawings
- 26.6. Maintaining Security
- 26.7. Keeping Track of Referenced Files
- 26.8. Handling Errors and Crashes
- 26.9. Managing Drawings from Prior Releases
- 26.10. Summary
- 27. Working with Other Applications
-
28. Getting on the Internet
- 28.1. Sending Drawings
- 28.2. Opening Drawings from the Web
- 28.3. Creating Object Hyperlinks
-
28.4. Publishing Drawings
- 28.4.1. Understanding DWF files
-
28.4.2. Creating 2D DWF files
- 28.4.2.1. Starting the PUBLISH command
- 28.4.2.2. Adding drawings to the drawing list
- 28.4.2.3. Removing model space or layout tabs from the drawing list
- 28.4.2.4. Editing the drawing list
- 28.4.2.5. Defining the output
- 28.4.2.6. Setting publish options
- 28.4.2.7. Publishing
- 28.4.2.8. Creating DWF files from other applications
- 28.4.2.9. Auto-publishing
- 28.4.3. Creating 3D DWF files
- 28.4.4. Using the Publish to Web Wizard
- 28.4.5. Posting DWF files directly
- 28.4.6. Editing Web pages
- 28.4.7. Viewing DWF drawings
- 28.5. Summary
-
26. Keeping Control of Your Drawings
-
VI. Customizing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT
- 29. Customizing Commands, Toolbars, Tool Palettes, and the Dashboard
- 30. Creating Macros and Slide Shows with Script Files
- 31. Creating Your Own Linetypes and Hatch Patterns
- 32. Creating Shapes and Fonts
-
33. Customizing Menus
- 33.1. Working with the Customization File
-
33.2. Customizing a Menu
- 33.2.1. Looking at a drop-down menu
- 33.2.2. Writing menu macros
- 33.2.3. Swapping menus
- 33.2.4. Customizing mouse buttons and tablet buttons
- 33.2.5. Customizing drop-down menus
- 33.2.6. Customizing image-tile menus
- 33.2.7. Customizing tablet menus
- 33.2.8. Working with the Screen menu
- 33.2.9. Creating keyboard shortcuts
- 33.3. Summary
-
VII. Programming AutoCAD
- 34. Understanding AutoLISP and Visual LISP Basics
- 35. Exploring AutoLISP Further
- 36. Exploring Advanced AutoLISP Topics
- 37. Programming with Visual Basic for Applications
-
VIII. Appendixes
- A. Installing and Configuring AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT
- B. AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Resources
-
C. What's on the DVD
- C.1. System Requirements
- C.2. Using the DVD with Microsoft Windows
- C.3. What's on the DVD
- C.4. Troubleshooting
- C.5. Customer Care
- Wiley Publishing, Inc. End-User License Agreement
Product information
- Title: AutoCAD® 2008 and AutoCAD LT® 2008 Bible
- Author(s):
- Release date: July 2007
- Publisher(s): Wiley
- ISBN: 9780470120491
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