AutoCAD 2014 For Dummies^®

Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/autocad2014 to view this book's cheat sheet.

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Foolish Assumptions

Using the command line

Using aliases

Icons Used in This Book

Beyond the Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: Getting Started with AutoCAD 2014

Chapter 1: Introducing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT

Checking Out What AutoCAD Can Do for You

Opening AutoCAD

Drawing in AutoCAD

Understanding Pixels and Vectors

The Cartesian Coordinate System

The Importance of Being DWG

Chapter 2: The Grand Tour of AutoCAD 2014

Looking at AutoCAD’s Drawing Screen

InfoCenter and Quick Access toolbar

Making choices from the Application Menu

Unraveling the Ribbon

Getting with the Program

Looking for Mr. Status Bar

Using Dynamic Input

Let your fingers do the talking: The command line

The key(board) to AutoCAD success

Keeping tabs on palettes

Down the main stretch: The drawing area

Fun with F1

Chapter 3: A Lap around the CAD Track

A Simple Setup

Drawing a (Base) Plate

Taking a Closer Look with Zoom and Pan

Modifying to Make It Merrier

Crossing your hatches

Now that’s a stretch

Following the Plot

Plotting the drawing

Today’s layer forecast: Freezing

Chapter 4: Setup for Success

A Setup Roadmap

Choosing your units

Weighing up your scales

Thinking about paper

Defending your border

A Template for Success

Making the Most of Model Space

Setting your units

Making the drawing area snap-py (and grid-dy)

Setting linetype and dimension scales

Entering drawing ...