AutoCAD 2017 and AutoCAD LT 2017 Essentials

Book description

Hands-on AutoCAD 2017 instruction for a real-world workflow

AutoCAD 2017 and AutoCAD LT 2017 Essentials is the unique task-based tutorial designed for both students and the professional AutoCAD user. Concise, straightforward explanations and real-world, hands-on exercises provide an authoritative, easy-to-follow guide to the platform's core features and functions. Step-by-step tutorials are backed by full-color screenshots, and each chapter ends with an open-ended project to reinforce the chapter's lessons and provide a fully immersive learning experience. The companion website features downloadable before-and-after tutorial files, so you can jump in at any point and compare your work with the pros. This new edition has been fully updated to align with AutoCAD's newest features and capabilities, and features a more approachable, easy-to-read style based on instructor and reader feedback to help you get up to speed and quickly become productive with the software.

AutoCAD is the leading design and drawing software, and an essential skill for designers, architects, and engineers. Whether you're new to the software, upgrading, or preparing for certification, this no-nonsense guide is your ideal resource for complete AutoCAD instruction.

  • Master 2D drawing using splines, polylines, layers, and objects
  • Add detail with hatching, gradients, text, and dimensions
  • Convert your design into a 3D model for a walk-through tour
  • Import, print, edit, and present your final design

By following a real-world professional workflow throughout the learning process, you develop a highly relevant set of skills that easily transfer into real-world projects. This book walks you through the design of a house, emphasizing skills rather than tools to equip you with an array of solutions for any AutoCAD task. If you're serious about AutoCAD and ready to get down to work, AutoCAD 2017 and AutoCAD LT 2017 Essentials is the guide you need at your fingertips.

Table of contents

  1. Acknowledgments
  2. About the Author
  3. Introduction
    1. Who Should Read This Book
    2. AutoCAD 2017 or AutoCAD LT 2017 System Requirements
    3. What Is Covered in This Book
    4. The Essentials Series
  4. Chapter 1 Getting Started
    1. Sign In to Autodesk 360 on the Start Tab
    2. Explore the AutoCAD 2017 for Windows User Interface
    3. Set Drawing Units
  5. Chapter 2 Gaining Basic Drawing Skills
    1. Navigate 2D Drawings
    2. Draw Lines and Rectangles
    3. Cancel, Erase, and Undo
    4. Use Coordinate Systems
    5. Draw Circles, Arcs, and Polygons
    6. Use Fillet and Chamfer
  6. Chapter 3 Using Drawing Aids
    1. Use Grid and Snap
    2. Employ Ortho and Polar Tracking
    3. Use PolarSnap
    4. Select Running Object Snaps
    5. Harness the From Snap
    6. Apply Object Snap Tracking
  7. Chapter 4 Editing Entities
    1. Create Selection Sets
    2. Use Move and Copy
    3. Use Rotate and Scale
    4. Work with Arrays
    5. Use Trim and Extend
    6. Use Lengthen and Stretch
    7. Use Offset and Mirror
    8. Edit with Grips
  8. Chapter 5 Shaping Curves
    1. Draw and Edit Curved Polylines
    2. Draw Ellipses
    3. Shape Splines
    4. Blend Between Objects with Splines
  9. Chapter 6 Controlling Object Visibility and Appearance
    1. Change Object Properties
    2. Set the Current Layer
    3. Alter the Layer Assignments of Objects
    4. Control Layer Visibility
    5. Apply Linetype
    6. Assign Properties by Object or by Layer
    7. Manage Layer Properties
    8. Isolate Objects
  10. Chapter 7 Organizing Objects
    1. Define Blocks
    2. Insert Blocks
    3. Edit Blocks
    4. Redefine Blocks
    5. Work with Groups
  11. Chapter 8 Hatching and Gradients
    1. Specify Hatch Areas
    2. Associate Hatches with Boundaries
    3. Hatch with Patterns
    4. Hatch with Gradients
  12. Chapter 9 Working with Blocks and Xrefs
    1. Work with Global Blocks
    2. Access Content Globally
    3. Store Content on Tool Palettes
    4. Reference External Drawings and Images
  13. Chapter 10 Creating and Editing Text
    1. Style Text
    2. Write Lines of Text
    3. Write and Format Paragraphs Using MTEXT
    4. Edit Text
  14. Chapter 11 Dimensioning
    1. Style Dimensions
    2. Add Dimensions
    3. Edit Dimensions
  15. Chapter 12 Keeping In Control with Constraints
    1. Work with Geometric Constraints
    2. Apply Dimensional Constraints
    3. Constrain Objects Simultaneously with Geometry and Dimensions
    4. Make Parametric Changes to Constrained Objects
  16. Chapter 13 Working with Layouts and Annotative Objects
    1. Create Annotative Styles and Objects
    2. Create Layouts
    3. Adjust Floating Viewports
    4. Override Layer Properties in Layout Viewports
    5. Draw on Layouts
  17. Chapter 14 Printing and Plotting
    1. Configure Output Devices
    2. Create Plot Style Tables
    3. Use Plot Style Tables
    4. Plot in Model Space
    5. Plot Layouts in Paper Space
    6. Export to an Electronic Format
  18. Chapter 15 Working with Data
    1. Geolocate Projects
    2. Import SketchUp Models
    3. Define Attributes and Blocks
    4. Insert Attributed Blocks
    5. Edit Table Styles and Create Tables
    6. Use Fields in Table Cells
    7. Edit Table Data
  19. Chapter 16 Navigating 3D Models
    1. Use Visual Styles
    2. Work with Tiled Viewports
    3. Navigate with the ViewCube
    4. Orbit in 3D
    5. Use Cameras
    6. Navigate with SteeringWheels
    7. Save Views
  20. Chapter 17 Modeling in 3D
    1. Create Surface Models
    2. Edit Surface Models
    3. Create Solid Models
    4. Edit Solid Models
    5. Smooth Mesh Models
    6. Live-Section Models
  21. Chapter 18 Presenting and Documenting 3D Design
    1. Assign Materials
    2. Place and Adjust Lights
    3. Create Renderings
    4. Document Models with Drawings
  22. Appendix A Making Isometric Drawings
  23. Appendix B Autodesk® AutoCAD 2017 Certification
  24. Index
  25. EULA

Product information

  • Title: AutoCAD 2017 and AutoCAD LT 2017 Essentials
  • Author(s): Scott Onstott
  • Release date: May 2016
  • Publisher(s): Sybex
  • ISBN: 9781119243335