AutoCAD For Dummies, 18th Edition

AutoCAD For Dummies, 18th Edition

by Bill Fane
Released June 2019
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781119580089

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Book description

Simple steps for creating AutoCAD drawings

AutoCAD is the ubiquitous tool used by engineers, architects, designers, and urban planners to put their ideas on paper. It takes some AutoCAD know-how to go from a brilliant idea to a drawing that properly explains how brilliant your idea is.

AutoCAD For Dummies helps you de-mystify the handy software and put the tools in AutoCAD to use. Written by an experienced AutoCAD engineer and mechanical design instructor, it assumes no previous computer-aided drafting experience as it walks you through the basics of starting projects and drawing straight lines all the way up through 3D modeling.

  • Conquer the first steps in creating an AutoCAD project
  • Tackle drawing basics including straight lines and curves
  • Add advanced skills including 3D drawing and modeling
  • Set up a project and move into 3D

It's true that AutoCAD is tough, but with the friendly instruction in this hands-on guide, you'll find everything you need to start creating marvelous models—without losing your cool.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. Foolish Assumptions
    3. Conventions Used in This Book
    4. Icons Used in This Book
    5. Beyond the Book
    6. Where to Go from Here
  3. Part 1: Getting Started with AutoCAD
    1. Chapter 1: Introducing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT
      1. Launching AutoCAD
      2. Drawing in AutoCAD
      3. Understanding Pixels and Vectors
      4. The Cartesian Coordinate System
    2. Chapter 2: The Grand Tour of AutoCAD
      1. Looking at AutoCAD’s Drawing Screen
      2. Getting with the Program
      3. Fun with F1
    3. Chapter 3: A Lap around the CAD Track
      1. A Simple Setup
      2. Drawing a (Base) Plate
      3. Taking a Closer Look with Zoom and Pan
      4. Modifying to Make It Merrier
      5. Following the Plot
    4. Chapter 4: Setup for Success
      1. A Setup Roadmap
      2. A Template for Success
      3. Making the Most of Model Space
      4. Making Templates Your Own
    5. Chapter 5: A Zoom with a View
      1. Zooming and Panning with Glass and Hand
      2. Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
      3. A View by Any Other Name
      4. Degenerating and Regenerating
  4. Part 2: Let There Be Lines
    1. Chapter 6: Along the Straight and Narrow
      1. Drawing for Success
      2. Introducing the Straight-Line Drawing Commands
      3. Drawing Lines and Polylines
      4. Squaring Off with Rectangles
      5. Choosing Sides with POLygon
    2. Chapter 7: Dangerous Curves Ahead
      1. Throwing Curves
      2. Going Full Circle
      3. Arc-y-ology
      4. Solar Ellipses
      5. Splines: Sketchy, Sinuous Curves
      6. Donuts: Circles with a Difference
      7. Revision Clouds on the Horizon
      8. Scoring Points
    3. Chapter 8: Preciseliness Is Next to CADliness
      1. Controlling Precision
      2. Understanding the AutoCAD Coordinate Systems
      3. Grabbing an Object and Making It Snappy
      4. Other Practical Precision Procedures
    4. Chapter 9: Manage Your Properties
      1. Using Properties with Objects
      2. Working with Layers
      3. Using Named Objects
      4. Using AutoCAD DesignCenter
    5. Chapter 10: Grabbing Onto Object Selection
      1. Commanding and Selecting
      2. Selecting Objects
      3. Perfecting Selecting
      4. AutoCAD Groupies
      5. Object Selection: Now You See It …
    6. Chapter 11: Edit for Credit
      1. Assembling Your AutoCAD Toolkit
      2. The Big Three: Move, COpy, and Stretch
      3. More Manipulations
      4. Slicing, Dicing, and Splicing
      5. Getting a Grip
      6. When Editing Goes Bad
      7. Dare to Compare
    7. Chapter 12: Planning for Paper
      1. Setting Up a Layout in Paper Space
      2. Any Old Viewport in a Layout
      3. Practice Makes Perfect
      4. Clever Paper Space Tricks
  5. Part 3: If Drawings Could Talk
    1. Chapter 13: Text with Character
      1. Getting Ready to Write
      2. Creating Simply Stylish Text
      3. Taking Your Text to New Heights
      4. Entering Text
      5. Using the Same Old Line
      6. Saying More in Multiline Text
      7. Turning On Annotative Objects
      8. Gather Round the Tables
      9. Take Me to Your Leader
    2. Chapter 14: Entering New Dimensions
      1. Adding Dimensions to a Drawing
      2. A Field Guide to Dimensions
      3. The Latest Styles in Dimensioning
      4. Scaling Dimensions for Output
      5. Editing Dimensions
      6. And the Correct Layer Is …
    3. Chapter 15: Down the Hatch!
      1. Creating a Hatch
      2. Using the Hatches Tab
      3. Scaling Hatches
      4. Pushing the Boundaries of Hatch
      5. Editing Hatch Objects
    4. Chapter 16: The Plot Thickens
      1. You Say “Printing,” I Say “Plotting”
      2. The Plot Quickens
      3. Plotting the Layout of the Land
      4. Plotting Lineweights and Colors
      5. It’s a (Page) Setup!
      6. Continuing the Plot Dialog
      7. The Plot Sickens
  6. Part 4: Advancing with AutoCAD
    1. Chapter 17: The ABCs of Blocks
      1. Rocking with Blocks
      2. Creating Block Definitions
      3. Inserting Blocks
      4. Attributes: Fill-in-the-Blank Blocks
      5. Exploding Blocks
      6. Purging Unused Block Definitions
    2. Chapter 18: Everything from Arrays to Xrefs
      1. Arraying Associatively
      2. Going External
      3. Blocks, Xrefs, and Drawing Organization
      4. Mastering the Raster
      5. You Say PDF; I Say DWF
      6. Theme and Variations: Dynamic Blocks
    3. Chapter 19: Call the Parametrics!
      1. Maintaining Design Intent
      2. Understanding Geometric Constraints
      3. Understanding Dimensional Constraints
      4. Lunchtime!
    4. Chapter 20: Drawing on the Internet
      1. The Internet and AutoCAD: An Overview
      2. The Drawing Protection Racket
      3. Outgoing!
      4. AutoCAD Web and Mobile
  7. Part 5: On a 3D Spree
    1. Chapter 21: It’s a 3D World After All
      1. The 3.5 Kinds of 3D Digital Models
      2. Tools of the 3D Trade
      3. Modeling from Above
      4. Changing Planes
      5. Navigating the 3D Waters
      6. Visualizing 3D Objects
      7. On a Render Bender
    2. Chapter 22: From Drawings to Models
      1. Is 3D for Me?
      2. Getting Your 3D Bearings
      3. From Drawing to Modeling in 3D
      4. Adding the Third Dimension to 2D Objects
      5. Modifying 3D Objects
    3. Chapter 23: It’s Showtime!
      1. Get the 2D Out of Here!
      2. Visualizing the Digital World
      3. Adding Lighting
      4. Creating and Applying Materials
      5. Defining a Background
      6. Rendering a 3D Model
    4. Chapter 24: AutoCAD Plays Well with Others
      1. Get Out of Here!
      2. Open Up and Let Me In!
      3. Translation, Please!
      4. The Importance of Being DWG
  8. Part 6: The Part of Tens
    1. Chapter 25: Ten AutoCAD Resources
      1. Autodesk Discussion Groups
      2. Autodesk’s Own Blogs
      3. Autodesk University
      4. Autodesk Channel on YouTube
      5. World Wide (CAD) Web
      6. Your Local Authorized Training Center
      7. Your Local User Group
      8. Autodesk User Groups International
      9. Books
      10. Autodesk Feedback Community
    2. Chapter 26: Ten System Variables to Make Your AutoCAD Life Easier
      1. APERTURE
      2. DIMASSOC
      3. MENUBAR
      4. MIRRTEXT
      5. OSNAPZ
      6. PICKBOX
      7. REMEMBERFOLDERS
      8. ROLLOVERTIPS
      9. TOOLTIPS
      10. VISRETAIN
      11. And the Bonus Round
    3. Chapter 27: Ten AutoCAD Secrets
      1. Sheet Sets
      2. Custom Tool Palettes
      3. Ribbon Customization
      4. Toolsets
      5. Programming Languages
      6. Vertical Versions
      7. Language Packs
      8. Multiple Projects or Clients
      9. Data Extraction and Linking
      10. Untying the Ribbon
  9. Index
  10. About the Author
  11. Connect with Dummies
  12. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: AutoCAD For Dummies, 18th Edition
  • Author(s): Bill Fane
  • Release date: June 2019
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781119580089