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REVISED: FALL 2010 INSTRUCTOR: THOMAS ARPASI

REND LAKE COLLEGECAD 1201-51

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER-AIDED DRAFTING

USER INTERFACE/FILETYPES/WEB USAGE

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*See following pages for definitionsThink twice! Do you really need to print this?

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AutoCAD 2010 User Interface Overview1. Application Menu - Houses commonly used file tools: save, open, export, units, properties, plot, etc.

2. Quick Access Bar - Icons for: New, Open, Save, Undo, Redo, & Plot. This toolbar canbe easily customized by clicking the arrow on the right side. This is also a place to bring back the menu bar across the top of the screen for pull-down menus for all of you AutoCAD 2007 or older users. Current Wrokspace is displayed and can be modified here.

3. The Ribbon - First used in 2010 release. Mimics Microsoft products by maximizing work area.A very complete and efficient location for most of the commands needed. This is the main component of change when it comes changing workspaces (see 20). Each tab has an assortment of panels that contian similar commands. If you ever loose it, just type in RIBBON.

4. Menu Bar - Must be loaded manually. This is an older part of AutoCAD that list a series of pull-down menus across the top of the screen that house almost every command available. You can load it many of the fly-out menus in the UI or type MENUBAR on the command line and enter “1” as the variable.

5. InfoCenter - Basically the Help menu. You can search the help instantly and access online information.

6. Drawing Window - May contian more than one viewport (see 8). Where all drawing takes place. Dark graybackground with line grid is now the default. The dots are no longer used. Similar to graph paper.

7. ViewCube - 3D viewing tool. Interactive view manipulation with a persistent, clickable, dragable interface.

8. Model Space Viewport - Rectangular window that shows a particular view of a drawing. Multiple can be used at once. By showing more one view of a 3D drawing you can reduce time used to switch views and can help you detect errors.

9. Navigation Bar - Contains the Steering Wheel - 7 different combinations of navigation tools in a persistent, clickable, interactive UI that follows the cursor. The Navigation Cube, Pan, Zoom, Orbit, and Show Motion tools are also incorporated.

Tab

Panel


The many versions of the Steering Wheel.

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**Any of the red all-caps words throughout these PDF files indicate that is the command or command aliasthat is used on the command line or cursor input to invoke that command.**

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AutoCAD 2010 User Interface Overview Cont.10. UCS icon - Displays X,Y, & Z (if needed) axes to help visualize the coordinate system. One will bedisplayed in all viewports by default. Several versions can be used or customized as far as looks.

11. Status Bar/Crosshair location - Constant location of crosshairs in relation to the WCS.

12. Model/Layout Tabs - for toggling between Model/Paper Space. Model Space - 3D environment where most drawing takes place. Paper Space - also know as Layout; 2D view of plotted drawing page.

13. Drawing Aids - On/Off toggle switches for all drawing aids: SNAP, GRID, ONSNAP, Infer Constraints, 3D OSNAP, Transparency, Selection Cycling, Tracking, Ortho, Dynamic UCS/Input, and Lineweight toggle. The same drawing aids can be toggled ON/Off with Function Keys. A button lights up blue when aide is active. Left click turns the aid ON/OFF and a right click will display settings or a shortcut to that command’s settings.

14. Quick Properties - Persistent display of any selected object’s properties. Minimal display.Properties displayed can be customized.

15. Command Line - F2 will expand - Constant display of active command and feedback while drawing. Pay attention to the command line when entering commands via keyboard. You can also review previouscommands and use it to cycle through previously used commands for re-use using the Up/Down arrows.The command line can also be expanded. Just hover you cursor over the top and drag the arrow.

16. Model/Paper Space Toggle - Works similar to Model/Layout Tabs (see12).

17. Quick View for Drawings/Layouts - Switch between all drawings and layouts instantly. Drawings can also be saved and closed from a preview.

18. Clean Screen and Flyout for Customization - CTRL+0 - Clean Screen option can be used to clear the drawing window of all toolbars. to maximize drawing area and view. Toolbars on Status Line can be loadedand unloaded using the fly-out arrow next to the Clean Screen icon.

Note: Anytime you see pushpinson Expandable RIBBON panelsyou can pin them down to keepthem from collapsing.


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AutoCAD 2010 User Interface Overview Cont.19. Annotation Scale/Toggle - Used to control dimension scale in relation to plot scale. To be fully explained during dimension lecture.

20. Current Workspace - A collection of User Interface elements(RIBBON, icons, toolbars, menus) gearedtowards drawing type (Classic(2008 version & prior look)/2D Drafting & Annotation/3D Modeling).

21. Lock and Unlock Toolbars in the drawing window to keep from inadvertently moving their location.

22. Hardware Acceleration Toggle.

23. Data Links - Links to other placed files. Object Isolation - The ability to isolate a single object onscreen for clarification, New for 2011. Similar to Adobe software object isolation.

24. TOOLPALETTES - A tabbed portable Ribbon that can be customized for efficiency when it comes to tools. It contains everything from drawing tools and solid primitives to materials and lights.

Mouse Button Overview(for Intellimouse)

Right ClickCounts as an “Enter” - Can also be used to repeat last command or access a list of contextual commands in the Right Click Customization Shortcut menu that is contextual. - Can be set to do both using a time sensitive right-click - See Options Menu

Left ClickPick or Select, & Start and End a Window/Crossing for Selection - Can also be used for double click editing of certain objects.

WheelZoom or Display a listof Object Snaps or panning when depressed - MBUTTONPAN variable

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Keyboard Shortcuts(An assortment of some of the more useful ones.)

Keyboard ShortcutsWith every release, it seems like the people at Autodesk invent new ways for to you not use the keyboard.However, you will find that seasoned veterans and new students alike use the keyboard often. The keyboardcan be faster. A single letter accompanied by Enter is faster than if the command has to be searched for in a toolbar. If a custom command is created in AutoCAD, it is easier to use the keyboard. You can also makeuse of the hand not guiding the mouse. How more efficient can one be in front of the computer. Tooltips next to the cursor will also show the command keyboard alias. I encourage you to use both.

F1 Help

F2 Text Window Toggle

F3 ObjectSnap Toggle

F4 TABMODE Toggle

F5 ISOPLANE Toggle

F6 UCSDETECT Toggle

F7 GRIDMODE

F8 ORTHOMODE Toggle

F9 SNAPMODE Toggle

F10 Polar Tracking Toggle

F11 Object Snap Tracking Toggle

F12 Dynamic Input Toggle

SPACEBAR Repeat Last Command

Arrow Up/Down Cycle Through Previous Commands

CTRL + Page Up/Down Cycle Between Layouts

CTRL + 1 Object Properties

CTRL + 2 Design Center

CTRL + 3 Tool Palettes

CTRL + 8 Quick Calculator

CTRL + A Selects All

CTRL + C Copies to Clipboard

CTRL + SHIFT + C Copies to Clipboard w/basepoint

CTRL + J or M Repeats last command

CTRL + N New Drawing

CTRL + P Plots drawing

CTRL + S Saves drawing

CTRL + V Pastes data

CTRL + SHIFT + V Pastes data as a block

CTRL + X Cuts data and places on clipboard

CTRL + SHIFT + X Places data on clipboard as a block

CTRL + Y Cancel the previous UndoCTRL + Z Undo

ESC Escapes command or window

CTRL + Tab Tab between open documents

DELETE Deletes selected object(s)


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Options Menu (A brief overview of the many options)

The OPTIONS dialog is where most of AutoCAD can be customized for use. You can access this dialogfrom the Application Bar, “OPTIONS” or “OP” on the command line. It is also in the Tools pull-down menufor anyone using the classic AutoCAD workspace.

The OPTIONS dialog has many tabs leading to like groups of settings.

Files: This is where files that are being utilized by AutoCAD are setup using search paths or locations for use.Examples: AutoSave file location, customization files, template files, driver & support files.

Display: This is where all view settings are housed. Scroll bars and color settings can be controlled fromhere. Display resolution, display performance, layout settings, and tooltips (those help dialogs forthat appear near your cursor hovers over a command for any period of time).

Open & Save: File formats, number of files that can be open at once, number of recently used files,and security settings can all be modified from here. Remember that AutoCAD is backwards compatible.This means that newer files can be saved in an older version format for use with older versions of AutoCAD without producing errors.

Plot & Publish: Plotter options like configurations or lineweights (pen assignments), ePublish options,and plot stamp settings can all be controlled from the tab.

System: Houses system performance configurations for your PC.

User Preferences: Controls double click editing allowing you to double click on certain object types and instantly modify their properties. Right click setting can be customized from here (refer to previous page).Insertion scale settings, scales, lineweights, block settings, are a few of the most used. Using the Initial Setup dialog you can also gear AutoCAD towards your industry. NEW

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Options Menu Cont.Drafting: AutoSnap Options, Tracking Options, Tooltip settings for Dynamic Input, and Object snap options.

3D Modeling: For now, we will only concern ourselves with the visual styles settings and 3D crosshair settings.

Selection: Pick Box Size, Grip size, Visual Effect selection settings and selection modes can all be modified.

Profiles: User profiles or workspace setups can be managed from here. Profiles can be: loaded, unloaded,imported, exported, deleted, and renamed.

Any of the red all-caps words throughout these PDF files indicate that is the command or command alias that is used on the command line or cursor input to invoke that command. You may also notice that all variables of some commands are not fully described. I encourage you to experiment with themand find out what works for you. There are many ways to do the same thing in the AutoCADenvironment and finding the way that suits you will make you more efficient as a draftsman.

Any time you see an arrow in the corner of a panel in the software it representsa Flyout or access to more like tools or commands or a dialog box.

Any time you see three dots on a button it indicates access to a dialog box for settings.

Surviving that

Anyone who has used a PC has experienced the “lock-up” or “fatal error” AutoCAD can be taxing on somesystems and we can’t pretend the software is perfect. It has many flaws. The software does come with afew safeguards. The SAVETIME command is one. You can set an interval of time for the software to save automatically. It works well, but it can interfere with a command and cause the occasional “lock-up”itself. AutoCAD also has a Recovery Manager that will attempt to save and make a backup file before the crash and loads the manage the next time the software initializes. You may also notice a “.bak” file when look in Explorer. The “.bak” extension can be renamed with the “.DWG” extension and function like a normalCAD file. The AutoSave time can also be changed in the options dialog. AutoSave saves to: C/Documentsand Settings/User Name/ Local Settings/Temp/. This can be changed using SAVEFILEPATH on the command line. The RECOVER command will try to correct the file error of a corrupt file and restore itsintegrity. Recover and the Recovery Manager can be found in the Drawing Utilities in the Application Menu.

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Filetypes (used and created)

Many filetypes can be used and generated by AutoCAD. Being familiar with the interpolationscould give some users the edge over other users. Knowing how files translate can either providea client with a usable file or “junk”. Looking for files can also be a task. AutoCAD has a few remedies for this as well. First, the REMEMBERFOLDERS variable. By default, each time you loadAutoCAD it will default to My Documents as the folder to look in when you go to open a file. You can change the location to another to access those typical folders on your harddrive or server.When you get into the Open dialog there is also a Find command that will search for DWG files.AutoCAD also has a multiple file environment allowing more than one file to be open at once.This also helps reinforce the credo “Never draw the same thing twice when it comes to CAD.” This will be emphasized even more when it comes to learning how to make blocks or customsymbols. Objects can easily be copied and pasted from one file to another.

Native FormatsFiles can be saved using the SAVE, SAVEAS, & QSAVE commands. The Application Menu andQuick Access Bar house all of the Save/Open commands as well.AutoCAD has 2 main Native formats: .DWG & .DXFDWG if the typical format and is backwards compatible. You can save as an older version if a client orend-user happens to be using an older version. The 2007 DWG is the newest version. The main difference for the 2007 version is the file size or compression. DXF is the interchange format used when creating a CAD file for use with other software packages (Revit, Inventor,3DS MAX, Adobe Illustrator,Corel Draw, and many CNC packages). Many of these will also accept the DWG format, but the DXF ismeant to be an interchange file and transfers with less unneeded info to cut down on errors. It even discards font information. If you ever create a DXF for AutoCAD to use from other software packages,here is a tip: Everything should be no fill with a black outline. Another native type is .DWT. This is theAutoCAD template format. Any time you open a template and click save, it will activate the SAVEAScommand to prevent the file from being replaced. This where you can setup a template file with allof your specific settings to make starting a drawing much less of a hassle. Do the work once andsave it as template. You can include a titleblock and pretty much anything else you need that may be standard. Layers and text styles are examples.

What can be Imported:.WMF - Windows Metafile - Good for exporting to Microsoft products like Microsoft Office (Word, Excel).3DS - 3D Studio files can be imported. Think of it as the 3D Studio “DXF” file..DGN - Bentley Microstation - Vector driven software, AutoCAD’s only real competitor in the CAD industry..SAT - ACIS - 3D body file can be imported.

What can be attached or used for reference or as an underlay or reference:

Underlays - Can be used as a scaled reference and snapped to..DWF - Highly compressed .DWG used for Web transfer..PDF - Adobe Systems Portable Document Format. Good for plotting and contains vector data.Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free software anyone can download and use. These files can also bepassword encrypted..DGN - Bentley Microstation - see above

External Reference Files - Linked files must remain in their location in order to keep the link..DXF & .DWG.JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group, Internet based picture file type, compressed for smallfile size but poor in color..BMP - Windows operating system pixel graphic - generic - medium compression.TIFF - Tagged Image File Format - Best for photographic color - no compression. 9

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Filetypes (used and created)

What can be Exported:.IGES - Initial Graphics Exchange Specification - Digital standard for 3D CAD/CAM.EPS - Encapsulated PostScript File - Vector data used by most desktop publishing software. .SAT - ACIS - 3D body file can be imported..PDF - Adobe Systems Portable Document Format. Good for plotting and contains vector data.Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free software anyone can download and use..DWF - Highly compressed .DWG used for Web transfer. Can be exported in 3D as well as 2D..STL - Stereolithography - Used for exporting to a 3D printer for prototyping (more on that later).

Managing attached reference files can be done by the External References Palette (IM) (fig 2.1). This is a file manager that controls all formats from one location. When a file is referenced, the locationof that file is referenced. AutoCAD draws info from that same place each time. If you move thatfrom its location, AutoCAD will loose the link and you will end up with an empty space is your drawing.The file will relink itself if you move it back into its place. External files can also be reloaded or refreshedif changes have been made to the linked files. There is also a flyout on the References panel of the RIBBON.

Calculation

With a program as accurate as AutoCAD, one would assume that you need tools for calculation.QUICKCALC is AutoCAD’s calculator that also has the ability to convert units, use variables,and perform geometric functions. QUICKCALC is an expression builder. You can build the expressionand use (=) at the end, it will not immediately calculate the answer when different functions are used. There is also an expression history that allows you review, modify, and re-calculate previous expressionscreated by QUICKCALC. There is also CAL (fig. 2.3), an online geometric calculator that can do arithmeticor vector expressions. Here are a few of the basic operators (fig. 2.4).

Perform common operationsAttach by File Type

Reload/Refresh

Attached Files Status/Properties

Attached Files Details

History AreaInput LineMore/Less Options Button

Standard Calculations

Scientific/EngineeringCalculations

Convert between Metric& Imperial Units

Create/Edit/Delete Variables

Manage Variables

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Figure 2.1Figure 2.2

Figure 2.3 Figure 2.4

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CAD WebsitesThe Web

The internet is a good source for materials for improving on your CAD ability. Learn outside the classroom.Although a large amount will be covered in this class, we are limited to eight weeks. One could improve on his/her CAD skills throughout their entire career. Websites and forums are devoted to those questions from new users to the problems or flaws the software has for expert users and how to fix or better them.Each time a new release comes out, a user should also investigate new features on the web. Therealso Autodesk Seek. With Autodesk Seek, you can share, search, and reuse digital design content.

With Autodesk Seek you can find and share product design information with the online design communityto enhance designs and to meet specific customer needs. It allows designers to search for, download, and integrate generic or manufacturer-specific building products or components and associated design information. When you are working in a design program, you may want to include products that, for example, meet design standards for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Autodesk Seek can help you locate such information and products, and get them into your design.The Design Center (CTRL +2) can also be used online to access standard blocks or symbols for cad drawings.

Misc. Use WebsitesCAD Magazine: www.cadalyst.comCAD Magazine: www.aecmag.comMisc. CAD Info: www.caddprimer.comMisc. CAD Info: www.cadinfo.netMisc. CAD Info: www.deskeng.comMisc. CAD Info: www.caddetails.com - must registerMisc. CAD Info: www.cadlibrary.com - must registerMisc. CAD Info: www.aia.org - American Institute of ArchitectsMisc. CAD Info: www.csinet.org - Construction Specifications InstituteMisc. CAD Info: www.4specs.com Misc. CAD Info: www.aeccafe.comMisc. CAD Info: www.e-architect.comMisc. CAD Info: www.ansi.orgU.S. Green Building Council website: http://www.usgbc.org. ADA standards for accessible design, visit U.S. Department of Justice website: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/

Autodesk WebsitesAutodesk Home: www.autodesk.us.comAutodesk Seekhttp: //seek.autodesk.comAutodesk Student Software Download: http://students.autodesk.comA free membership is required. A college e-mail address is suggested. Serial# will be provided beforedownload and is validated through internet connection. The cd key will make the software fully functional for 12months.Autodesk User Group International: www.augi.com - membership required - It’s free!Autodesk User Group International - Architecure/Engineering/Construction Magazine: www.aecedge.comAutodesk User Group International Magazine: www.augi.com/publicationsAutodesk Labs New Technology: labs.autodesk.com

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The information of this text can be acquired from the following sources.

G.V. Krishnan, Thomas A Stellman (2008). Harnessing AutoCAD 2008, New York, NY: Delmar Learning

George Omura (2010). Mastering AutoCAD 2010 and LT 2010, New York, NY: Wiley Publishing

This �le is designed to assist students in the process of acquiring skills in a course in Computer-AidedDrafting. This �le is not meant to be the full extent necessary to master skills in CAD. It is an introductory course composed of many sections. This information is not endorsed by Autodeskin any form. This �le may not be reproduced or copied in whole or in any part or form without written permission of the creator.


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