LEARNING OBJECTIVES After completing this lesson, you will be able to: 1, Start AutoCAD program 2. Understand AutoCAD Workspaces 3. Recognize all of the features in the AutoCAD Window LESSON 1STARTING AUTOCAD To Start AutoCAD use one of the 2 methods below. (Be patient it may take a few minutes to load. It is a large program) 1. Select Start / All Programs / Autodesk / AutoCAD 2013 or Double click on the AutoCAD 2013 desktop shortcut icon. 2. The “Welcome” window should appear. Note: Your computer should be connected to the Internet. Welcome window includes three areas: Work, Learn, and Extend. Work allows you to start a New drawing, Open an existing drawing or Open a ‘sample drawing file. Learn provides you with helpful videos to introduce you to the new AutoCAD. 2013 software. Extend allows you to browse and download applications developed by third- party developers using Autodesk Exchange. Autodesk Cloud introduces you to the new online document storage available to AutoCAD users. 3. If you would prefer not to view the Welcome window at this time just select Close. Close Note: / Welcome window will appear each time you start up AutoCAD if you have not unchecked the 1 Display at Startup located in the lower left comer. 12STARTING AUTOCAD....continued After you have closed the Welcome window, the “Application Window” should appear. Note: If your screen does not appear as shown below go to the Intro section of this workbook and follow the steps for configuring AutoCAD to match the workbook configuration The following pages will describe each area and element. | know you are anxious to start drawing but be patient and read the remainder of this lesson. It is very important that you understand and are familiar with AutoCAD’s interface. 1-3AUTOCAD APPLICATION WINDOW The AutoCAD Application Window default workspace Drafting & Annotation, is shown below. Important: Ihave changed my 2D backaround color to white for this workbook. Yours may be another color. You may change the color of many areas using: Options / Display tab / Colors button If the remainder of your screen does not appear as shown below go to the Intro section of this workbook and follow the steps for configuring AutoCAD to match the workbook configuration. Applications Menu Button Quick Access toolbar 47 Workspaces InfoCenter Navigation Bar Cursor. —\ at ot i 7 Drawing —— Origin Icon | & Aree est | ae Command Line + PEE ea | Peres SHAS: | Status Bar ‘A description of each area is shown on the following pages. 14APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS WORKSPACE Workspaces controls the display of ribbons, tabs, menus, toolbars, and palettes. AutoCAD gives you the option of deciding how you would like them displayed. When you use a workspace, only the menus, toolbars, and palettes that are relevant to a task are displayed. For example if you selected the 3D Modeling workspace only 3D menus, toolbars and palettes would be displayed. There are 3 preset Workspaces. Drafting & Annotation (shown on the previous page) This workspace is the default display. It displays the necessary ribbons, tabs, menus, tools and palettes for 2D drafting. We will be using this workspace for all lessons within this workbook. 3D Basics This 3D Basics workspace provides a simple workspace with the most basic tools for creating and visualizing 3D Models. 3D Modeling The 3D Modeling workspace provides access to the vast array of 3D tools in AutoCAD. AutoCAD Classic or AutoCAD LT Classic AutoCAD kept the classic workspace from older releases of AutoCAD if a user preferred not to use the Ribbon. The classic workspace arranges the toolbars on the sides and top of the screen. HOW TO SELECT A WORKSPACE 1 1, Selecting a workspace is easy. Select the ¥ located in the upper left [Gectasrwoner (Sh comer of the screen. 2. Select one of the workspace names displayed. Workspace Settings... | customze. 2—~ Note: We will be using “Drafting & Annotation”. 41-5APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS APPLICATION MENU The Application Menu provides easy access to common tools, Each of the tools will be discussed later in the workbook. 1. Click on the Application Menu button in the upper left corner of the AutoCAD display screen. (The big “A") 4. Application Menu button Open Documents and Recent Documents are described on the next two pages. EEE Se ) Recent Documents Select this button to a= display “Options” pvwe + 3, Select{this These will be Laer eae ito to discussed i» later eB Be AutoChd’ saa Blase + wee. [Feeascao 1-6APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued Open Documents First let me emphasis this is not a method to “open” a drawing file. Open Documents is a list of all documents that are already open within AutoCAD. Display choice: The list of documents may be displayed as icons or images. If you hover the cursor over a document name a preview image will appear. Select the “Open documents” button (Open Documents Display choice Open drawings wawing ~—~ n Bavoneat.ci are listed here Important setting change for new AutoCAD users. AutoCAD allows you to have multiple drawing files open at the same time. This is very helpful to experienced AutoCAD users but can be confusing for users NEW to AutoCAD. While using this workbook you might find it helpful if you change a setting to restrict you to only one AutoCAD drawing file to be open at one time. This will only change ‘AutoCAD and will have no affect on any other software on your computer. This setting may be turned ON and OFF instantly. (1=ON 0 = OFF) 1.You should only have one drawing open. Close all but one drawing file. 2.Type: sdi ‘3.Type: 1 Now AutoCAD will restrict you to one drawing on the screen. If you choose to go back to multiple drawings repeat the steps above except enter “0” instead of “1”. 41-7APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS, View Recent Documents When you select Recent Documents a list of the recently viewed documents will appear. Display choices: This list may be displayed as icons or images and may be sorted in an ordered list or grouped by date or file type. If you hover the cursor over a document name a preview image will appear. Pinned Files You can keep a file listed regardless of files that you save later using the push pin button to the right. The file is displayed at the bottom of the list until you turn off the push pin button, Select the “Recent Documents” button Display choices [search Gammends By Recent Daements | List of [5 new » . documents Roo Heber dg ( recently [er co BR ra vertbekber de a opened a=. R20 Heber F2011-Workbook Helper dug e Ghee > NL Pinned File 18APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued Quick Access Toolbar The Quick Access Toolbar is located in the top left corner of the AutoCAD window. It includes the most commonly used tools, such as New, Open, Save, Save as, Cloud Options, Print, Undo and Redo. How to Customize the Quick Access Toolbar You can add tools with the Customize User Interface dialog box. For Example: After you have completed Lesson 4 you will find that you will be using “Zoom All” often. So | add the "Zoom Alll” tool to the Quick Access Toolbar. If you would like to add the “Zoom All’ tool, or any other tool, to your Quick Access Toolbar follow the steps below. 4, Place the Cursor on the Quick Access Toolbar and press the right mouse button. 2. Select “Customize Quick Access Toolbar...” from the menu. 3. Scroll through the list of Commands to “Zoom, All” 4. Press the Left mouse button on “Zoom,Alll” and drag it to a location on the Quick Access Toolbar and drop it by releasing the left mouse button. 5. Select the OK button at the bottom of the Customize User Interface dialog box. The Customize User Interface dialog box will disappear and the new Quick Access Toolbar is saved to the current Workspace. To Remove a tool: Place the cursor on the tool to remove and press the right mouse button. Select Remove from Quick Access Toolbar. 19APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued RIBBON The RIBBON provides access to the AutoCAD tools. The TABS contain multiple PANELS. Each PANEL contains multiple tools. When you select a TAB a new set of PANELS will appear. Tab Additional Tools Additional Tools: If you select the ‘¥ symbol, at the bottom of the panel, the panel will expand to access additional tools. Control the display of Tabs and Panels Right click on the Ribbon and select which Tabs or Panels you choose to display. The check mark confirms the tab or panel is already displayed. Control the TAB order If you would like to change the order of the tabs click and drag the tab horizontally to the new location. Floating PANELS If you prefer to separate a Panel from the Ribbon you may drag the panel off the Ribbon to a new location on the screen. 1-10APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued STATUS BAR The Status Bar is located on the bottom of the screen. It displays the current settings. These settings can be turned ON or OFF by clicking on one of the buttons or by pressing a corresponding function key, F1, F2 etc. Da TS EEO Left Side buttons Right Side buttons (Not discussed at Coordinate Display this time) Coordinate Display These numbers will change as you move the cursor. The coordinates display the location of the cursor in reference to the Origin. The Origin is currently in the lower left corner of the Drawing Area. First set of numbers represents the horizontal movement of the cursor (X-axis). Second set of numbers represents the vertical movement of the cursor (Y-axis). Third set of numbers represents the Z-axis which is used for 3D and not discussed. The coordinate display is basically for reference and will be explained more later. Left side buttons The left side of the Status bar displays 14 buttons. These buttons can be displayed as icons _or traditional text labels. ‘TRADITIONAL ‘TEXT LABELS. Note: | think it will make it easier to lear if you change the display to Traditional Text. To change the icon display to traditional text labels. Right click on any of the buttons and uncheck “use icons’. tant The check mark means “use icons”. xX toes No check mark means “use traditional text labels”. spiny roth abel sp A brief description of each button is shown on the next page. Each button will be discussed in more detail in future Lessons. 4-14APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued STATUS BAR BUTTON DESCRIPTIONS Icons Eso ai TRADITIONAL TEXT LABELS [EER a oro foswe Roost ovavcx cs one wry ae SCA] The Status Bar buttons are used to control the cursor movement and the screen display. The buttons are either ON or OFF. Click on the button to depress (ON). Click again to release (OFF). The color will also change. Light Blue is ON. Gray is OFF. INFER [9 (Note: Not used in this workbook) Inferred Geometric Constrains automatically applies coincident constraints for Endpoint, Midpoint, Center, Node, and Insertion object snaps. SNAP [21] (You may also use F9 to toggle ON or OFF) Increment Snap controls the incremental movement of the cursor. If itis ON the cursor will “snap” in an incremental movement. If it is OFF the cursor will move smoothly. You may set the increments by right clicking on the Snap button and selecting Settings. GRID (You may also use F7 to toggle ON or OFF) The criss-cross lines in the Drawing Area are called the Grid. Itis only a drawing aid and will not print. The default spacing is 1 unit of measurement. You may change the Grid spacing at any time by right clicking on the Grid button and selecting Settings. ORTHO [Bi (You may also use F8 to toggle ON or OFF) Ortho restricts the movement of the cursor to Horizontal or Vertical. When Ortho is ON the cursor moves only in the horizontally or vertically. When Ortho is OFF the cursor moves freely in any direction, POLAR (You may also use F10 to toggle ON of OFF) PolarSnap restricts cursor movement to specified increments along a polar angle. More on this in Lesson 11 OSNAP @ (You may also use F3 to toggle ON of OFF) When Osnap is ON the cursor will ‘snap” to preset locations on 2D objects. More on this in Lesson 4. 1-12APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued STATUS BAR BUTTON DESCRIPTIONS. ...CONTINUED apo0snaP [J (You may also use FA to toggle ON of OFF) When 3D0snap is ON the cursor will “snap” to preset locations on 3D objects This option will be discussed in the “Advanced Workbook’. oTrack [EB] (vou may also use F'11 to toggle ON of OFF) Polar tracking restricts cursor movement to specified angles. More on this in Lesson 11 oucs Bl (You may also use F6 to toggle ON of OFF) Dynamic User Coordinate System changes the grid plane to follow the XY plane of the dynamic UCS. Used for 3D, refer to Exercise Workbook for Advanced AutoCAD. pyn EE] (vou may also use F'12 to toggle ON of OFF) When Dynamic Input is ON, you can enter coordinate values in tooltips near the cursor. More on this in Lesson 11. iwt Lineweight displays the width assigned to each object. When it is ON the lineweights are visible. More on this in Lesson 3. TPY When Transparency Show/Hide is ON all transparent layers will be displayed. If itis OFF no layers will display as transparent. More on this in Lesson 3. op If ON, Quick Properties displays the properties of the object selected. If OFF the Quick Properties box will not appear. More on this in Lesson 12. Selection Cycling allows you to select objects that are overlapping. This is most useful when creating 3 dimensional models discussed in the Exercise Workbook for Advanced AutoCAD. Provides feedback regarding the state of associative annotations when using parametric dimensioning. This option will be discussed in the “Advanced Workbook". 1-13APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS, continued FLOATING COMMAND LINE When you first start AutoCAD, and if the software has not been modified, the Command Line will be displayed at the bottom of the screen, as shown below. This is where AutoCAD will prompt you for information and you will enter commands, values and select options. Basically this is how you communicate with AutoCAD. You may “dock” the command line at the top or bottom of the AutoCAD window or let it float in the drawing area To move the command line, place the cursor on the left end grip, press the left mouse button and drag the command line to a desired location Click and drag To move == To “dock” the command line drag it to the top or bottom of the drawing area. It will snap to the edge. You can't dock the command line to the sides. You may also drag it below the drawing area as shown below. Note: You may toggle the Command Line ON and OFF using Ctrl + 9. 1-14APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued COMMAND LINE How to enter a command on the Command Line. 1, Type the first letter of a command, such as ¢ for circle. ‘AutoComplete Command Entry automatically completes the entry. It displays a list of all the ‘commands whose prefix matches ‘what you have typed. This enables you to scroll and select from the list. 2. Alist of commands that begin with the letter ¢ will appear. Select the desired command from the list. 3. When you enter a command such as Circle the prompt and options will be displayed on the command line. 4. The prompt for Circle command asks you to: “Specify center point for circle” or [ 3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius) I: GEER © crscae specity center point for civete or (36 a FRR Ctan teat) The information within the [ ~~] brackets are options that you may select. Clickable options are displayed in blue. Options displayed in Black must be typed or selected from the option menu. This will be discussed more in Lesson 2. 1-15APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued FLOATING COMMAND LINE Command and Prompt history As you enter commands AutoCAD records them as “history”. You may display this history by pressing F2 or the up arrow at the right hand end of the command line. Command Line tools Recent commands tool displays recently selected commands. Wype @ comand Customize tool allows you to select options for the AutoComplete, control how many lines of history are displayed and the degree of transparency for the Command Line. AutoComplete Lines of Prompt History Transparency. Options. 1-16APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued DYNAMIC INPUT Dynamic Input is another method of inputting commands, values and select options. To use Dynamic Input you must turn ON the DYN button in the Status Bar, shown on page 1-13. If you choose to use Dynamic Input the command will be entered in the tooltip box beside the cursor. How to enter a command using Dynamic Input. 1. Place the cursor in the Drawing Area. 2. Type the first letter of a command, such as ¢ for circle. 3. A list of commands that begin with the letter ¢ will appear. Select the command from the list. Too! tip box ;——— | AutoComplete Command Entry automatically completes the entry Itdisplays a list of all the ‘commands whose prefix matches what you have typed. This ‘enables you to scroll and select from the list. cam (camera li camera [ cameraniseLay [Te camenavenciT 4. Ifyou press the 4 down arrow the options will appear below the prompt. Prompt. down arrow 4p aaa a] nea Options Notice the command entry is being displayed on the command line also. Using the Command Line or Dynamic Input is your choice. This will be discussed more in Lesson 2. 4-17APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS....continued DRAWING AREA The Drawing Area is the large open area of the soreen. This is where you will draw. Consider this your paper. The color of this area can be changed using Options / Display tab / Color ORIGIN Icon The Origin icon or UCS icon indicates the location of the Origin. The Origin is where the coordinates X, Y and Z originate. | x The X and Y coordinates for the Origin is 0, 0. This will be discussed more in future Lessons. CURSOR The Cursor is located within the Drawing Area. The movement of the pointing device, such as a mouse, controls the movement of the cursor. You will use the cursor to locate points, make selections and draw objects. The size can be changed using Options / Display tab / Crosshair INFOCENTER The InfoCenter is a tool to search for information. It is located in the upper right comer of the screen. Autodesk Online Services ‘Autodesk Exchange Search box Search Help Search Box The InfoCenter allows you to search for information by typing key words or a auestion in the “Help Box’. After typing press Search Displays multiple search options. Autodesk Online Services Sign in to Autodesk Online to access services that integrate with your desktop software. Autodesk Exchange Displays the Autodesk Exchange window. Help Menu Displays the Help Window 118APPLICATION WINDOW DESCRIPTIONS.. VIEWCUBE and NAVIGATION BAR The ViewCube and the Navigation Bar are used primarily in the 3D enable you to view and rotate the 3D Model. We will not be using these tools in this Workbook. i Refer to the “Advanced” workbook. ViewCubel Since we are not using these tools you may choose to turn their display off. Follow the easy instructions below to turn the display off or on. How to turn off the View cube and Navigation bar. There are 2 methods: Method 4 4. Type navbardisplay 2. Type O —[0= off 1 =on] 3. Type navvcubedisplay 4, Type 1 Note: Navvcubedisplay has 4 settings: Nav} «continued mode, They soz 4 jgation S Bar 0 = Not displayed in 2D or 3D 1 = Displayed in 3D only (Select this one for the workbook) Displayed in 2D only Displayed in both 2D and 3D Method 2. 1. Select the View tab 2. Select the User defined tool located on the Windows panel. 3. Uncheck the ViewCube and Navigation Bar boxes. Uncheck = off Check = on 1-19TOOLTIP HELP Basic Tooltip When you hover your cursor over a tool an initial Tooltip will appear telling you the name of the tool with a brief description. [| Bate One Os Beowy dh we Center, Ras Tal Cress ace ug corer porta aad SED wig mCIRCLE ress for more help sl shitwe Oatte fm = = [Bean theme Cran + Extended Tooltip if you hover just alittle longer a graphic display, directly from the Help system, will appear. Bonar eTuie Crom profile: <> [Files [ Display | Open and Save!) Plot and Publish System| ‘Window Elemerts — Color scheme: ieply sel bars in caving window iepley Drawing statue bor (Use large buttons for Tocbars \esize ribbon icons to standard sizes Tooftins Ynow shortout keys in ToolTips Show extended ToolTipe Number of seconds to delay pf rlloves Tooltips a How to turn off Tooltips After you become familiar with AutoCAD you will want to turn these off. Or you may just want to delay the extended Tooltips. 1. Type options and press . 2. Select the Display tab 3. Uncheck boxes 1-20