Autocad 101 Survival Course Beginners

ATP218
AutoCAD 101 – A Survival Course

For Beginners
Segment 1
Date: May 5, 2008
Instructor: Kenneth C. Leary

Level: Beginning
Category: AutoCAD General
Web: www.AUGI.com
Reuse of any or all material contained within this document for commercial purposes,
without the express written consent of AUGI, Inc. or its authorized agents is expressly 1
prohibited.
© Copyright 2008 Autodesk User Group International, Inc. All rights reserved.
Welcome to AutoCAD 101
Is this class for you? Well I think most people who signed up for it can get something out of it.
Perhaps you’re just new to the business and you don’t want to look like you’re new to the business. Or
maybe you’ve been in the business a little while and hope to learn some new tip and tricks. In either
case you’ve come to the right place.
It’s a scary feeling, being inexperienced, and AutoCAD is a big and intimidating program. There
are literally thousands of commands and system variables. Most vocational and technical schools only
teach the very basics. Often the former students are shocked to find that they weren’t taught some of
the important tools most companies use on a regular basis.
Amazingly, most experienced users only use about a third of the tools the program has to offer.
The people who get into the program and use it to a greater potential are referred to as “power users”.
Even power users don’t always use a lot of the new tools that are available in new releases.
Here’s the good news, it’s not as bad as it seems. You can be on the road to becoming a power
user before you know it. This course will teach you the basics you don’t usually learn in school, help
you avoid the common mistakes most people make, and get you up to speed and working like a pro
faster than you thought possible.
Always know where your towel is
Some of you may have read the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. If you
didn’t that’s all right I won’t hold it against you. One of the mantras of the hitchhikers is to always know
where your towel is. This means always be prepared and always carry with you the tools that you will
need. In case that reference still doesn’t make sense, a towel is a very handy multipurpose tool for
hitchhikers.
I always suggest new employees whether it is CAD Drafter or Engineer (maybe Architect in your
case) that they carry a notepad with them at all times. Well perhaps taking it with you to lunch or the
restroom is a bit extreme. Regardless, there are so many commands and system variables that you will
be learning that, unless you’re an AutoCAD savant, you won’t commit them all to memory the first time
you hear them. Just like any other craft or skilled trade it’s important to have the right tool for the job.
One very important thing that I would like to stress is this; AutoCAD is your favorite new tool. It may
look like a big scary tool with a bunch of switches, knobs and sharp edges, but it is just that, a tool.
This is very important for you to keep a good perspective. Weather you are a CAD Technician,
CAD Drafter, Drafter, CAD operator, Designer, etc. In this course I will use the term CAD Drafter but the
title is really of little significance for our purposes, it is your job to draw something well and this is the
tool you use. Think of yourself as a drafter first, computer operator second.
Lastly, always keep a drawer stocked with Antacid and Aspirin (or Ibuprofen). You will need
them eventually, often at the same time.
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Good Sources for Support
Just like a good reporter how well you do all depends upon how reliable your sources are.
Whether it’s learning new tools and functions of AutoCAD or finding out how to fix a problem you are
facing and can’t solve yourself (and there will be plenty). Having a good reliable source or sources for
good information at your fingertips is important. I’m going to cover some of the more reliable sources
available to you, all are effective and the more of them you use the better it is for you.
First, you’re already in one of the best places. AUGI is a great place to get valuable information
about AutoCAD and the add-on packages that are offered by AutoDesk. The Forums are a good place
for asking questions and getting answers. There is also a Tips and Tricks forum that is really handy for
finding the quickest ways to do things.
In addition there are software specific forums that are specific to whatever type of AutoDesk
product or Add-on you’re using. Last but not least, if you have a spare few minutes Coffee Without CAD
is a great place to meet AutoCAD users you can relate with and not talk shop.
Fig. 01
This is a screen shot of the AUGI Forums. A great source of information
for AutoCAD related questions.
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Second, you may have support though AutoDesk already, but if not there is still plenty of good
free information available on the AutoDesk Support website. The Discussion groups are similar to the
AUGI forums in that you can post questions and get answers, often quickly, from experts that are online
pretty much twenty four hours a day seven days a week. I would also suggest doing a forum search
before posting questions; you’re probably not the first person to have the problem and it many have
already been answered.
Fig. 02
This is a screen shot of the AutoDesk Support Page.
The link for the discussion groups is circled in red.
So you thought you were done with school
I run into a lot of CAD drafters in the business that pick a version as “theirs” and benchmark
everything on that. There are still people who are happy with Release 14 and don’t want to move on, no
really. The new commands and productivity tools don’t appeal to them. That kind attitude can be a
career killer. Don’t let yourself get too attached to a version or a specific way of doing things, there’s
always a good reason to make a new release.
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My point is this; one of the keys to being an effective and successful AutoCAD user is to always
keep learning. So now would be a good time to accept that you will never know it all. By the time you
do, there are new tools with every release, and you’ll need to learn them. Besides no one really likes a
know it all anyway.
Good Sources for Learning
Always try to stay ahead of the learning curve if you can. With one cravat that I should mention,
it’s more important when you start a new job to learn what you are drawing first. You may be too busy
learning how to do your job properly to invest a lot of time to improving your AutoCAD skills. Don’t let
this worry you; remember you’re a drafter first. Drafting quickly and wrong is always worse than
drafting slowly and correctly.
You may want to start learning more about AutoCAD simply and slowly. I used to dedicate a
few minutes at lunch every day to simply look up a new command in the AutoCAD help menu. One
new command and just a few minutes a day added up to a lot of information before I knew it. Once I
was fairly competent at what I was doing at my job is when I started to look at different sources of
information.
Books are on of your best sources. There are a lot of books available for AutoCAD and most are
very helpful and may even target your specific experience level. I’m not a big fan of giving free
advertising so don’t consider my opinions to be a specific endorsement of any of these books. A quick
search of any of the popular online book buying sites will give you quite a few results.
AutoCAD for Dummies, Mastering AutoCAD, and AutoCAD: No Experience Required are all
good books with a lot of good reviews. But I have to say that a lot of people The AutoCAD Bible by
Ellen Finkelstein to be the definitive book on AutoCAD. I would suggest simply reading as many of the
customer reviews as possible before making any choices.
I don’t know how many of you are first time users of the AUGI training program. Some of you
may already have gone through and looked into the ATP course archives for past classes. If you
haven’t done so yet, I strongly suggest that you find the time to do so. Go ahead and look you won’t
hurt my feelings, honest. There are usually about three classes per month and all contain a
considerable amount of helpful information on a range of subjects.
A lot of these classes offer information on specific tools and features that you will encounter
while using AutoCAD, so check back often. For example, you might not need to use Dynamic Blocks
now but if your company decides to try them out a quick search will find the June 2005 course ATP076
- Dynamic Blocks and block Enhancements. Some quick reading and you can be the company expert
on the subject!
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Learn from the Pros
There are a lot of good informal ways to learn good solid and effective information about
AutoCAD. Look around your office and see how the other drafters work. There are a lot of interesting
personality types that are in the drafting industry and just observing them can be helpful. You may
think that the ones to learn from are the fastest ones clicking away like they’re playing a video game.
That’s not always the case, what you want to do is seek out the drafters who are doing just as much
work but don’t seem to be as stressed out.
There’s a reason the less stressed out drafters are making the same progress. It may simply be
they have better medication or drink Decaf. Usually, these are the people who have customized
AutoCAD, have custom lisp routines and have developed techniques over the years that have
streamlined the design process. If you are lucky they are the “old guard” who were board drafting
before computers became the industry standard.
I know nowadays that seems slightly more advanced than painting the walls of caves but it
wasn’t that long ago. Admittedly my perspective may be skewed because I’m still trying to figure out
when Van Halen became “classic” rock. But there was an advantage to board drafting that AutoCAD
simply can’t duplicate. When you are board drafting you see exactly what the final product looks like as
you draw it, you don’t have that luxury while drafting in AutoCAD. You can do a plot preview but it’s just
not the same as seeing it full scale on paper. I’ll go into more detail on effective plotting in a later
segment.
Spend some time around the more experienced drafters when you can. They may have some
great advice, and if you show an interest in how they do things, they’ll be more eager to share with you.
There are techniques that develop over time that are never in manuals because every company does
things differently. You’ll see this again because it’s important; don’t be afraid to ask questions. The
only stupid question is the one you don’t ask.
Good Drafting Practices
What CAD managers like to see is most likely not what you would expect. I did a thread a while
back in the CAD managers forum to see what they thought I should focus on for this class. I was
surprised to see how many of them were saying the same things I was already planning on saying.
Here is a list of good general drafting practices that I have compiled.
• None of the CAD Managers said I want someone who’s fast. It’s easy to want more speed
so you can prove yourself at the new job. Experienced drafters and CAD Managers often
see someone who is clicking their mouse like they’re playing a video game as someone who
has potential to make mistakes. You don’t want them to have that impression of you.
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• Always remember doing it fast twice is still slower that doing it carefully once. Don’t just work
fast, work smart and find the right tool (command) for the job.
• If you find yourself saying “there must be a better way to do this” then you’re probably right.
There is almost always more than one way to do something in AutoCAD. There may be a
faster way that is worth investing a minute or two to discover.
• If you’re not sure about something, ask a question. But only ask it once. Write down the
answer so you can look it up later. There is such a thing as a stupid question; it’s the one
you don’t ask, and the one you ask twice.
• Always check your plots before turning it in to the Engineer or Architect who gave it to you.
Sometimes a mistake is obvious on paper that isn’t obvious on the screen.
• Always spell check a drawing before plotting it. Even someone with exceptional spelling
skills can transpose letters when typing.
In the next two segments I’ll cover how to get a better result out of your plotted drawings and
show you some quick and easy ways to get a good drawing with very little headache involved. I’ll also
cover some good general drafting practices and let you in on what your bosses are looking for in a
good drafter. Not to mention some AutoCAD Do’s and Don’ts and a lot of Tips and Tricks.
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ATP218
For Beginners
Segment 2
Date: May 12, 2008

Level: Beginning
Web: www.AUGI.com
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Welcome to Segment 2
Good to see you survived the first Segment. My intention is to get you a proper perspective and good
sources for continuing your education before we get into specifics of the program. So you probably
want to learn how to actually use AutoCAD like a pro now right? Well it’s about time isn’t it? Great, but
just one more thing first.
Output is the final judge

Perspective and attitude are always understated in most Drafting programs, which is a real shame.
There are some things to keep in mind. It doesn’t matter how fast you complete the drawing or what
tools you use to do it. When it goes to the client all they see is the final product, the plotted drawing.
The design is up to the Engineer or Architect, it’s your job to put that design on paper in a way that is
clear and accurate. That may seem like a simplified answer but it’s painfully true.
I’m going to show two cut outs from the same drawing. This is not something I made up for this course
this is an actual drawing that was sent to a client.
In the figure on the right you can see a portion the drawing as it originally went to the client. This is a
Grading and Drainage drawing, you may notice that the last things you notice are the Drainage
structures and the elevations used for grading the site. Some of the elevations can’t even be read
properly because they are covered by the lines that should be in the background.
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In next figure you see the drawing as it’s supposed to look. It’s clear what information is pertinent, the
background information is thinner and doesn’t direct you eyes away from what you should be looking at.
I’ve also turned off some objects that didn’t even belong on this type of drawing, like doors for example.
There were several different text sizes and styles the smallest ones are ironically the most important.
They are now all a uniform style and scale. You can’t really tell in this drawing but the scale of the
drawing was also incorrect.
Page Setups – Plotting made easy

It never fails to amaze me how much time people spend plotting a drawing. They have to go through
changing the plotter, pen settings, paper sizes, scale, etc. every time they want to plot a drawing.
Wouldn’t it be nice to plot a drawing with only three mouse clicks? That’s where Page Setup Manager
comes in. All of the plot settings can be saved as a Page Setup, so all you have to do is select plot,
then the setup you wish to use, and then select OK and your plot is sent. Three clicks, not eight or ten,
and you can Import the Page Setups to other drawings.
There is an additional bonus to using page setups with Layout tabs. It’s not meant to be strictly for
plotting, it configures the Layout tab as well.
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First, Right mouse click on the Layout tab that you wish to
configure, select the Page Setup Manager.
This will bring up the Page Setup Manager dialog box. If you look
at the figure on the left you see the name of the Layout and Page
Setup that is current in between the two asterisks. On the right
side are the Set Current, New, Modify, and Import buttons. It also
displays some information describing the current Page Setup
under the window in the Selected page setup details box.
Select the New option and you can configure the Page Setup just
like you would during the normal Plot process, only this time
you’re creating
the
configuration,
not an actual
plot. You can
repeat the process for however many different
settings you need, full size, half size, and PDF for
example.
Once you complete the Page Setups select OK and

you will go back to the Page Setup Manager.
Highlight the page setup that you wish to use and
pick the Set Current button.
This will change the Layout tab settings to match the

Page Setup settings that you made current. Now,
when it’s time to plot, you simply need to select the
page setup you wish to use and you’re ready to plot.
The “current” setup will be the default settings
for plotting.
One of the best things about the Page Setup

Manager is the ability to Import the page setups
from another drawing. Now that you have
created the page setups you can open the other
drawings in your project and Import the page
setups you created in the first drawing. You can
also import the Page Setups from one layout
tab to another.
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Dimension Styles
Dimensions are difficult to get “just right”. There are so many variables and settings that getting them
the way you want is something that can take a long time. Different industries have different standards,
so it’s a difficult thing to teach too, because what’s right for one person could be completely wrong for
another. Let’s review a few things that should help you develop your dimension style knowledge.
To access the Dimension

Style Manager type in
DDIM at the command
prompt. This will allow you
to create New, Modify,
Override, Compare, or Set
dimension styles to be
current.
When creating a dimension

style set the sizes and
variables as if it were
drawn 1 to 1 in Paperspace.
Then it only needs to be
modified to change the
scale factor to match the
drawing. There are two
ways this should be set
depending on the situation.
Scenario 1. If you are labeling and dimensioning a file that will be referenced into several drawings,
you will need to set a specific dimension scale. In the DDIM command select the FIT Tab and under
the Scale for Dimension Features section select the radio button for Use Overall Scale of: and set the
scale that the drawing will be viewed at. You can also create several styles with different scales and
name them for that scale. For example, create a style called 50_scale and set the overall scale to 50.
Scenario 2. You need to add dimensions to a plan sheet that has multiple viewports at different scales.
In the DDIM command Select the FIT Tab and under the Scale for Dimension Features section select
the radio button for Scale dimensions to Layout (paperspace) and the dimensions will automatically
scale to match the scale of the viewport you are drawing it in.
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Once you have the dimension
style set the way you like it,
use the DIMEX to Export the
dimension style you just
created. This will create a .DIM
file that you can import into
your other drawings using the
DIMIN command.
Template files
The more you use AutoCAD the more you realize exactly how you like your drawing to be setup.
Starting a new drawing with your settings already configured exactly how you like is a pretty great idea,
isn’t it? That’s where the template file comes in. Template files contain all the information you would
normally have in a Drawing file without the line work. Dimension styles, text styles, system variables,
layers, plot styles and page setups are all contained in a template file. Not having to add these settings
to each drawing could save you hours of set up work on each project.
Creating a template file is so easy that it seems to good to be true. Simply create a drawing with
everything in it configured the way you want. Do a Save As and select the Drawing Template *.dwt file
type. You can make as many template files as you like. More importantly, you also have the ability to go
back and add or change any system variables or other information as you wish.
The QNEW command is the fastest way to start a new drawing with your settings. When you
use the following settings, QNEW immediately starts a new drawing without displaying any
dialog boxes or prompts: Set the STARTUP system variable to 0. Open the Options dialog,
switch to Files tab and specify QNEW template in Template Settings as the template file you
created. This will open a new drawing with all of your layers and system variables already set.
Template files are also handy if you have a “problem drawing” which is either corrupted, or simply a
mess. This is common with drawings from other companies. Create a new drawing with your template
file, select all of the drawing entities from the problem drawing select the Edit pull down menu -> Copy
with base point. Paste those entities into the new drawing you created from the template. You now
have a drawing with all your settings and none of the extra garbage from the other drawing.
For a complete list of system variables and a description of what they do: type
SYSVDLG at the command prompt.
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Which Way is Up?
When possible North should always be up (pointing to the top) of a drawing. The big debate in a lot of
offices is if it isn’t practical to go up which way should it point. I could get into great detail on this one
but I'll try to keep it short. The industry standard for Civil and Architectural have been different for many
years. Most people don't know the reasons for why they are different. Both tend to claim the other is
wrong, but both are actually correct to do it the way they are doing it. Short and sweet here's the
reasons.
• On architectural drawings text should be read from the bottom and left sides (with the bound
side away from you). So the industry standard matches that thought with north also being up
or to the left.
• On civil drawings the baseline stationing should generally be south to north and west to east.
(For some crazy reason a lot of engineers and CAD techs aren't taught this in their drafting
courses). The stations should always go from left to right on the sheet. Q.E.D. If your
stations are going south to north then north is to the right.
Tips and Tricks

There is system variable called MTJIGSTRING – use this to set the default text (up to 10 characters)
for Mtext. There are no timesavings here, but it’s cool. Not that I would ever condone this behavior, but
there is great practical joke potential here. See the figure below for an example.
One of my favorites is to hold down the SHIFT key and click the right mouse button. This will bring up
the Object Snap menu on the screen. Some of you will remember that was middle button function in
old releases of AutoCAD.
When drawing an object, pressing the TAB key will scroll through the current object snaps. This is
handy when AutoCAD insists on snapping to the wrong object.
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A nice function first introduced in AutoCAD 2004 in
the time sensitive right click. A quick click is the
same as pressing ENTER. A longer click displays a
shortcut menu. You can set the duration of the
longer click in milliseconds with the Options
command.
In order to repeatedly use a command in AutoCAD

you often have to re-enter it on the command line or press the [Spacebar]. However, there's a faster
way. For times when you know you'll be repeating the same command multiple times, you can use the
MULTIPLE command to do so quickly. For example, if you want to move multiple objects in succession,
enter multiple on the command line. Then at the "Enter command name to repeat:" prompt, enter Move.
After you select and move your first object, the Move command automatically appears again at the
command prompt.
When you edit with grips, you can use the Copy option
to copy as you edit. If you want to create a leader
which points to more than one object, first create the
leader pointing to one object. Then select the leader
arrow. Click the grip at the arrow end to make it "hot."
Choose the Copy option at the Specify stretch point or
[Base point/Copy/Undo/exit]: prompt. Specify as many
new end points as you want. Each new leader will be
attached to the original Mtext at the end of the first
leader. Use the eXit option to end the command.
Conclusion of Segment 2
I hope you found some useful information in this segment. In the next Segment we’ll cover some
AutoCAD customizations the will help speed you up and some more Tips and Tricks.
Remember: this material is only a portion of the class, support is always available online in the private
course forum. I encourage you to visit the forum and ask any questions you may have about this
segment, or simply join in the discussions. The ATP Mantra is: the only stupid question is the one you
don’t ask! Thanks again for attending this course, and we’ll see you online!
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ATP218
For Beginners
Segment 3
Date: May 19, 2008

Level: Beginning
Web: www.AUGI.com
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Customizing AutoCAD
The fewer keystrokes you have to make the better. Every second you save will add up during
the course of a day. Now even mentioning customization of AutoCAD sends shivers down people’s
spines, but I can show you some safe and easy ways to make changes to your AutoCAD that will
speed you up without going to extensive training.
Customizing can come in many different forms from script files, macros, custom menus, Lisp
and VBA routines just to name a few. I’m going to focus on some of the easier and most effective
methods for you get your system fine tuned to your needs.
Command Alias
Keyboard shortcuts are easy and effective. Since AutoCAD started using icons instead of simply
using menus there’s always been a debate over which is more efficient the icon or typing in a command.
While Icons are certainly efficient there is much to be said for typing in a command, here’s why.
Commands can have a shortcut or alias. These alias keys can be two or even (although I don’t suggest
it) one button. The best part is they’re easy to create.
In order to create custom short cuts you have to edit the Acad.pgp file. You do this by going to
the Tools pull down and selecting Customize then Edit Custom Files and Program Parameters. As
shown in the image below. This will bring up Acad.pgp file in the text editor.
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From here you can see the Command Aliases that are already in place. The example I am
using below is for the command Explode. Rather than type in the entire command you will only need to
type EP and it will execute the explode command (just don’t use it to explode a dimension or a hatch).
Important note: It’s always better to err on the side of caution so don’t change an Alias that already
exists. AutoCAD reads the PGP file in order, the last of to identical aliases being the one that is used.
So, for example, if you want EX to mean Explode instead of Extend simply place the text after the EX
that is already there for Extend. AutoCAD will read your alias last and use it.
Script Files
Script files are a simple way to automate common commands that you use frequently. There
are also very effective at reducing repetitive tasks and setting system variables. There’s no tricky
programming language to learn either, just a few simply rules to remember.
A script file is simply typed out commands with a space in between letters acting as the enter
key. There are two ways to create a script file. In typical AutoCAD form, there is more than one way to
do this. You can simply open the text editor, like Notepad, and type in the command leaving a space
where each Enter would be. If you are using multiple steps it may be easier to use the second method.
The second method consists of an extra few steps but saves a lot of time with trial and error. If
you have multiple repetitive tasks do them to one of the drawings. The example I’m using is to turn on
the USC icon and set it to No origin (so it’s always in the bottom left hand corner of your screen).
First open one of the drawings and do the tasks, once you have completed them open the
AutoCAD text window, use the F2 button. Copy and Paste the command text from the Text window into
your external text editor, Notepad in this case. Remove the extraneous text, save the text file as a .scr
file and you’re ready to go. All you have to do is drag and drop the file from you explorer into the
drawing area in AutoCAD and the script file will execute.
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Important note: Don’t use Microsoft Word, it may add additional formatting information that will confuse
AutoCAD, use a simple text only Editor like Notepad. Also, every space is viewed as an “Enter”, make
sure you don’t leave any spaces after the last command or it will try to run your last command again.
Fig. 01
This is a screen shot of the AutoCAD text window.
This is what you will copy to the Text Editor.
Fig. 02
This is a screen shot of the text Editor. Note that I have removed all extraneous text and saved the file
as an .scr file.
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Keyboard Short-cuts
The following table lists the default actions for shortcut keys. They are very handy, but I honestly
don’t think I know anybody that uses or even knows all of them. Find the ones you’ll use often and jot
them down in your notebook (you’re using the notebook right?).
Shortcut key Shortcut Shortcut key Shortcut

CTRL+0 Toggles Clean Screen CTRL+P Prints current drawing
CTRL+1 Toggles Properties palette CTRL+R Cycles layout viewports
CTRL+2 Toggles DesignCenter CTRL+S Saves current drawing
CTRL+3 Toggles the Tool palettes window CTRL+T Toggles Tablet mode
CTRL+4 Toggles Sheet Set Manager CTRL+V Pastes data from Clipboard
CTRL+5 Toggles Info Palette CTRL+X Cuts objects to Clipboard
CTRL+6 Toggles dbConnect Manager CTRL+Y Cancels the preceding Undo action
CTRL+7 Toggles Markup Set Manager CTRL+Z Reverses last action
CTRL+8 Toggles the QuickCalc calculator CTRL+[ Cancels current command
CTRL+9 Toggles the command window CTRL+\ Cancels current command
CTRL+A Selects objects in drawing F1 Displays Help
CTRL+B Toggles Snap F2 Toggles text window on/off
CTRL+C Copies objects to Clipboard F3 Toggles OSNAP
CTRL+D Toggles coordinate display F4 Toggles TABMODE
CTRL+E Cycles through isometric planes F5 Toggles ISOPLANE
CTRL+F Toggles running object snaps F6 Toggles COORDS
CTRL+G Toggles Grid F7 Toggles GRIDMODE
CTRL+H Toggles PICKSTYLE F8 Toggles ORTHOMODE
CTRL+J Repeats last command F9 Toggles SNAPMODE
CTRL+L Toggles Ortho mode F10 Toggles Polar Tracking
CTRL+M Repeats last command F11 Toggles Object Snap Tracking
CTRL+N Creates a new drawing F12 Toggles Dynamic Input
CTRL+O Opens existing drawing
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AutoCAD Do’s and Don’ts
This is always a hot topic amongst CAD managers and most experienced users. These can’t always be
followed but that is only in very rare circumstances. Feel free to print this out and frame it for your office.
AutoCAD Don’ts
• Never explode a dimension. When you think it’s necessary to explode one, don’t.
• Never explode a hatch.
• Do not place the Titleblock or border in Model Space.
• Do not scale the Titleblock or border, larger or smaller, than 1:1
• Do not scale or rotate reference files. The only exception to this is when you are dealing with a
consultant who uses a different scale of units or a different origin. For example, Architectural
units and Civil units are different by a factor of 12.
• Do not “plot to fit” when plotting a drawing. Force the drawing to an accurate scale. Plot 1:1 or
2:1. Contractors and clients will most likely take scale measurements off your drawing. If the
scale is off even a small amount it could be very costly, or dangerous.
• Do not draw on layer “0”. If you do, move it to the appropriate layer after it’s complete.
• Do not draw on the “defpoints” layer. This layer is for AutoCAD to use for dimension information.
AutoCAD Do’s
• Always check over a drawing before you plot it.

• Always save a drawing before you print. Most often a drawing crashes right around the time you
finish it and go to plot it out.
• Whenever possible, use a reference when you have the same information that is shown in more
than one drawing.
• Limit the number of reference files you create. Don't use a reference file when a layer will do!
• Zoom Extents before closing a drawing.
• Set "AutoSave" to 10 minutes, 15 minutes max.
• Change the default temporary save location to something like C:\TEMP or you could even
create a C:\AutoSave folder so you can find the files easier. The default location is buried in
your windows user configuration folders.
• When drawing dimensions, avoid dog legs (more than three lines in a leader), crossovers, and
draw the leaders at a consistent angle whenever possible.
• Make sure the leader actually touches the object it is calling out. Use your object snaps.
• Lock your Model space viewports.
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More Tips and Tricks
AutoCAD supports multiple justification points (also known as attachment points). Some methods of
changing a text object's justification point move the insertion point to preserve the text position, while
other methods do not (causing the text to move). The JUSTIFYTEXT command changes text
justification without moving the text position. Both the justification point and insertion point are relocated.
If you have AutoCAD 2004 or 2005 you are now able to attach or overlay multiple drawing files
within the same folder at once (using SHIFT or CTRL keys, or CTRL-A to select all). No longer do you
have attach one file, click attach again, find the next file, attach, enter, enter, enter, etc.
There's no excuse to keep using individual lines of text for your notes anymore. The improved
AutoCAD Multiline Text Editor enables you to create well formatted notes within a single text object.
It now has ability to use tabs and indents. You can also drag the right edge of the ruler to change the
width of the text.
The Multiline Text Editor bar has an OK button for closing the editor, but an easier way is to click
anywhere outside the editor (but within the drawing area).
When using the Trim command, you have the option to trim many entities at one time. Once you have
selected the cutting edge, type "FENCE" at the "select edges to trim". This will allow you to draw a line
or "fence" across all the lines you want to trim. Once drawn, hit the enter key and all the lines will trim.
Also, while in the Trim or Extend command, you can do the opposite function. If you hold the "shift" key
you can extend a line to the cutting edge in the Trim command. Likewise in the Extend command you
can hold the shift key and trim a line at the boundary edge.
In Conclusion
I hope you found some useful information in this segment. If you want more tips and tricks go to the
AUGI Tips and Tricks forum, there are a lot of great minds coming up with wonderful short cuts in there.
Remember that this material is only a portion of the class, support is always available online in the
private course forum. I encourage you to visit the course forum and ask any questions that you may
have about this segment or simply join in the discussion. The ATP Mantra is: the only stupid question is
the one you don’t ask. Thanks again for attending this course!
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Autocad 101 Survival Course Beginners

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Autocad 101 Survival Course Beginners

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ATP218

AutoCAD 101 – A Survival Course

Date: May 5, 2008

Instructor: Kenneth C. Leary

Always know where your towel is

So you thought you were done with school

Good Sources for Learning

Good Drafting Practices

Date: May 12, 2008

Instructor: Kenneth C. Leary

Output is the final judge

Page Setups – Plotting made easy

Once you complete the Page Setups select OK and

This will change the Layout tab settings to match the

One of the best things about the Page Setup

To access the Dimension

When creating a dimension

Tips and Tricks

In order to repeatedly use a command in AutoCAD

Date: May 19, 2008

Instructor: Kenneth C. Leary

Shortcut key Shortcut Shortcut key Shortcut

• Always check over a drawing before you plot it.

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