Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DraftSight Basics
Unit 1
DraftSight Basics
UNIT 1-1
UNIT 1-2
INTRODUCING COMMANDS
UNIT 1-3
UNIT 1-4
UNIT 1-5
UNIT 1-6
ENTITY SNAPPING
2
DraftSight.com
Unit 1-1
Introducing DraftSight
1-1.1
LAUNCHING DRAFTSIGHT
1-1.2
1-1.3
1-1.4
1-1.5
CANCELING A COMMAND
1-1.6
1-1.7
USING T OOLBARS
1-1.8
1-1.9
COMMAND ALIASES
1-1.10
1-1.11
1-1.12
GETTING HELP
<Top>
3
DraftSight.com
<Unit 1-1>
<Unit 1-1>
4
DraftSight.com
Main Menu: Pull-down menus of thematically related commands are arranged in the Main Menu.
Toolbars: You can drag and drop toolbars to convenient locations in the application window. You
can also dock them below the Main Menu or at the left and right margins of the application desktop.
To display or hide toolbars:
1. Right-click the menu bar or a docked toolbar to display the shortcut menu.
2. Select Toolbars... and activate or deactivate toolbars in the Specify Toolbars dialog box.
Options Toolbar: The Options toolbar displays context sensitive options you can select when
executing a command. It displays only those options that are available at the current prompt.
For example, if you enter the Zoom command, the Options toolbar shows Bounds, Center,
Dynamic, Fit and Previous.
To display the Options toolbar:
1. Right-click the menu bar or a docked toolbar to display the shortcut menu.
2. Select Options Toolbar and activate or deactivate the Options Toolbar.
5
DraftSight.com
Enter: Confirms default options of the current command or ends entity selection
Cancel: Cancel command execution
ESnap Overrides: Lets you select entity snap options and coordinate input methods
Pan and Zoom
Undo
Graphics Area: The graphics area is the part of the application where you create and modify
drawing entities. You can open multiple drawings simultaneously in the graphics area. Each
drawing and view is in its own window. The individual windows can be tiled, cascaded, or enlarged
to fill the graphics area.
When the pointer is inside the drawing area, it appears as crosshairs.
If more than one window is open, only one is the active window.
To make a window active:
Click in any part of the window or click Window and click the file you want to activate.
Palettes: Palettes are areas on the left or right side of the drawing window that manage drawing
entities.
The palettes include the:
Properties Palette. Allows you to view and change drawing entity properties.
References Palette. Lists and manages drawings and images that are referenced in your
drawing.
Lighting Palette. Lists and controls the lights inserted into the drawing to create realistic
renderings.
You can make a floating palette by clicking and holding the left mouse button (or double-clicking)
on the palette caption and dragging it to a new position.
To dock a floating palette, either double-click the caption or drag it to the left or right margin of the
drawing area, and release the mouse button.
To save space in the drawing area, you can also overlap palettes in one location (at the left or right
margin). Activate the palette you need by clicking the tab at the bottom of the palette area.
You can view a transcript of the commands entered on the command window so you can read or
reconstruct your working steps, including all keyboard inputs.
Press F2 to display the command history in a separate window. Click F2 again to close it.
Status Bar: The status bar is located at the bottom of the application window.
It is divided into three areas: tooltips, drafting settings, and coordinate display.
The left side of the status bar displays tooltips. If you move the pointer over toolbar icons or
menu items, a description of the command or function displays in the tooltips area.
The middle of the status bar contains buttons to turn on and off drafting options. These are:
Snap, Grid, Ortho, Polar (Polar Guides), ESnap (EntitySnaps), ETrack (EntityTracking).
The right side of the status bar shows the X-, Y-, and Z-coordinates of the pointer.
Model and Sheets Tabs: The desktop contains tabs on the bottom left labeled Model and Sheet1.
These display the drawing as a model or as a drawing sheet.
The model is where you draw and construct. A drawing can have only one Model tab.
Sheets are ready-to-print pages that contain entities such as frames and title blocks, overviews and
details, and views of the model.
You can work with multiple sheets using the Sheet command to add, copy, delete, name, or rename
sheets. To access these options you can also right-click to Sheet tab.
7
DraftSight.com
Coordinate Symbol: The coordinate symbol is a visual reference to the drawing. It is located in the
lower left corner of the graphics area. This symbol indicates the position of the axes of the
coordinate system and provides orientation of the alignment of the current coordinate system.
You can turn the coordinate symbol on or off with the CsIcon command.
Scroll Bars: Scroll bars are in the right and bottom margins of the drawing window and can be
used to pan the view of the drawing.
Instead of using the scroll bars, you can use pan commands.
To turn on and off the scroll bars:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
<Top>
<Unit 1-1>
8
DraftSight.com
Within this program, the cursor color may be set for the X, Y and Z axis.
<Top>
<Unit 1-1>
9
DraftSight.com
<Unit 1-1>
<Top>
Commands that have a black arrow indicate a fly-out menu that allows more options.
<Unit 1-1>
10
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-1>
11
DraftSight.com
You can view a transcript of the command entered on the command window, so that you can view
or reconstruct your working steps, including all keyboard inputs.
Press F2 to display the command history in a separate window. Click F2 again to close it.
Status Bar: The status bar is located at the bottom of the visible desktop.
It is divided into three areas: tooltips, drafting tool toggles, and current coordinates display.
Tool tip display. The left hand side of the status bar displays tooltips. If you move the
cursor over toolbar icons, a brief description of the corresponding command or function
displays in the tooltips area. Descriptions of commands selected from any of the pull-down
menu items also display in this area.
Drafting tools. The middle of the status bar contains the buttons that let you turn on and off
drafting tool settings. These are: Snap, Grid, Ortho, Polar (Polar Guides), ESnap
(EntitySnap), ETrack (EntityTracking).
Current coordinate display. The information field at the right of the buttons shows the
X-, Y-, and Z-coordinates of the current crosshair (cursor) position.
Drafting Tools
Current
coordinate display
<Unit 1-1>
12
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-1>
13
DraftSight.com
14
DraftSight.com
Options:
Selected Entities:
Unselected Entities:
<Top>
15
DraftSight.com
Redo: The REDO command reverses the last undo. To access the REDO command, type REDO
at the command prompt or select the REDO Icon.
<Top>
<Unit 1-1>
16
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-1>
17
DraftSight.com
Unit 1-2
Introducing Commands
1-2.1
1-2.2
1-2.3
1-2.4
1-2.5
1-2.6
SAVING DRAWINGS
1-2.7
1-2.8
EXITING DRAFTSIGHT
<Top>
18
DraftSight.com
If you try to save a read-only file with changes, an error message prompts you to save the file under
another name.
<Top>
<Unit 1-2>
Templates are useful for drawing elements such as logos, title blocks, frames, boundaries, rulers,
guidelines, and views.
Every drawing requires specific settings for units, snap and grid, and drawing bounds. In templates,
you determine these settings according to specific requirements.
Use templates to set up dimensioning styles and load line styles and text styles that you frequently
use.
Set local settings that are loaded with the template to standardize drafting and editing defaults.
Create layers in the template to group drawing entities and assign them colors, line styles, and line
weights.
Creating templates with these elements and parameters ensures that new drawings follow the standards of
your company, organization, or industry.
To set up your drawing environment you can apply unit, drawing bounds, grid, and snap settings. These
settings can be stored in your template drawings.
To save the template:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Click File>Save As
Complete the File name field
Select Drawing Template (.dwt) from the Save as type drop-down menu.
Click Save.
<Top>
<Unit 1-2>
19
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-2>
20
DraftSight.com
<Unit 1-2>
Drawing Bounds: Displays the grid beyond the area determined by the drawing bounds.
Specify the Yes option to display the grid beyond the drawing bounds.
Match Snap: Sets the grid interval to the current snap interval.
Off: Turns the grid off.
On: Turns the grid on using the current grid spacing.
Spacing: Lets you set the horizontal and vertical spacing.
21
DraftSight.com
Snap
Snap creates a set of invisible magnetic points that force the pointer to move in even increments. Snap
constrains the points you can choose with the pointer to the snap grid you define.
The snap grid is an invisible grid in the drawing area. With snap activated, the pointer selects only points
positioned directly on the snap grid. When you point to the drawing, start points, endpoints, center points,
and other specific points lie exactly on points of the snap grid.
Use the Snap command to determine the distance between snap points. The snap grid follows the axes of
the current coordinate system.
You can also use an isometric style of snap. Use isometric snap to create two-dimensional isometric
drawings representing three-dimensional entities.
To set snap:
1. Type Snap at the command prompt.
2. To specify snap spacing, type a positive number or select two points that reflect the snap spacing.
Typically, the snap grid coincides with the grid display defined by the Grid command. Another
method is to set the snap grid to a partial fraction of the grid display.
3. To turn snap on or off, specify the On or Off options.
4. Set the X and Y spacing of the snap grid by specifying the Spacing option and specifying values for
horizontal and vertical spacing.
5. Specify the Grid style option and specify:
Isometric: Sets up an isometric snap grid aligned along lines 30, 90, and 150 degrees from
the horizontal axis. Specify vertical spacing for an isometric snap grid when prompted.
Unlike rectangular snap, isometric snap cannot have different Spacing values. Use the
IsometricGrid command to determine the active isometric plane to draw on (left, top, or
right).
Rectangular: Sets up an orthogonal snap grid aligned parallel to the X- and Y-axes of the
current coordinate system.
2. Specify the Orientation option to set the type of snap and specify:
Grid: Toggles to standard snap.
Radial: The radial snap grid aligns along polar angle increments. Specify the radial snap
spacing.
<Top>
<Unit 1-2>
22
DraftSight.com
The drawing is saved under the name, drawing format, and location specified when it was opened.
If the drawing is unnamed, the Save As dialog box opens so that you can set the name, folder, and
file type. By default, the drawing is named NONAME_n.dwg.
2. Complete the File name field and ensure that the Save in field is the folder in which to save the
drawing.
<Top>
<Unit 1-2>
<Unit 1-2>
Select File >Exit (or type Exit at the command prompt, or press Alt + F4 or Ctrl + Q).
If the drawing is unnamed, the Save As dialog box opens so that you can set the name, folder, and
file type.
After saving the open drawings, the current working session ends.
<Top>
<Unit 1-2>
23
DraftSight.com
Unit 1-3
1-3.1
1-3.2
1-3.3
1-3.4
1-3.5
1-3.6
1-3.7
1-3.8
CREATING CIRCLES
1-3.9
<Top>
24
DraftSight.com
Note: Each segment in a series of connected lines is a separate entity. You can also use the Line
command to append lines to existing lines or arcs.
To undo a line segment:
To create a segment from the last point to the first point (minimum of 3 points must be specified):
Type Close.
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
25
DraftSight.com
<Unit 1-3>
26
DraftSight.com
Using absolute coordinates a line from (-4,-4) to (8,4) will produce the following result:
Coordinates Exercise
Absolute
27
DraftSight.com
Exercise:
Using the Absolute Coordinate method, construct the shape show above.
Note: Units are in INCHES
Solution:
:Line <enter>
Specify start point>>2,0
Specify next point>>3,0
Specify next point>>3,1
Specify next point>>5,1
Specify next point>>5,0
Specify next point>>6,0
Specify next point>>8,2
Specify next point>>8,3
Specify next point>>6,5
Specify next point>>5,5
Specify next point>>5,4
Specify next point>>3,4
Specify next point>>3,5
Specify next point>>2,5
Specify next point>>0,3
Specify next point>>0,2
Specify next point>>C
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
In DRAFTSIGHT, it is also possible to enter relative coordinates. This is used to specify a location
that is relative to the current position. In this case the character @ is used in the text string. An
example: @-6,4 this would mean that the specified point is -6 units in the X-axis, and 4 units in the
Y-axis from the last point specified.
Coordinates Exercise
Relative
28
DraftSight.com
Exercise:
Using the Relative Coordinate method, construct the shape show above.
Note: Units are in INCHES
Solution:
:Line <Enter>
Specify start point>>2,0
Specify next point>>@1,0
Specify next point>>@0,1
Specify next point>>@2,0
Specify next point>>@0,-1
Specify next point>>@1,0
Specify next point>>@2,2
Specify next point>>@0,1
Specify next point>>@-2,2
Specify next point>>@-1,0
Specify next point>>@0,-1
Specify next point>>@-2,0
Specify next point>>@0,1
Specify next point>>@-1,0
Specify next point>>@-2,-2
Specify next point>>@0,-1
Specify next point>>C
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
29
DraftSight.com
Note: The angle is absolute. Refer to the following chart to determine the absolute angles for line
segments that are to be drawn at a 45 degree angle.
Tip: Use negative angles when appropriate (e.g. -90)
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
30
DraftSight.com
Coordinates Exercise
Polar
Exercise:
Using the of Polar Coordinate method, construct the shape shown above.
Note: Units are in INCHES
Solution:
:Line <Enter>
Specify start point>>2,0
Specify next point>>@1<0
Specify next point>>@1<90
Specify next point>>@2<0
Specify next point>>@1<-90
Specify next point>>@1<0
Specify next point>>@2.83<45
Specify next point>>@1<90
Specify next point>>@2.83<135
Specify next point>>@1<180
Specify next point>>@1<-90
Specify next point>>@2<180
Specify next point>>@1<90
Specify next point>>@1<180
Specify next point>>@2.83<225
Specify next point>>@1<-90
Specify next point>>C
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
31
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
32
DraftSight.com
Exercise:
Using the Distance and Direction method, construct the shape shown above.
Note: Units are in INCHES
Solution:
Turn Ortho on.
:Line <Enter>
Specify start point>>specify screen position Click
Specify next point>>move cursor to the right and type 2
Specify next point>> move cursor up and type 1
Specify next point>> move cursor to the right and type 4
Specify next point>> move cursor down and type 1
Specify next point>> move cursor to the right and type 2
Specify next point>> move cursor up and type 5
Specify next point>> move cursor to the left and type 2
Specify next point>> move cursor down and type 1
Specify next point>> move cursor to the left and type 4
Specify next point>> move cursor up and type 1
Specify next point>> move cursor to the left and type 2
Specify next point>>C
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
33
DraftSight.com
Exercise:
Create the shape above. Be sure that the Endpoint and Midpoint ESnap options are set.
Turn Ortho off
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
34
DraftSight.com
Type Circle or C.
Type D at the command prompt
Click the graphics area to define the center point of the circle.
Type the value of the diameter at the command prompt.
35
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
36
DraftSight.com
Tip: This option is useful when inscribing the circle within a regular polygon.
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
37
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-3>
38
DraftSight.com
Unit 1-4
1-4.1
DELETING OBJECTS
1-4.2
1-4.3
1-4.4
<Top>
39
DraftSight.com
<Unit 1-4>
5. To remove previously selected entities from the selection set, press and hold the Shift key.
6. Once you have marked all desired entities, finish the selection by pressing Enter.
The current command resumes.
<Top>
<Unit 1-4>
41
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-4>
42
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-4>
43
DraftSight.com
Unit 1-5
1-5.1
USING ZOOM
1-5.2
LEARNING TO PAN
1-5.3
USING REBUILD
<Top>
44
DraftSight.com
With Dynamic Zoom, you can zoom in and out of the current drawing window at real time.
To use Dynamic Zoom:
1. Right-click and select Zoom, click Zoom Dynamic
(Zoom toolbar),
Center: Lets you specify a center point for the new view and a magnification value or
height
Zoom Center lets you specify a center point for the new view and a magnification value or height.
To use Zoom Center:
1. Click View > Zoom > Center.
2. Click or type a:
a. center point.
b. magnification or height. A smaller value increases the magnification. A larger value
decreases the magnification.
Tip: Press Enter to use the default values to re-center the drawing without changing the display
scale.
45
DraftSight.com
Zoom Factor lets you zoom the display by a scale factor. This is helpful when working with sheets
or when plotting or printing the drawing.
To use Zoom Factor:
1. Select View > Zoom > Factor (or type ZoomFactor).
2. Type a number to specify the scale factor. If you type a number:
a. Without an x or xp extension, the zoom is relative to the drawing extents. A scale
factor of:
1 shows the entire drawing.
2, shows entities twice as large.
0.5., shows entities half as large.
b. Followed by x, the scale is relative to the current view.
c. Followed by xp, the scale is relative to the sheet's units. For instance, a value of .5xp
displays the model area at half the scale of the sheet units. Use this to specify the
magnification for each view on the sheet.
3. Press Enter.
Zoom Previous allows you to undo the last zoom operation. You can restore up to ten previous
displays.
To zoom to a previous display:
Select View > Zoom > Previous (or type ZoomBack, or Zoom Previous).
Zoom Selected calculates the boundary of the area that contains the specified entities and zooms in
or out so the entities are visible on screen.
To zoom to the extents of selected entities:
1. Select View > Zoom > Selected.
2. Select entities to zoom into.
3. Press Enter.
Zoom Window lets you show a selected part of a drawing in the largest possible scale.
To use Zoom Window:
1. Select View > Zoom > Window (or type ZoomWindow).
2. Click in the drawing area to set the upper left corner of the window.
3. Click in the drawing area to set the lower right corner of the window.
The center of the window becomes the center of the display and the area inside the specified
window enlarges to fit the display.
Zoom Bounds displays the entire drawing even if only a portion of the drawing has entities.
46
DraftSight.com
Zoom Bounds zooms to the current bounds of the drawing if no entities extend beyond these
bounds. If entities extend beyond the defined bounds, they are included in the calculation of the
boundaries in which to zoom.
Using Zoom Bounds in a 3D view is the same as using Zoom Fit.
To use Zoom Bounds:
Note: Zoom Bounds cannot be used transparently because it always rebuilds the drawing.
Zoom Fit displays the drawing with all its elements as large as possible on the screen.
Unlike Zoom Bounds, Zoom Fit ignores drawing bounds.
Zoom Fit includes entities on layers that are turned off but does not include those on frozen layers.
Points from deleted or modified elements that are still saved in the drawing can influence the
results. These points are deleted when a drawing rebuilds. Therefore, before using Zoom Fit, you
should execute the Rebuild command.
To use Zoom Fit:
1. Click View > Rebuild (or type Rebuild).
2. Click View > Zoom > Fit (or type ZoomFit).
<Top>
<Unit 1-5>
47
DraftSight.com
<Unit 1-5>
Re-computes and re-indexes the drawing to optimize performance for displaying and
selecting drawing entities.
Recalculates the screen coordinates for all entities in the current view.
Refreshes the current view.
Using Rebuildall
The RebuildAll command rebuilds the current drawing and refreshes all tiled views.
1. Click View > Rebuild Allall (or type Rebuild).
Rebuilding a drawing:
Re-computes and re-indexes the drawing to optimize performance for displaying and
selecting drawing entities.
Recalculates the screen coordinates for all entities in all tiled views.
Refreshes all tiled views.
48
DraftSight.com
Unit 1-6
Entity Snapping
1-6.1
1-6.2
1-6.3
ESNAP SETTINGS
<Top>
49
DraftSight.com
The illustration below shows the connection between the point selected and the point snapped:
50
DraftSight.com
<Unit 1-6>
51
DraftSight.com
<Unit 1-6>
52
DraftSight.com
Geometric Esnaps
NEArest
Selects the nearest point of an entity
END
Selects the end of a line closest to the cursor.
MIDpoint
Selects the midpoint of an entity.
CENter
Selects the center of an arc. Cursor must be on the arc to locate the center.
QUAdrant
Selects a position on an arc at 0, 90, 180 or 270 degrees
53
DraftSight.com
NODe
Snaps to a point object, dimension definition point or dimension text
INSert
Selects the insertion point of an attribute, block, shape or text.
Reference Esnaps
EXTension
Snaps to the phantom extension or an arc or line.
INTersection
Selects the intersection of two entities
PARallel
Snaps a line that is parallel to a specified line.
PERpendicular
Snaps to a point that is perpendicular to an object
TANgent
Snaps a point that is tangent to an object
54
DraftSight.com
<Top>
<Unit 1-6>
55
DraftSight.com
DraftSight.com
DraftSight.com
56