AutoCAD 2023 : Beginners And Intermediate user Guide

Enhanced Counting Capability

Users are often required to count the number of things included inside a graphic, even though doing so might be quite laborious. As a solution to this problem, the update from the previous year included a brand-new tool called "Count," which gave users the ability to count the number of instances of a certain item or the number of copies of all the blocks in the design.

This function in AutoCAD 2023 has been modified to make it possible to count items or blocks that are located inside a certain region. Users are allowed to designate the full model space, a rectangle or polygonal selection region, or pick a boundary object as a count area by clicking a new button in the COUNT palette. These options were not previously available. In addition, the count area that was established during the prior count session may be used in the current count as well.

improved coordination and cooperation

Tools that allow users of Autodesk products to interact with one another were added in AutoCAD 2022. To reiterate, AutoCAD 2023 improves upon these functionalities. For instance, the brand-new Trace function that was introduced in AutoCAD 2022 made it possible to make modifications to a design using the AutoCAD online or mobile app without having those modifications affect the original drawing. After saving a drawing to the web or a mobile device, a colleague could then access the drawing and use the new Trace tool to annotate it with objects like lines and arcs as well as annotation objects like text and revision clouds. This would allow the colleague to make changes to the design.

After the user has finished making modifications and has saved them, they may utilize AutoCAD 2022 to reopen the design from the web or their mobile device, and then use the new TRACES palette to see a list of the traces. When a user chooses a trace in this palette, they will be presented with a picture of the trace that can only be seen in view-only mode. They were able to move the trace to the front or rear of the design and then use regular AutoCAD commands to make changes to the drawing, but they were unable to adjust the trace itself.

Users of AutoCAD 2023, on the other hand, now can produce traces not only in the online and mobile applications for AutoCAD but also in the desktop version of AutoCAD. They are also able to add to traces that were generated by other people and utilize the options on the Trace toolbar to conceal or reveal the contributions made by each contributor to the trace.

In addition, brand new tools have been added to the TRACES palette. These tools make use of machine learning to recognize markups, integrate them into a trace, and then insert drawing updates. For instance, if a scan or picture of a design that includes hand-drawn or computer-drafted markups has been saved as a PDF, PNG, or JPG file, the Markup Import option may assist in the process of overlaying those markups in a new trace. This can be accomplished in several different ways. Markup Assist will then recognize such markups as multiline text, multileader, and revision clouds, and it will insert them into the design as real geometry after it has done so.

macro improvements

Command macros are sequences of commands and system variables that users may use to automate actions that they execute often. These macros have been accessible for several years. In AutoCAD 2023, there is a new function called the Macro Advisor that, much like the new My Insights feature, makes suggestions for command macros depending on how often commands are used. For instance, if a user routinely rotates an item after it has been duplicated, the Macro Advisor may recommend a macro that combines copying and rotating an object into a single command. This would be useful for the user in the preceding scenario.

It is possible to save command macros for later use by adding them to the Saved tab of the COMMAND MACROS palette. Right-clicking a command macro on that tab will bring up several alternatives for the user to choose from. These options include adding the command macro to the ribbon, starting the Command Macro Editor, renaming the command macro, and removing the command macro. After adding a macro to the ribbon, users have the option to additionally add it to the Quick Access Toolbar (commonly known as the "Quick Bar"). In addition, command macros may be altered or modified to be used for a particular purpose.

Further Improvements

Users of AutoCAD can easily navigate between active drawings as well as show each drawing in its window thanks to the fact that each open drawing appears in AutoCAD with its file tab. Up until December of last year, such windows continued to be contained inside the primary program window for AutoCAD. This was remedied with the release of AutoCAD 2022, which included the capability to drag a drawing away from the AutoCAD application window and float it wherever on the screen. The command prompt, however, remained visible inside the program window.

An anchored command line window will now remain with the active floating drawing window in AutoCAD 2023. Additionally, users will no longer be required to drag the window back onto the file tabs; instead, they will be able to right-click the title bar of a floating drawing window and select the Move to File Tab option. This will allow the floating drawing window to be returned to the main application window in a much more expedient manner. You also have the option of pinning a floating drawing window to the screen, which will keep it in front of the primary program window.

In addition, the appearance of the drawing and layout tabs has been altered so that it is now much simpler to determine which tab is now active. In addition, a check mark that denotes the currently active drawing can now be found in the drawing tab overflow menu.

The technical preview of the new 3D graphics system that was included in the most recent version is now completely integrated into AutoCAD 2023. This integration was previously just a preview. This brand-new graphics system makes use of the capability offered by contemporary graphics processing units and multi-core central processing units to make the process of navigating bigger designs more seamless. This brand-new graphics system is turned off by default, but it may be activated whenever the user so chooses. When it is on, it functions properly in viewports whose visual style is either Shaded or Shaded with Edges.

The newly released version comes with a few general drafting improvements that have been made. The new Extend Vertex grip option, for instance, enables users to provide polyline objects with an additional vertex that extends from the specified end grip of the polyline. An option to choose an existing mtext object to use as the new leader has been added to the MLEADER command. 

In addition, there is a new CUTBASE command that removes chosen objects from the drawing and copies them to the clipboard together with a base point that you specify. After that, engineers may copy the items and paste them into a new position using the base point that they defined.

Since the 2023 edition continues to utilize the same drawing file format as AutoCAD 2018, DWG files are completely interoperable with both versions of the software. On the Autodesk website, engineers may obtain a free trial version of any of the AutoCAD 2023 products for thirty days. The price of the program has once again increased by a little amount; however, Autodesk now provides infrequent users with a Flex option via which they may acquire use tokens for $300 for a hundred tokens and then use those tokens to pay for the software on an as-needed basis (seven tokens per day for AutoCAD).

Once again, despite the shortness of the list of newly added features, it is expected that all users, regardless of the content they produce, would benefit from them. There is no reason not to update, especially considering that AutoCAD can only be obtained via a subscription.

Downloading AutoCAD 2023

You shouldn't have too much trouble downloading this program; nevertheless, you should be aware that there are other methods to do this task. 

These are the ones:

● Download the software from your Autodesk account.

● Downloading and installing the program with the help of the Autodesk desktop application (only available for Windows)

● Downloading Autodesk files via the Autodesk Virtual Agent (AVA)

You shouldn't have any problem obtaining the program if you use any of these rather straightforward approaches.

Using Your Autodesk Account

To take advantage of this approach, you will first need to register for an account on the Autodesk website. Fill out the form with your first and last name, email address, and password. This portion of the process is the same as establishing your account anyplace else. You may skip this step and go straight to signing in if you already have an account with Autodesk.

After you have successfully logged in, go to the Products option located on the main menu of Autodesk. 

Click on Educational Access on the right-hand side of the menu. Then, scroll down and select the "Access to Autodesk Software" option

You will notice a list of Autodesk products there, including Revit, Maya, 3ds Max, Civil 3D, and AutoCAD, of course. 

Click on "Get Started" on the AutoCAD option.

You will be asked to sign in again to confirm. Then, you will get a pop-up image showing that you have been confirmed. Then, click on Get Autodesk Software.

On the next window that displays, click on Get Product.

Click on the "2023" version. Then, select a language.

Click on the small arrow next to the install button and select "Download".

Then, your download process will begin.

Note: While downloading, click on the download location and you may notice that one of two products is downloading instead of two, just as you can see in the image below;

The image indicates that one of two products is downloading. So, all you have to do is to click on the pop-up blocker icon on the right side of the address bar. Then, click on "Allow Pop-up" and select "Done".

Then, the two products will begin to download.

WINDOWS AUTOCAD INSTALLATION

After downloading, move to your Download Folder to see the files. You can decide to move the files to your desktop so you can easily access them there or create a new folder for them.

The next thing to do is to double-click on any of the files. An "Extract to" menu will pop up. Click Ok. The extraction process will begin. 

After the extraction, you have to wait for a few seconds. It will start automatically. You will see the "Autodesk Install box with Preparing for Installation" written on it.

After that, a new interface will appear.

When the installation procedure starts, the first thing that you will need to do is read the "License and Services Agreement." After you have done so, continue by selecting the "I accept option from the menu. Then, click Next".

After that, you will need to complete the installation of the AutoCAD Download Manager. This step is straightforward as all that is required of you is to choose the folder in which you want to store it and then click the OK button. After that, the manager will extract the essential files and begin the installation process for AutoCAD.

You will be required to identify the location on your computer where the program is to be installed in this installer. 

After that, choose the Install button, and a new window will appear, presenting you with further customization options for the installation procedure. Please ensure that the custom installation type is selected, and then proceed to check off all of the features in the drop-down menu.

At long last, the installation will start, and you will be required to wait for it to be completed. 

Click the Finish button after it's done processing. You may be required to restart your computer.

After restarting your PC, you will see the newly installed AutoCAD 2023 on your desktop.

Then, double-click on it to open it. If you have other AutoCAD versions on your computer, you will be required to migrate the custom settings of the applications. 

If you don’t want to do anything in the new window that was displayed, then, you are to click on the cancel button below the menu.

After that, the first run initializing window will display.

At this point, it may require you to supply the activation code before you use it, so just paste it. Before you use it, it may ask you to enter the activation code. If you have other AutoCAD products installed in your system and they are activated, you will not be asked to activate yours. 

After that, the Privacy Settings dialog box will display. Click Ok.

Then, you will see the AutoCAD 2023 interface.

WINDOWS AUTOCAD INSTALLATION

You won't have any trouble installing AutoCAD, even if you use Mac OS X, since the software is compatible with several versions of the operating system. On the other hand, you won't have as many alternatives for obtaining the application; more specifically, you won't be able to access it using the Autodesk desktop app. You will need to indicate what operating system you are using before you can begin the download process for Mac; but it is quite comparable to the procedure for Windows. Let's go through the measures you need to follow in a hurry so that there is no room for misunderstanding.

Start by going to Autodesk's main website and selecting the Sign In option when you get there. After you have finished registering for the site or signing in, go to the main menu and choose the Product option.

Click on Educational Access on the right-hand side of the menu. Then, scroll down and select the "Access to Autodesk Software" option

You will notice a list of Autodesk products there, including Revit, Maya, 3ds Max, Civil 3D, and AutoCAD, of course. 

You will see an option to Get AutoCAD for Mac when the next page appears after the current one. 

Simply click on it, and then from the list of possible versions of AutoCAD, choose the 2023 version. In addition to this, make sure that the operating system that is picked is Mac OS, and after that, choose the language that you would want to use.

You need to duplicate the serial and product keys before you begin the installation, which you can find under these different choices. In conclusion, proceed with downloading the application only if everything else seems to be in working condition.

AUTOCAD INSTALLATION ON A MAC

The downloading process might take some time, but once it is complete, you will be able to install your program without further delay. Your download manager will store it in a format known as a DMG file for you to access. Launch it, then go to the Install Autodesk AutoCAD for Mac menu item. The installer will begin, and before continuing, you will need to read the license agreement and click the "I Agree" button.

After that, you will be sent to a page where you are required to input the product key and serial number into separate boxes. Since you already copied them, all you need to do is put them in this space, and then click Continue. On the other hand, you also have the option of downloading a free trial edition of the software for thirty days, which will enable you to use the application without needing these two digits.

The installation shouldn't take more than a short amount of time, maybe anywhere between ten and fifteen minutes. After that, you should test AutoCAD out and then click the Close button. If you have followed the instructions carefully, there should be no problems with the outcome. But if it doesn't work, you may have to remove it and give it another go.

Introduction to AutoCAD

Working with Different Drawing Elements

If you have previously installed AutoCAD and are prepared to dive in and have a look around, the following procedures should be carried out to run the program:

Select AutoCAD 2023 by going to the Start menu, then All Programs, Autodesk, and finally AutoCAD 2023. You can also launch AutoCAD 2023 by double-clicking on its icon located on your Windows desktop.

The AutoCAD Start tab is shown, giving the user the choice to either open an existing design or create a new drawing from scratch. You could also notice a window called Design Feed, which gives you access to a cloud-based feature that facilitates collaboration. To begin drawing, choose the Start Drawing thumbnail that is located to the left of the Get Started heading.

Drawing1.dwg is the default document that appears when the AutoCAD window is opened, and it is blank. The Sheet Set Manager palette may sometimes be seen on the left side of the AutoCAD window. The Design Feed panel is something that is going to be present in all brand-new installations. Put the Design Feed panel away for the time being. 

You will see the Product License Activation window if you are utilizing the trial version of the software. This window will tell you how many days are left in the trial version of the software that you are currently using. If you have purchased a license for the product, you can activate it from this page as well. To continue opening the program, select the Try button from the menu. 

The screenshot below illustrates a common configuration for the window that appears while using the AutoCAD application. You are free to configure the AutoCAD window in whatever configuration you choose and then save it as a workspace for later use. Using the Workspace Switching function that is included in the Quick Access toolbar, you can both store and retrieve a workspace at any moment. One of the many different workspaces that are included with AutoCAD, the Drafting and Annotation workspace can be seen in the picture below. This workspace is one of numerous that are included.

Menu for Applications

Your drawings may be opened, saved, and printed (plotted) using the tools that can be found under the Application menu, which are quite similar to the choices that can be found under the File dropdown menu in AutoCAD and many other applications. The menus for these tools project from the upper-left corner of the AutoCAD window while the Application menu is active. They cover the drawing area as well as any open dialog boxes.

To get started using the Application menu, carry out the following steps:

● To access the Application menu, you must first click the button labeled Application Menu.

● A listing of the available commands may be found in the left-hand pane of the Application menu.

When you either click or hover over the command, the options for that command will appear in the right pane.

You may quickly locate previously used files or go to a file that you already have open with the help of the Application menu's easy search options. If you shift your mouse away from the list of choices that are located to the left of the Application menu, you will see that the Recent Documents section is located in the upper-left region of the menu. In addition to this, you will see two icon tools that are labeled Open Documents and Recent Documents.

Accessibility Toolbar

Just to the right of the application menu button at the top of the program window is a customizable toolbar called the Quick Access toolbar. By default, this toolbar includes a few of the application's commonly used commands. 

As necessary, you may add and delete commands.

● Find the command you wish to add to the ribbon.

● Use the Add to Quick Access Toolbar option when you right-click the command.

● Not all commands may be included in the Quick Access Toolbar, please note. The Add to Quick Access Toolbar command is hidden from view in the context menu if a command is ineligible.

● On the Quick Access Toolbar, choose More Commands by clicking the downward pointing arrow at the right end of the toolbar.

● Choose the command you wish to add in the Customize User Interface Editor, then drag it to the Quick Access toolbar.

● To remove a command from the Quick Access toolbar

● Right-click on the Quick Access Toolbar command you want to remove, then choose Remove from Quick Access Toolbar.

Ribbon

Nearly all of the commands you'll need are available on the Ribbon via icons. You may choose tools here to sketch, edit, or carry out other tasks. Several panels that represent categories of tools and features may be found on the Ribbon. The title bar at the bottom of each Ribbon panel contains the panel's name. The Ribbon panels are further organized by tabs that appear above them. The tooltip and cue card for each tool on the Ribbon provides a succinct explanation of what the tool symbol stands for.

Click the arrowhead button in the Ribbon Control tool to only view the Ribbon tabs. Type Ribbon if you can't even see the tabs.

After placing the arrow pointer over a tool in the Ribbon panel, wait a minute; a tooltip will then display below the cursor. If you keep the cursor there for a little while longer, the tooltip changes to provide you with even more details on the tool.

The icon for each tool will usually give you a good idea of what it accomplishes. In the Draw Ribbon panel, for example, the image depicting an arc denotes that the tool draws arcs; the icon depicting a circle indicates that the tool draws circles; and so on. The tool's name is provided in the tooltip for greater information.

Drawing Area

The bulk of the screen is taken up by the sketching area. In this space, anything you draw is visible. Crosshairs seem to move inside the drawing area when you move your mouse. You may point to specific areas in the drawing area with this drawing cursor. Like well-known web browsers, the Drawing tabs are located just above the drawing area and allow you to start new drawings or flip between existing drawings.

Observe the plus sign (plus) directly to the right of the tab, which allows you to start a new drawing or open an existing one, and the X in the current tab, which allows you to dismiss the current drawing. A new drawing tab that you may save as a new file emerges when you click the + sign. When you right-click the + icon, a context menu appears that gives you the choice of opening an existing drawing or starting a new drawing by adding a new tab and utilizing a template. You may examine plans for the drawing and sample pictures of the model by hovering over the Drawing tab.

InfoCenter

A feature called InfoCenter is included in several Autodesk products. It comprises a group of tools that you may use to access product-related information sources on the right side of the title bar. These tools may vary based on the Autodesk product and settings.

Note that InfoCenter supports Autodesk LiveUpdate technology via the usage of Internet Explorer. InfoCenter will always utilize Internet Explorer, regardless of what you have specified as your usual browser.

Windows Command Prompt

A control panel and index of all AutoCAD commands you have ever performed on your design may be found in the AutoCAD Command line. You use the Command line when you type a keyboard command. Additionally, it is where the prompts that are included in AutoCAD commands come from.

The Command line is situated in the bottom left corner of the CAD interface in an AutoCAD installation by default.

Typing keyboard commands is the Command line's fundamental purpose. Put your cursor on the Command line and start typing a command there.

For instance, start typing "Line" on the Command line if you wish to draw a line. A menu with recommended commands that start with those letters will show above the command line as you input additional letters.

As a result, the menu seen below will appear when you input "Li." You have the option of inputting your command again or choosing it from a menu. We may choose Line in this situation.

ViewCube

Controlling and modifying the model space viewing angle in AutoCAD is simple by using ViewCube. The model space may be rotated by clicking and holding on the cube, or by choosing a cube side, edge, or corner to transfer it to a different perspective.

There are three methods to activate the ViewCube in AutoCAD if you wish to bring it back.

Using the Ribbon, turn on the ViewCube.

● Switch your workspace to 3D modeling.

● Click View, then click ViewCube in the Viewport Tools menu to activate the navigation cube.

Navigation Bar

In AutoCAD, the navigation bar is a floating toolbar that provides easy access to tools for modifying the model space view. The Navigation bar's tool set consists of the following: 

Orbit, Pan, Zoom, and SteeringWheels.

Status Bar

The cursor position, drawing tools, and tools that impact your drawing environment are all shown in the status bar.

Quick access to some of the most used drawing tools is provided through the status bar. Grid, snap, polar tracking, and object snap are some of the parameters that you may alter. By clicking the drop-down arrows on several of these tools, you may also access extra options.

Not all tools are shown by default; you may choose which tools to show from the Customization menu by clicking the button on the right side of the status bar. Depending on the workspace and whether the Model tab or a layout tab is presently visible, the tools shown on the status bar may vary.

Some of these settings may also be changed using the function keys on your keyboard (F1 - F12).

Using the Create New Drawing dialog box to Create a New Drawing File

Starting a New Drawing file from Scratch

Opens a blank drawing with the default parameters for either imperial or metric units (MEASUREINIT system variable). Using the Measuring system variable, you may alter the measurement system for a certain drawing. Drawing1.dwg is a drawing that is created from scratch when the software first starts.

Imperial

● Creates a fresh sketch using the imperial system of measurements. The grid bounds (the default drawing border) are 12 by 9 inches.

Metric 

● Begins a fresh drawing using the metric system of measurements. The grid bounds (the default drawing border) are 429 by 297 millimeters.

Utilizing a Template to Create a New Drawing Fil

Starts a drawing based on a template file for a drawing. All the parameters for a drawing are stored in template drawings, which may also include preset layers, dimension styles, and views. The. dwt file extension designates template drawings as distinct from regular drawing files. Normally, they are stored in the template directory.

With this application, many template drawings are provided. Drawings may be converted to custom drawing template drawings by either storing them as drawing template files or altering the filename extensions of the drawings to.dwt.

Choose a Template 

● Displays a list of all the DWT files that are presently present in the location of the drawing template file that is chosen in the Options dialog box. Choose a file to use as the foundation for your new drawing.

Preview

● Displays a preview picture of the chosen file.

Browse

● You may access template files that are not present in the Select a Template list by using Browse to display the Select a Template File dialog box, a common file selection dialog box.

Template Description

● Displays a description of the chosen template in the template field. If you make your template, you may set the text that will appear here using the Template Options dialog box.

Using a wizard, creating a new drawing file

Create a drawing by following a step-by-step manual. There are two wizards available: Quick Setup and Advanced Setup.

Quick Setup

● You may define the units and area for your new drawing in the Quick Setup wizard, which is shown by clicking the Quick Setup button. Additionally, the Quick Setup process scales down parameters like text height and snap spacing.

Advanced Setup

● Reveals the Advanced Setup wizard, where you may define your new drawing's units, angle, angle measure, angle direction, and area. Additionally, the Advanced Setup process scales down parameters like font height and snap spacing.

Wizard Description 

● Reveals a summary of the chosen wizard.

Changing the Color Theme

Sets the ribbon, palettes, and a few other UI components' color themes to dark or light.

You may pick between two color schemes: dark and bright.

Select Options from the Application menu.

Choose the dark or light theme in the Options dialog box's Display tab.

Changing the Background Color

On Windows,

Type OPTIONS into AutoCAD's command line.

Select the Display tab under Options, then select the Colors button.

Select a model with a uniform backdrop (selected by default).

Choose the preferred color by clicking the Color drop-down option.

Press OK after selecting Apply & Close.

On macOS,

Enter OPTIONS in AutoCAD's command line.

Click the Look & Feel tab in the Application Preferences window.

Select the preferred color by clicking the Modelspace menu.

Press OK.

Utilizing Workspaces

The drawing window is the center of attention in the drawing application AutoCAD. Here is where you draw your picture. Everything else around the sketching window aids in your success. The user interface is the collective term for the ribbons, panels, menus, and other tools you use to produce your drawings. AutoCAD workspaces are used to control each of these interface components individually.

When you launch AutoCAD, the default workspace is the Drafting & Annotation workspace. All of AutoCAD's 3D tools and capabilities are disabled in the Drafting & Annotation workspace, as shown in the picture below, giving you fast and simple access to all the 3D tools.

Interchanging Workspaces

By using the Workspace Switching button on the right side of the AutoCAD status bar at the bottom of the AutoCAD drawing window, as shown in the figure below, you may switch to any of the other standard workspaces that come with AutoCAD.

Redesigning a Workspace

You'll set a saved workspace as current in this exercise and save a workspace called HYT Workspace.

In AutoCAD, select the View tab, then select the Palettes panel, and then select Tool Palettes https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2021/ENU/AutoCAD-DidYouKnow/images/GUID-B3D4D82C-88E7-4DFF-9599-C0CB8D209E3E.png . The AutoCAD UI ought to now show the Tool Palettes window.

Change the location of the Tool Palettes window on the screen to suit your preferences.

In AutoCAD, select Workspace Switching from the status bar.

Select Save Current As on the menu.

Type HYT Workspace in the Save Workspace dialog box and click Save.

Click Workspace Switching Find > Drafting & Annotation on the status bar. The Tool Palettes window shouldn't be shown any more since the Drafting & Annotation workspace is now selected.

Select Workspace Switching Find > HYT Workspace from the status bar. The Tool Palettes window reappears when the HYT Workspace has been made current.

When changing workspaces, all modifications made to the current workspace are lost. Changes may be automatically saved before switching workspaces by using the WSAUTOSAVE system variable or the Workspace Settings dialog box (WSSETTINGS command). You can also choose which workspaces show on the Workspace Switching menu and how they appear on the menu by using the Workspace Settings dialog box.

Redesigning a Workspace

A sheet is a layout that has been chosen from a drawing file. A layout from any design may be imported into a sheet set as a numbered sheet.

A sheet set is a labeled collection of sheets from various drawing files that have been arranged. Sheet sets may be managed, transmitted, published, and archived together.

Creating a Sheet Set

1. Select New Sheet Set from the Application menu. 

2. Comply with the wizard's instructions to create a sheet set. Select one of the following possibilities:

● An Example Sheet Set. The example sheet set offers the hierarchical structure and default parameters for the new sheet set when you create it using this option. Declare that folders are generated that correspond to the sheet set's subset storage paths. You may import layouts or make individual sheets after using this option to create an empty sheet set.

● Existing Drawings. You may select one or more folders that contain drawing files when creating a sheet set using this option, and you can also indicate that the subset organization for the sheet set mirrors the folder structure of the drawing files. These designs' layouts may be automatically