This is a new feature in AutoCAD 2010. Parametric constraints allow you to force an object to behave the way you want it to. If you need a line to remain vertical at all times, you can set a constraint on it to do just that. Need 2 circles to remain the same diameter? How about a circle for a bolt that must stay 1/2" diameter? No problem with constraints. These are just some examples that will make it easier to control your drawing. Constraints can be divided into two groups and are on the Parametric Too...
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In Level 1 you printed out your project using 'model space'. This lesson will show you the preferred way of plotting your drawings. In AutoCAD there are two different workspaces: model space and Layout / Paper Space. For now think of model space where you make your model, or draw. Think of the Layout Tabs as where you print your drawing from, ...
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Hatching in AutoCAD is a way of filling in areas of your drawing with a pre-formatted pattern to represent certain materials. It is usually used in sectional views. Starting with AutoCAD release 14, you can use a solid fill to completely fill in areas such as walls in a floor plan. ...
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So far in using AutoCAD you have created geometry: lines, circles, etc. You have also added things such as text and dimensions. All of these things could also be done by hand, so what else does CAD have to offer? As noted at the beginning of Level 1, AutoCAD is also a database of information. Most of that database contains the information for reproducing what you have drawn, but you can also add infor...
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This tutorial will give you some drawing practice using real world examples. You will be asked to draw the sample drawing using some techniques you haven't been shown yet. This lesson requires you to have Adobe's Acrobat reader for PDF files. Here I'm using an example of someone who has to measure and draw a room. Example 1 - Loading Dock When you are doing a survey and measuring rooms, it goes quickly as long as you have nice rectangle ...
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Now that you know how useful block are, you should know that there are times when you need to explode a block. The explode command works on blocks, rectangles and other objects that are not the basic lines, arcs, circles, etc. If you have a block on your screen, type X <ENTER> to start the explode command. Select the block that you want to explode and press <ENTER>. Now you have all of the components that made up the block as individual objects. REDEFINING BLO...
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This time you will be creating an external block using the wblock command. This difference here is that the block will become a separate, external drawing file for use in other CAD drawings. In the dialog box below, you will see that you have almost all the same options. Instead of giving the block a name like you did before, you give it a filename in a s...
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In AutoCAD 2006, Dynamic Blocks were introduced. These are parametric blocks which can be easily modified by the user. In this exercise, you will create and insert a simple Dynamic Block. The goal is to create a Chair block that can be easily rotated to orientate it to a desk. Draw the Chair below on the Zero layer. Start th...
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In this lesson you will be introduced to blocks. By definition, a block is a collection of objects (lines, arcs, circles, text, etc.) that form a more complex entity that normally represents an object in the real world, e.g. a door, a chair, a window, a computer. There are many advantages to using blocks, here the major ones: ...
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This lesson will have you using the tools you learned in the first level. Believe it or not, if you understand the commands taught in the first level, you understand almost all of the common commands used in AutoCAD 2D Drafting - for any version. i'm not referring to being a Project Manager in this tutorial, but organizing a project in AutoCAD takes a standard approach. Consider drawing a room a 'project', or a f...
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