Drawing 2D objects is one of the basic topics covered in this book, and many users will jump in and start to draw without needing to consult this chapter. Still, some tools and tool characteristics might not be obvious or might trip you up as you begin to draw. If you find you need a little extra help when you draw something, you should review this chapter.
When you draw in AutoCAD, you are creating AutoCAD objects: lines, circles, arcs, ellipses, and hatch patterns. And each and every object has a set of properties. Geometric properties include the endpoints of a line or the center and radius of a circle. Also, some properties are not directly related to the geometry of an object, such as its color or its layer assignment. (See Chapter 7 to find out what layers do.)
When you draw objects, you are really specifying their geometric properties. The other properties are assigned by whatever defaults are currently in place, such as the current color and layer assignments. You can set these defaults in the Properties toolbar. You can always change the properties of an object (see Chapter 4), so don't think you need to be too careful when you're drawing.