Pointing Devices

Our most basic means of communicating with computers is the keyboard and pointing device. Most likely, you will use a mouse, but if you are still in the market for a pointing device, choose an input device that generates smooth cursor movement. Some of the lesser-quality input devices cause erratic movement. Because AutoCAD relies on precise input, you might want to upgrade to an optical mouse, which is less likely to wear out or accumulate dirt in its mechanism.

If you need to trace large drawings, you might want to consider a digitizing tablet. It is usually a rectangular object with a penlike stylus or a device called a puck, which resembles a mouse. It has a smooth surface on which to draw. The most common size is 4 ² 5 ² , but digitizing tablets are available in sizes up to 60 ² 70 ² . The tablet gives a natural feel to drawing with the computer because the movement of the stylus or puck is directly translated into cursor movement.

AutoCAD supports Wintab-compatible digitizers. If your digitizer has a Wintab driver, you can use your digitizer as both a tracing device (to trace drawings on a tablet) and a general pointing device for Windows to choose program menu items.

Your Wintab digitizer must be installed and configured under Windows. Make sure it is working in Windows before enabling it in AutoCAD, or you will not be able to use the digitizer as a pointing device (mouse). To enable the digitizer in AutoCAD, choose Tools   Options to open the Options dialog box and click the System tab. Open the Current Pointing Device drop-down list and select Wintab-Compatible Digitizer ADI 4.2 “by Autodesk, Inc.