Lesson 1: The Setup

Overview

Following this lesson, you will:

• Know how to use AutoCAD's startup wizards to set up a new drawing

• Know how to start a new AutoCAD drawing using a wizard

• Know how to start a new AutoCAD drawing using a template

• Know how to start a new AutoCAD drawing from scratch

• Know how to open an existing AutoCAD drawing

• Know how to partially open an existing AutoCAD drawing

• Know how to save and close an AutoCAD drawing

• Recognize the various parts of the AutoCAD User Interface

How do you begin a new drafting project?

The number of answers I've heard to this question over the years might surprise you. Some say you begin with the layout. Others say you begin by positioning the drawing on the page. The most experienced drafters generally come up with a quip about coffee and radio settings.

This doesn't mean that I was questioning bad drafters, but simply that experience has engrained the basics so deeply that good drafters don't think about these simple questions anymore.

So, you might say, how do you begin a drafting project?

Well, first you decide on the scale and units (engineering, architectural, etc.) that you'll use. Then you decide the size of the page on which you'll draw (even if your final drawing will be electronic, you'll need to set up for a page size ).

This first lesson will introduce you to the AutoCAD User Interface “ the AUI, or the screen on which you'll draw “ and show you how to set up things like units and sheet size.