List of Figures | Introducing AutoCAD 2008

Chapter 1: Getting Familiar with AutoCAD

Figure 1.1: AutoCAD when opened into a 2D Drafting & Annotation workspace
Figure 1.2: The components on the top of the Auto-CAD window
Figure 1.3: The tool palettes and the Properties palette
Figure 1.4: The status bar and the command line work with the drawing area to give you feedback as you draw.
Figure 1.5: Selecting the first point of a rectangle
Figure 1.6: Once you've selected the first point of the rectangle, you'll see a rectangle follow the motion of your mouse.
Figure 1.7: The control panels of the Dashboard
Figure 1.8: Click and hold the downward-pointing arrow to open the fly-out toolbar.
Figure 1.9: Drawing a circle
Figure 1.10: Selecting a Zoom window
Figure 1.11: Your drawing as it appears in one of the layout tabs
Figure 1.12: Using the Arc command

Chapter 2: Understanding the Drafting Tools

Figure 2.1: AutoCAD's coordinate system
Figure 2.2: Drawing a line at a 45° angle
Figure 2.3: A rubber-banding line
Figure 2.4: Notice that the rubber-banding line now starts from the last point selected. This tells you that you can continue to add more line segments.
Figure 2.5: AutoCAD's default system for specifying angles
Figure 2.6: These three sides of the rectangle were drawn using the Line tool. You can specify points using either relative Cartesian or polar coordinates.
Figure 2.7: Positive and negative Cartesian coordinate directions
Figure 2.8: The finished rectangle
Figure 2.9: The Drawing Units dialog box
Figure 2.10: The Polar Tracking tab of the Drafting Settings dialog box
Figure 2.11: An AutoCAD grid
Figure 2.12: The grid as it appears when the limits of the drawing are smaller than the current display
Figure 2.13: The Snap and Grid tab
Figure 2.14: The Isometric Snap option
Figure 2.15: The isoplane cursors
Figure 2.16: A rotated grid and lines
Figure 2.17: Using osnaps in conjunction with the UCS to align the grid to an object
Figure 2.18: The grid at the left is not aligned, but the grid on the right was aligned with the center of the circle using Snapbase.
Figure 2.19: Checking Endpoint, Midpoint, and Inter-section check boxes
Figure 2.20: Draw this rectangle to practice using osnaps.
Figure 2.21: Using the Midpoint osnap
Figure 2.22: Osnap options
Figure 2.23: The Drafting Settings dialog box
Figure 2.24: Draw this rectangle to practice using osnap tracking.
Figure 2.25: The completed circle centered on the rectangle

Chapter 3: Drawing 2D Objects

Figure 3.1: Although different commands were used to create them, these objects are all polylines and can be edited as such.
Figure 3.2: Drawing a circle tangent to three other circles
Figure 3.3: Drawing a circle tangent to two objects
Figure 3.4: The methods for drawing an arc. The numbers indicate the order of point selection.
Figure 3.5: Drawing an ellipse
Figure 3.6: Drawing an ellipse from a center point
Figure 3.7: Drawing an elliptical arc
Figure 3.8: Drawing a spline curve
Figure 3.9: The effect of the Fit Tolerance option on a spline
Figure 3.10: The effect of the Pedit command's Spline option on a straight-line polyline
Figure 3.11: The Fit option applied to a straight-line polyline
Figure 3.12: Examples of parallel lines created using Offset
Figure 3.13: An example of a revision cloud in an architectural drawing
Figure 3.14: The normal (left) and calligraphy cloud
Figure 3.15: Examples of hatch patterns within random shapes formed by a spline, a circle, an arc, and a rectangle
Figure 3.16: The predefined hatch patterns available in AutoCAD
Figure 3.17: Placing a floor tile pattern where you want it using Hatch Origin
Figure 3.18: Boundary extents are shown in gray. The hatch pattern appears only within the irregular shape.
Figure 3.19: The Associative hatch option causes hatch patterns to automatically adjust to changes in the pattern's boundary.
Figure 3.20: A hatch pattern can fill a complex shape and detect islands within the shape.
Figure 3.21: The polygon on the left uses the Inscribed in circle option in step 4, and the polygon on the right uses the Circumscribed about circle option. The radius is the same for both images.
Figure 3.22: An example of point objects, appearing as X's, used to mark divisions on a polyline
Figure 3.23: Marking off 4-unit segments on a curve
Figure 3.24: Bisecting a pair of lines with a construction line

Chapter 4: Editing AutoCAD Objects

Figure 4.1: A rectangle, drawn using the Line tool, and an arc
Figure 4.2: Selecting the lines of the rectangle and seeing them highlighted
Figure 4.3: The dotted window (left image) indicates a crossing selection; the solid window (right image) indicates a standard selection window.
Figure 4.4: The rectangle enclosed by a crossing window
Figure 4.5: Stretching lines using hot grips. The left image shows the rectangle's corner being stretched upward. The right image shows the new location of the corner at the top of the arc using the Endpoint osnap.
Figure 4.6: Click the location shown to copy the grip.
Figure 4.7: A diagonal line to test grips and Dynamic Input
Figure 4.8: AutoCAD's Properties palette showing the properties of a line
Figure 4.9: The Geometry section (bottom) of the Properties palette
Figure 4.10: Some boxes in the Properties palette include a Browse button.

Chapter 5: Editing with the 2D Draw Control Panel Tools

Figure 5.1: Fillet will join the two lines at the left from end to end (center) or join them with an intermediate arc (right).
Figure 5.2: The polyline on the right is the result of using the Fillet command on the polyline on the left.
Figure 5.3: Fillet with the No Trim setting turned on
Figure 5.4: Chamfer joins the two lines at the left to form the chamfered corner shown at the right.
Figure 5.5: The Chamfer distance shown by arrows. The first Chamfer distance is determined by the line that is selected first (at the Select first line: prompt).
Figure 5.6: The polyline on the right is the result of using the Chamfer command on the polyline on the left.
Figure 5.7: Chamfer's Angle option lets you specify the chamfer based on a distance and an angle. The angle is relative to the first line selected at the Select first line: prompt.
Figure 5.8: A chamfer with the default Trim option appears on the left, and the No Trim option appears with the fillet on the right.
Figure 5.9: Use the Trim command and select the locations indicated by the dots at left to quickly draw a new shape at right.
Figure 5.10: Extending the vertical lines shown at left to form an extension to a wall at right
Figure 5.11: Trimming a circle and line at the left to form a truncated circle at the right
Figure 5.12: Shift+click to select the lines shown on the left to get the results on the right.
Figure 5.13: Extending a set of lines to a curve using the Fence option. Hold down the Shift key while placing the fence.
Figure 5.14: Even though the lines do not cross, as shown in the left image, you can turn on the Edge option to trim to the edge defined by the dotted line in the middle image.
Figure 5.15: Use the Endpoint osnap to select the corner of the object you want to move (left image), and then use it again to select the corner you want to move the object to (center image).
Figure 5.16: The Array dialog box
Figure 5.17: The Polar Array dialog box
Figure 5.18: Copying rows and columns
Figure 5.19: An array cell and the Array dialog box options that let you graphically indicate array cells
Figure 5.20: Scaling a door to fit an opening
Figure 5.21: Use a crossing window to select the vertices you want to stretch (left image), and then select a base point. The vertices will move with the cursor (right image).
Figure 5.22: Using the Reference option to align the selected objects to the cursor
Figure 5.23: The goal is to rotate the circles inside the hexagon (left view) to align with the corners of the hexagon (right view).
Figure 5.24: Rotating the circles to align with the corners of the hexagon
Figure 5.25: The Edit Block Definition dialog box
Figure 5.26: The Block Editor window with the Block Authoring palettes shown to the left

Chapter 6: Creating 3D Drawings

Figure 6.1: The solid primitives available in AutoCAD
Figure 6.2: Shapes generated from lines, arcs, and splines
Figure 6.3: The AutoCAD 3D Modeling workspace
Figure 6.4: The Dashboard and its components
Figure 6.5: Tools to switch from model space to layouts
Figure 6.6: Solid modeling lets you remove or add shapes.
Figure 6.7: Using the Loft tool, you can use 2D objects to define a complex surface.
Figure 6.8: Drawing a 3D solid box
Figure 6.9: Changing the color of the current layer
Figure 6.10: Examples of how to create 3D objects using the same basic three steps
Figure 6.11: Grips appear on a 3D solid
Figure 6.12: Using the Grip tool to constrain motion
Figure 6.13: Drawing on the side of a box
Figure 6.14: The UCS icon at the left and the cursor in 3D to the right are color matched.
Figure 6.15: Selecting a rotation point and the resulting box orientation
Figure 6.16: Drawing a cylinder on the surface of a 3D solid
Figure 6.17: Creating and subtracting a cylinder from the 3D solid
Figure 6.18: Individual objects are highlighted when you use the Ctrl key.
Figure 6.19: You can move the hole-forming cylinder to a new location using its grip.
Figure 6.20: The drop-down list in the 3D Navigate control panel and the New View dialog box
Figure 6.21: Placing a camera in your drawing
Figure 6.22: Using the Grip tool to constrain motion to the x-, y-, or z-axis
Figure 6.23: The Properties palette for a camera
Figure 6.24: The Parallel Projection and Perspective Projection tools
Figure 6.25: You can use the closed polylines on the left to construct the 3D shapes on the right.
Figure 6.26: Drawing a 3D polygon
Figure 6.27: Examples of extruded closed polylines
Figure 6.28: The Thicken Surface tool in the expanded 3D Make control panel, which is shown at the right
Figure 6.29: Sample of surfaces before and after using the Thicken Surface tool
Figure 6.30: Making a copy of a section of a 3D solid using Interfere
Figure 6.31: Selecting the edges to fillet and the result
Figure 6.32: The 2D drawings of a building wall section and footprint
Figure 6.33: A helix path and a circle applied to the helix using the Sweep tool
Figure 6.34: Drawing a box with arcs and a polyline on its side
Figure 6.35: Moving the arcs
Figure 6.36: The surface created using the Loft tool
Figure 6.37: Moving a grip with the aid of the Grip tool
Figure 6.38: An ellipse that has been revolved into a solid
Figure 6.39: The image on the top shows an object moved within the XY plane within the WCS. The image on the bottom shows the same move with an additional Z component.
Figure 6.40: The Display Material Window tool in the Materials control panel and the Materials palette
Figure 6.41: The Select Color dialog box with a new color setting for the default material
Figure 6.42: Selecting the mapping grip and adjusting it to change the pattern on the side of the box
Figure 6.43: Mapping styles
Figure 6.44: A rendered view of a box
Figure 6.45: Samples of different falloff settings in the left side and the resulting rendered view on the right
Figure 6.46: The properties of a spotlight
Figure 6.47: The Sun Properties palette
Figure 6.48: The expanded Render control panel shows the additional options.
Figure 6.49: The three modes of the Background dialog box
Figure 6.50: Visual Styles applied to a sphere

Chapter 7: Getting Organized with Layers

Figure 7.1: The Layer Properties Manager tool
Figure 7.2: Click the New Layer button toward the top of the Layer Properties Manager dialog box.
Figure 7.3: The Color icon in the layer listing of the Layer Properties Manager dialog box
Figure 7.4: The Select Color dialog box
Figure 7.5: The Layer Properties Manager dialog box
Figure 7.6: The four tool buttons of the Layer Properties Manager dialog box that let you create a new layer, create a new layer and freeze it in all viewports, delete a layer, or make a selected layer the current one
Figure 7.7: The Properties palette
Figure 7.8: Selecting a layer from the Layers control panel
Figure 7.9: Two layout viewports displaying the same drawing with different layers frozen
Figure 7.10: The lightbulb icon in the Layer Properties Manager dialog box
Figure 7.11: The Freeze Or Thaw In ALL Viewports icon and ToolTip in the Layer drop-down list
Figure 7.12: The VP Freeze and New VP Freeze icons in the Layer Properties Manager dialog box
Figure 7.13: The Layout tabs
Figure 7.14: The Model Space button or Paper Space button
Figure 7.15: The UCS icon appears in each viewport, and the current viewport has a darker border.
Figure 7.16: The Model button in the status bar
Figure 7.17: The Freeze Or Thaw In Current Viewport icon in the Layer drop-down list
Figure 7.18: The Lock icon in the Layer Properties Manager dialog box and Layer drop-down list
Figure 7.19: The printer icon in the Layer Properties Manager dialog box
Figure 7.20: The filter and Layer States Manager options in the Layer Properties Manager dialog box
Figure 7.21: The Layer Filter Properties dialog box
Figure 7.22: The Browse button below the Color label in the Filter Definition list box
Figure 7.23: The new filter name appears in the left side of the Layer Properties Manager dialog box.
Figure 7.24: Click the All option in the Layer Properties Manager dialog box.
Figure 7.25: The New Group Filter tool in the Layer Properties Manager dialog box
Figure 7.26: The Group Filter1 list after selecting objects
Figure 7.27: The Invert Filter and Indicate Layers In Use options in the Layer Properties Manger
Figure 7.28: The Layer States Manager dialog box
Figure 7.29: The New Layer State To Save dialog box
Figure 7.30: The Layers II toolbar
Figure 7.31: The LayerWalk dialog box
Figure 7.32: Standard, ISO, and complex AutoCAD linetypes
Figure 7.33: The Select Linetype dialog box
Figure 7.34: The Load Or Reload Linetypes dialog box
Figure 7.35: The same linetype using two different Linetype scales. The upper line uses a scale that is approximately 4½ times the scale of the lower line.
Figure 7.36: Sample image of different line weights used in AutoCAD
Figure 7.37: The Lineweight Settings dialog box
Figure 7.38: The Lineweight dialog box
Figure 7.39: The Lineweight Control drop-down list in the Properties palette
Figure 7.40: The Color, Linetype, and Lineweight Control options on the Properties toolbar
Figure 7.41: The Select Color option in the Color Control drop-down list
Figure 7.42: The Other option in the Linetype Control drop-down list
Figure 7.43: The Linetype Scale option in the Properties palette

Chapter 8: Using Blocks, Groups, Xrefs, and DesignCenter

Figure 8.1: The Block Definition dialog box
Figure 8.2: The Insert dialog box
Figure 8.3: The Name drop-down list shows the available blocks in a drawing.
Figure 8.4: The block properties
Figure 8.5: A single block is used to create different size elevation symbols in this Layout view. Both views show the same floor plan displayed at different scales.
Figure 8.6: The Select Drawing File dialog box
Figure 8.7: The Write Block dialog box
Figure 8.8: The Object Grouping dialog box
Figure 8.9: The AutoCAD LT Group Manager dialog box
Figure 8.10: The Select File dialog box
Figure 8.11: The Find dialog box
Figure 8.12: The Date Modified tab of the Find dialog box
Figure 8.13: The External References palette
Figure 8.14: The External Reference dialog box
Figure 8.15: The message in the Status column of the External References palette shows that the xref needs to be reloaded.
Figure 8.16: DesignCenter opens as a floating palette.
Figure 8.17: The components of the DesignCenter palette
Figure 8.18: View of the Home location in DesignCenter
Figure 8.19: Options in the Look For drop-down list of the Search dialog box
Figure 8.20: DesignCenter with the Online tab selected
Figure 8.21: Selecting and clicking a block
Figure 8.22: If a dimension is dragged into a palette, the dimension commands appear in the palette.
Figure 8.23: The Tool Properties dialog box
Figure 8.24: The Customize dialog box

Chapter 9: Creating Text

Figure 9.1: Indicating the text location with the text boundary
Figure 9.2: The Text Formatting toolbar and the Text panel
Figure 9.3: The Text formatting toolbar and Text panel with selected text
Figure 9.4: The Font drop-down list in the Text Formatting toolbar
Figure 9.5: Additional features of the Text Formatting toolbar
Figure 9.6: Symbols offered by the Symbol option. (See Symbol in Table 9.1 for information about how to use these symbols.)
Figure 9.7: The ruler at the top of the text editor lets you quickly set tabs and indents for text.
Figure 9.8: The Background Mask dialog box for text
Figure 9.9: The Check Spelling dialog box
Figure 9.10: The Find and Replace dialog box
Figure 9.11: The Find and Replace Options dialog box
Figure 9.12: The Text Style dialog box
Figure 9.13: The Style drop-down list in the Text Formatting toolbar
Figure 9.14: The Style drop-down list in the Text control panel
Figure 9.15: A sample schedule created with the Table tool
Figure 9.16: The Insert Table dialog box
Figure 9.17: A table cell ready for editing with the Text Formatting toolbar above the table
Figure 9.18: The Table toolbar appears when you click a table cell. This toolbar offers typical spreadsheet tools for formatting cells or adding formulas to cells.
Figure 9.19: Selecting a group of cells in a table
Figure 9.20: A group of cells selected and made taller
Figure 9.21: The Text Rotation option in the Properties palette
Figure 9.22: Adjusting the width of a group of cells
Figure 9.23: The Vertical Cell Margin option in the Properties palette
Figure 9.24: The Formula tool
Figure 9.25: Selecting a cell range for the Sum function
Figure 9.26: The cell with the new formula
Figure 9.27: The Paste Special dialog box
Figure 9.28: The Cell Border Properties dialog box
Figure 9.29: The Outside Borders option in the Cell Border Properties dialog box
Figure 9.30: A set of cells with their border adjusted to a heavier line weight
Figure 9.31: The Insert a Block in a Table Cell dialog box
Figure 9.32: The Table Style dialog box
Figure 9.33: The Create New Table Style dialog box
Figure 9.34: The New Table Style dialog box
Figure 9.35: The Table Style Settings group in the Insert Table dialog box

Chapter 10: Using Dimensions

Figure 10.1: The components of a dimension for two common styles
Figure 10.2: Using a linear dimension
Figure 10.3: A continued string of dimensions
Figure 10.4: A baseline dimension
Figure 10.5: The aligned dimension of a nonorthogonal line
Figure 10.6: A nonorthogonal linear dimension that is not aligned with the feature being dimensioned
Figure 10.7: Dimension showing the diameter of a circle
Figure 10.8: A radius dimension shown on the outside of the circle
Figure 10.9: Two examples of an angular dimension
Figure 10.10: The Multileaders control panel
Figure 10.11: The leader with a note added
Figure 10.12: The Multileader Style Manager dialog box Figure 10.13
Figure 10.13: The Modify Multileader Style dialog box
Figure 10.14: An example of ordinate dimensions
Figure 10.15: An example of tolerance notation
Figure 10.16: The Geometric Tolerance dialog box
Figure 10.17: The Symbol dialog box
Figure 10.18: The Tolerance symbols
Figure 10.19: The Material Condition dialog box
Figure 10.20: A dimension with the Text Formatting toolbar
Figure 10.21: The Fit options in the Properties palette
Figure 10.22: The Move Text, Add Leader option in the Fit options group
Figure 10.23: A dimension on a 2D isometric drawing using the Oblique option
Figure 10.24: The Dimension Style Manager dialog box with the Standard style selected
Figure 10.25: The Create New Dimension Style dialog box
Figure 10.26: The New Dimension Style dialog box
Figure 10.27: The Symbols And Arrows tab of the New Dimension Style dialog box
Figure 10.28: These dimensions are labeled with the name of the settings that affect their appearance.
Figure 10.29: The Text tab of the New Dimension Style dialog box
Figure 10.30: The Fit tab of the New Dimension Style dialog box
Figure 10.31: The Primary Units Tab of the New Dimension Style dialog box
Figure 10.32: The Alternate Units tab of the New Dimension Style dialog box
Figure 10.33: The Tolerances tab of the New Dimension Style dialog box
Figure 10.34: The Dim Style Control drop-down list in the Dimensions control panel
Figure 10.35: The Dimension Style tool in the Styles toolbar

Chapter 11: Gathering Information

Figure 11.1: Select points sequentially on a polygonal shape, as shown by the numbers, to find its area.
Figure 11.2: The Hatch And Gradient dialog box
Figure 11.3: The Area listing in the Geometry group of the Properties palette
Figure 11.4: An area containing other shapes, or "islands," that you do not want in your area measurement
Figure 11.5: Using angular dimension to find the angle between two lines
Figure 11.6: The AutoCAD Text Window showing the drawing status
Figure 11.7: The time information in the AutoCAD Text window
Figure 11.8: The General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog box
Figure 11.9: The Summary tab of the Drawing Properties dialog box
Figure 11.10: The Custom tab of the Drawing Properties dialog box
Figure 11.11: The Find And Replace dialog box
Figure 11.12: The Find And Replace Options dialog box
Figure 11.13: The Quick Select dialog box with = Equals selected in the Operator list
Figure 11.14: Text shown in place of a missing xref
Figure 11.15: The lower-right corner of the AutoCAD window shows an exclamation point with a paper clip icon.
Figure 11.16: The External References palette
Figure 11.17: The External References palette showing the Loaded text in the Status column
Figure 11.18: Hover over the Saved Path text box to display the search path for the xref.
Figure 11.19: The Files tab in the Options dialog box
Figure 11.20: The Browse For Folder dialog box

Chapter 12: Laying Out and Printing Your Drawing

Figure 12.1: A view of your drawing in the Layout1 tab
Figure 12.2: The Paper button in the status bar
Figure 12.3: The Plot dialog box
Figure 12.4: The More Options button
Figure 12.5: The Plot Style Table drop-down list showing the monochrome.ctb option
Figure 12.6: The Add button in the Page Setup group
Figure 12.7: The Add Page Setup dialog box
Figure 12.8: A list of scales in the Properties palette
Figure 12.9: The Single option selected in the New Viewports tab
Figure 12.10: The Three- Above option in the Viewports dialog box
Figure 12.11: The Setup option at the bottom of the Viewports dialog box
Figure 12.12: The Change View To drop-down list at the bottom of the Viewports dialog box
Figure 12.13: A layout with two viewports, each showing the same view with different layer settings
Figure 12.14: A single layer selected in the Layer Properties Manager dialog box
Figure 12.15: The Current VP Freeze option in a layer listing
Figure 12.16: The Layer Control drop-down list
Figure 12.17: The Move Or Copy dialog box with the Create A Copy option turned on
Figure 12.18: The Changes To A Printer Configuration File dialog box
Figure 12.19: The Device And Document Settings tab of the Plotter Configuration Editor dialog box
Figure 12.20: The Page Setup Manager dialog box
Figure 12.21: The New Page Setup dialog box
Figure 12.22: Select a page setup from the Page Setup group of the Plot dialog box.
Figure 12.23: Plot styles can translate colors and fills into shades of gray and halftone screens.
Figure 12.24: Selecting a plot style from the Plot Style Table drop-down list of the Page Setup dialog box
Figure 12.25: The first screen of the Add Name-Dependent Plot Style Table Wizard
Figure 12.26: The Plot Style Table Editor dialog box, open at the Form View tab
Figure 12.27: The Table View tab of the Plot Style Table Editor dialog box
Figure 12.28: The Line Joint Style options
Figure 12.29: The Fill Style options
Figure 12.30: The Model Or Paper Space button in the status bar
Figure 12.31: The Plot Style drop-down list in the Properties palette
Figure 12.32: The Select Plot Style dialog box
Figure 12.33: The Layer Properties Manager tool in the Layers control panel
Figure 12.34: Click Normal in the Plot Style column of the selected layer.
Figure 12.35: The Select Plot Style dialog box