Chapter 2: Understanding the Drafting Tools

Overview

A lot of programs let you draw lines, circles, and arcs, but AutoCAD lets you draw with a level of precision that goes way beyond most other drawing programs. To take advantage of that precision, however, you need to know how to use the Drafting tools.

This chapter covers the tools that allow you to place objects exactly where you want them. You'll start by learning about the AutoCAD coordinate system, which is fundamental to your understanding of precision in AutoCAD. You'll then learn how to set up a drawing and how AutoCAD uses units of measure. The last half of this chapter covers the tools that let you select points in your drawing accurately. You'll learn how to select exact endpoints or midpoints of lines, for example, and how to align one object with another.