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Published:
March 15, 2022

AutoCAD For Dummies

Overview

You’re one step away from creating crystal-clear computer-aided drafts in AutoCAD

Ever started an AutoCAD project, only to give up when you couldn’t quite get the hang of it? Or do you have a project coming up that would really benefit from a few meticulously created drawings? Then you need the latest edition of AutoCAD For Dummies, the world’s bestselling retail book about the wildly popular program.

With coverage of all the important updates to AutoCAD released since 2019, this book walks you through the very basics of pixels, vectors, lines, text, and more, before moving on to more advanced step-by-step tutorials on three-dimensional drawings and models. Already know the fundamentals? Then skip right to the part you need! From blocks to parametrics, it’s all right here at your fingertips.

You’ll also find:

  • In-depth explanations of how to create and store your drawings on the web
  • Stepwise instructions on creating your very first AutoCAD drawing, from product installation and project creation to the final touches
  • An exploration of system variables you can tweak to get the best performance from AutoCAD

Perfect for the AutoCAD newbie just trying to find their way around the interface for the first time, AutoCAD For Dummies is also a must-read reference for the experienced user looking to get acquainted with the program’s latest features and essential drawing tips. Grab a copy today!

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About The Author

Ralph Grabowski is editor of upFront.eZine, a weekly e-newsletter that reports on the business of computer-aided design. Writing about CAD since 1985, he is the author of more than 140 books and e-books on CAD, graphics, and the Internet, and he has successfully served as both author and compositor for his books for several years. His renowned WorldCAD Access industry blog is widely respected in the industry. Grabowski earned a B.A.Sc. degree in civil engineering at the University of British Columbia.

 

Author of the previous edition of AutoCAD for Dummies, Bill Fane (Vancouver, BC, CANADA),is a retired professional engineer and mechanical design instructor. He taught classes on AutoCAD as well as several other design tools. Bill is a contributor to Cadalyst magazine

Sample Chapters

autocad for dummies

CHEAT SHEET

It's not enough to draw nice-looking lines anymore. If you want to compete in the AutoCAD realm, you need to carefully organize the objects you draw, their properties, and the files in which they reside.This guide provides basic information and tools for the AutoCAD drawing setup, keyboard shortcuts in AutoCAD, and the AutoCAD drawing scale and limits—without putting a T-square through your computer screen in frustration.

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Articles from
the book

You may have already figured out that your mother never told you about a few necessary principles for living your life. Well, AutoCAD has a few principles that are carefully guarded secrets as well. Contained below are ten additional AutoCAD subjects that you will want to explore on your own to truly make the most of your software.
Many modification techniques and AutoCAD commands that you use in 2D drafting can be applied to 3D modeling. In addition, a specialized set of 3D editing commands is available in AutoCAD. All these AutoCAD commands are in the Modify panel on the Home tab when the 3D Modeling workspace is current. Selecting subobjects in AutoCAD Three-dimensional objects themselves are complex objects that can be made up of several hundred, or perhaps even thousands, of objects.
In AutoCAD, setting limits correctly lets you display the drawing grid over your working area, among other things. The following table lists the dimensions for different paper sizes at different drawing scales.
If you prefer to work in millimeters when using AutoCAD, you still want to set your limits correctly. This allows you to display the drawing grid over your working area, among other things. Here are the dimensions for different paper sizes at different drawing scales.
AutoCAD’s drawing setup can seem complicated at first. The following table lists the fundamental setup commands you should use to set up your drawings, what they do, and various ways to find them.
It's not enough to draw nice-looking lines anymore. If you want to compete in the AutoCAD realm, you need to carefully organize the objects you draw, their properties, and the files in which they reside.This guide provides basic information and tools for the AutoCAD drawing setup, keyboard shortcuts in AutoCAD, and the AutoCAD drawing scale and limits—without putting a T-square through your computer screen in frustration.
AutoCAD can be your best friend. The latest version of AutoCAD is packed full of 3D tricks. Use the information below to make the most of AutoCAD. Would you believe that it took less than five minutes to produce the image below? An AutoCAD drawing, in less than five minutes!Follow these steps to produce a 2D view from a 3D model: Click the Workspace Switching button on the status bar, and then choose 3D Modeling.
AutoCAD has been around since the 1980s. Needless to say, there are quite a few AutoCAD version floating around. To take full advantage of AutoCAD in your work environment, be aware of the DWG file format — the format in which AutoCAD saves drawings. Here are some DWG facts to keep in mind: In many cases, an older release of AutoCAD can’t open a DWG file that’s been saved by a newer AutoCAD release.
The days of sending drawings are largely gone and, just as AutoCAD provides new tools for modern design, the web gives you options for sharing your drawings. Now remember, the web is changing so quickly that it’s almost impossible to spell out exactly how everything works and what’s best for you when it comes to sharing your AutoCAD files.
Since AutoCAD came into almost 40 years ago, the one input method that's remained constant is typing into the command line. The following table lists useful keyboard shortcuts for AutoCAD.
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Frequently Asked Questions

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