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Published:
March 15, 2022

AutoCAD For Dummies

Overview

The bestselling AutoCAD book—revised and updated!

It takes some practice to get handy with AutoCAD—and it doesn't hurt to have a good guide by your side to help get you through the rough spots. Updated to cover AutoCAD releases through the 2017 version, this new edition of AutoCAD For Dummies is an ideal companion when you're learning the basics of the popular software. Written by a former engineer and AutoCAD teacher, the book walks you through the basics of setting up projects and making simple drawings all the way up to creating 3D models.

Beginning with an overview of the AutoCAD interface, drawing tools, and ways to adjust your view of your work, AutoCAD For Dummies offers easy-to-follow guidance on using straight and curved lines to manage properties, object selection, and creating layouts. Next, it shows you how to use advanced AutoCAD tools, including Blocks, Arrays, Xrefs, and Parametrics. Finally, you'll find out how to move your work in to the wonderful world of 3D modeling.

  • Create an AutoCAD project from the ground up
  • Make and edit basic drawings starting with straight lines and curves
  • Jump into advanced drawing with 3D modeling
  • Find quick answers to your AutoCAD questions

It's true that AutoCAD is tough, but with the friendly instruction in this hands-on guide, you'll find everything you need to start creating marvelous models—without losing your cool.

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About The Author

Bill Fane is a retired professional engineer and mechanical design instructor. He has taught classes on AutoCAD and other design tools, and contributes regularly 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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