Launching AutoCAD
If you’ve already installed AutoCAD (see Appendix B, “Installing and Setting Up AutoCAD”)
and are ready to jump in and take a look, proceed with the following steps to launch the
program:
and are ready to jump in and take a look, proceed with the following steps to launch the
program:
1. Choose Start a All Programs a Autodesk a AutoCAD 2014 a AutoCAD 2014. You can
also double-click the AutoCAD 2014 icon on your Windows Desktop. AutoCAD LT users
will use AutoCAD LT 2014 in place of AutoCAD 2014.
2. The AutoCAD window displays a blank default document named Drawing1.dwg. Users
may see the Sheet Set Manager palette to the left of the AutoCAD window. AutoCAD LT
users may see the Info palette to the left of the AutoCAD window.
The AutoCAD Window
The AutoCAD program window is divided into several parts:
◆◆ Application menu
◆◆ Quick Access toolbar
◆◆ InfoCenter
◆◆ Ribbon
◆◆ Drawing tabs
◆◆ Drawing area
◆◆ UCS icon (User Coordinate System icon)
◆◆ Viewport Controls
◆◆ ViewCube®
◆◆ Navigation bar
◆◆ Command window
◆◆ Status bar
◆◆ Ribbon
◆◆ Drawing tabs
◆◆ Drawing area
◆◆ UCS icon (User Coordinate System icon)
◆◆ Viewport Controls
◆◆ ViewCube®
◆◆ Navigation bar
◆◆ Command window
◆◆ Status bar
Figure shows a typical layout of the AutoCAD program window. You can organize
the AutoCAD window into any arrangement you want and save it as a workspace. You can
save and recall a workspace at any time using the Workspace Switching tool in the Quick
Access toolbar. (You’ll learn more about this tool in the next chapter.) The default workspace
in Figure is called the Drafting & Annotation workspace and is one of several workspaces
built into AutoCAD.
the AutoCAD window into any arrangement you want and save it as a workspace. You can
save and recall a workspace at any time using the Workspace Switching tool in the Quick
Access toolbar. (You’ll learn more about this tool in the next chapter.) The default workspace
in Figure is called the Drafting & Annotation workspace and is one of several workspaces
built into AutoCAD.
Figure 2 shows the AutoCAD 3D Modeling workspace, which has a different set of Ribbon
panels. It also shows an AutoCAD drawing file using one of the 3D modeling templates in
AutoCAD. Beneath these external changes, the underlying program is the same.
panels. It also shows an AutoCAD drawing file using one of the 3D modeling templates in
AutoCAD. Beneath these external changes, the underlying program is the same.
You’ll learn more about workspaces and templates later in this chapter and in Chapter 26,
“Customizing Toolbars, Menus, Linetypes, and Hatch Patterns.”
In the upper-left corner of the AutoCAD program window, the red AutoCAD icon displays
the Application menu, which offers a set of options not directly related to drawing; we’ll
elaborate on this menu in the next section. The Quick Access toolbar at the top of the drawing
area (shown in Figure 1.3) includes the basic file-handling functions that you find in nearly
all Windows programs.
“Customizing Toolbars, Menus, Linetypes, and Hatch Patterns.”
In the upper-left corner of the AutoCAD program window, the red AutoCAD icon displays
the Application menu, which offers a set of options not directly related to drawing; we’ll
elaborate on this menu in the next section. The Quick Access toolbar at the top of the drawing
area (shown in Figure 1.3) includes the basic file-handling functions that you find in nearly
all Windows programs.
The drawing area occupies most of the screen. Everything you draw appears in this area. As
you move your mouse around, crosshairs appear to move within the drawing area. This is the drawing cursor that lets you point to locations in the drawing area. You’ll get your first chance
to work with the drawing area later, in the section “Picking Points in the Drawing Area.”
Just above the drawing area are the Drawing tabs that let you create new drawings or switch
between open drawings in a way similar to popular web browsers. Notice the “x” in the current
tab that lets you close the current drawing, and the plus icon just to the right of the tab that lets you
create a new drawing or open an existing one. When you click the plus icon, the Select Template
dialog box appears, allowing you to start a new drawing. Right-click on the plus icon, and a context
menu opens that offers you the option to open an existing drawing, to save all of the currently
open drawings, or to close all of the drawings.
If you hover over the Drawing tab, you’ll see preview images of the model and layouts of the
drawing. You’ll learn more about model and layout spaces later in this chapter.
you move your mouse around, crosshairs appear to move within the drawing area. This is the drawing cursor that lets you point to locations in the drawing area. You’ll get your first chance
to work with the drawing area later, in the section “Picking Points in the Drawing Area.”
Just above the drawing area are the Drawing tabs that let you create new drawings or switch
between open drawings in a way similar to popular web browsers. Notice the “x” in the current
tab that lets you close the current drawing, and the plus icon just to the right of the tab that lets you
create a new drawing or open an existing one. When you click the plus icon, the Select Template
dialog box appears, allowing you to start a new drawing. Right-click on the plus icon, and a context
menu opens that offers you the option to open an existing drawing, to save all of the currently
open drawings, or to close all of the drawings.
If you hover over the Drawing tab, you’ll see preview images of the model and layouts of the
drawing. You’ll learn more about model and layout spaces later in this chapter.
Within the drawing area, you see several items along the side and in the corners. The UCS
icon appears in the lower-left corner. You’ll learn more about the UCS icon in a moment (see the
section “Using the UCS Icon”). In the upper-right corner, you see the ViewCube. The ViewCube is
primarily for 3D modeling, and you’ll learn more about it in Chapter 21, “Creating 3D Drawings.”
You’ll also see a Navigation bar along the right edge of the AutoCAD window. This bar offers
tools you can use to get around in your drawing. Basic tools like Zoom and Pan can be found
here as well as some advanced tools for viewing 3D models.
The Viewport controls in the upper-left corner of the drawing area offer menu options to
control 3D and 2D views and visual styles and duplicate some of the functions of the ViewCube.
You’ll learn more about the Viewport controls when you explore 3D modeling in Chapter 25,
“Exploring 3D Mesh and Surface Modeling.”
Just below the drawing area in the lower-left corner are the Model and Layout tabs. These
tabs enable you to switch quickly between different types of views called the model and layout
views. You’ll get to see firsthand how these work in a section called “Working with AutoCAD”
later in this chapter.
The Command window, located just below the drawing area, gives you feedback about the
AutoCAD commands as you use them. You can move and resize this window just as you move
and resize other display components. By default, the Command window is in its undocked position,
as shown in Figure We’ll elaborate on the Command window in the section “Working
in the Command Window” later in this chapter.
The Command
window and the
status bar
Model and
icon appears in the lower-left corner. You’ll learn more about the UCS icon in a moment (see the
section “Using the UCS Icon”). In the upper-right corner, you see the ViewCube. The ViewCube is
primarily for 3D modeling, and you’ll learn more about it in Chapter 21, “Creating 3D Drawings.”
You’ll also see a Navigation bar along the right edge of the AutoCAD window. This bar offers
tools you can use to get around in your drawing. Basic tools like Zoom and Pan can be found
here as well as some advanced tools for viewing 3D models.
The Viewport controls in the upper-left corner of the drawing area offer menu options to
control 3D and 2D views and visual styles and duplicate some of the functions of the ViewCube.
You’ll learn more about the Viewport controls when you explore 3D modeling in Chapter 25,
“Exploring 3D Mesh and Surface Modeling.”
Just below the drawing area in the lower-left corner are the Model and Layout tabs. These
tabs enable you to switch quickly between different types of views called the model and layout
views. You’ll get to see firsthand how these work in a section called “Working with AutoCAD”
later in this chapter.
The Command window, located just below the drawing area, gives you feedback about the
AutoCAD commands as you use them. You can move and resize this window just as you move
and resize other display components. By default, the Command window is in its undocked position,
as shown in Figure We’ll elaborate on the Command window in the section “Working
in the Command Window” later in this chapter.
The Command
window and the
status bar
Model and
Below the Command window is the status bar (also shown in Figure 1.4). The status bar gives
you information at a glance about the state of the drawing. For example, the coordinate readout
at the far left of the status bar tells you the location of your cursor. The tools in the status bar
offer aids to the drafting process.
you information at a glance about the state of the drawing. For example, the coordinate readout
at the far left of the status bar tells you the location of your cursor. The tools in the status bar
offer aids to the drafting process.
Using the Application Menu
The Application menu offers tools to help you manage your AutoCAD files. It is basically the
File pull-down menu from previous versions of AutoCAD. Try it out to see how it works:
1. Click the Application menu icon in the upper-left corner of the AutoCAD window. A list
of options appears.
2. Move the cursor slowly down the list of options in the left column. As you highlight the
options, additional options appear in a column to the right.
3. Highlight the Export option to see the various formats available for export
File pull-down menu from previous versions of AutoCAD. Try it out to see how it works:
1. Click the Application menu icon in the upper-left corner of the AutoCAD window. A list
of options appears.
2. Move the cursor slowly down the list of options in the left column. As you highlight the
options, additional options appear in a column to the right.
3. Highlight the Export option to see the various formats available for export
The Application menu also gives you a convenient way to find recently used files or to get to
a file you already have open. If you move your cursor away from the list of options to the left in
the Application menu, you’ll see Recent Documents in the upper-left portion of the menu. You’ll
also see two icon tools, named Open Documents and Recent Documents (see Figure 1.6).
The Open Documents option lets you quickly change from one open file to another when you
are viewing your files full-screen. The Recent Documents option displays a list of documents on
which you’ve recently worked.
You can use the View tool in the upper-right portion of the Application menu to select the way
the list of files is displayed in a manner similar to the way you would use the Windows Explorer
View option. You can click this icon and select Small Images to have the list display the files with
thumbnail images of their content. Hover over a filename and you will see a tool tip that displays
a larger thumbnail of the drawing.
a file you already have open. If you move your cursor away from the list of options to the left in
the Application menu, you’ll see Recent Documents in the upper-left portion of the menu. You’ll
also see two icon tools, named Open Documents and Recent Documents (see Figure 1.6).
The Open Documents option lets you quickly change from one open file to another when you
are viewing your files full-screen. The Recent Documents option displays a list of documents on
which you’ve recently worked.
You can use the View tool in the upper-right portion of the Application menu to select the way
the list of files is displayed in a manner similar to the way you would use the Windows Explorer
View option. You can click this icon and select Small Images to have the list display the files with
thumbnail images of their content. Hover over a filename and you will see a tool tip that displays
a larger thumbnail of the drawing.
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