The AutoCAD Interface

When you first start AutoCAD, the initial screen contains the menu bar at the top, the status bar at the bottom, the drawing window, the command window and several tool bars. Tool bars contain icons that represent commands. The menu bar contains the menu. The status bar displays the cursor coordinates and the status the modes such as Grip, Snap, OSnap, OTrack, etc. Mode names are always visible in the status bar as selectable buttons. Double click to turn it on.

Utility commands

New

New lets you start a new drawing from scratch or use an existing drawing as a template for a new drawing.

To create a new drawing—Command line: New, Ctrl+N

Menu: File → New

Options

• Open a Drawing: Use Open a Drawing to locate and open the first AutoCAD drawing in your session.
• Start from Scratch: Use the Start from Scratch button for a drawing setup that allows you to start a drawing quickly with either English or Metric settings.
• Use a Template: Starts a drawing based on a template.
• Use a Wizard: Click Use a Wizard and choose between quick setup or advance setup. The quick setup wizard contains two pages: units and area. The advanced setup box offers three additional pages: angle, angle measures and angle direction. Each page displays a preview window showing the results of your selection.

Save

Save stores your currently open file to disk.

Command line: Save

Menu: File → Save

Save As

Save As saves an unnamed drawing with a filename or allows you to rename your drawing, making it to another drawing.

Command line: Save As

Menu: File → Save As

Open

Open lets you open an existing drawing.

Command line: Open, Ctrl+O

Menu: File → Open

Options

• Read only: Check this box if you wish to open a drawing in read-only mode. Drawings that are opened in read-only mode can be edited and saved to a new name. You cannot save changes to the drawing in the original name.
• Partial open: Opens the partial open dialog, allowing you to partially load layers and a saved view from a drawing saved in the current release of AutoCAD.

Line

Line draws simple lines – either a single line or a series of line segments end to end.

To draw a line—Command line: Line L

Menu: Draw Line

1. Specify first point: Select a point to begin the line.
2. Specify next point: Select the line end point, or press U to remove the last line segment drawn.
3. Specify next point or (Close/Undo): Continue to select points to draw consecutive lines, press to exit or enter an option.

C: Closes a series of lines, connecting the last start point and the last end point with a line.

X-Line

X-Line allows you to create construction lines anywhere in 3D space. By default X-Line creates an infinite line based on two input points.

To draw an X-Line—Command line: X-Line, xl

Menu: construction line

1. Specify a point or (Hor/Ver/Ang/Bisect/Offset): Pick a first point or select an option like midpoint.
2. Specify through point: Pick a second point or enter coordinates to orient the X-line. Continue to pick additional lines through points as required to create additional construction lines radiating from a point.

Options

• Hor/Ver: Draws a construction line parallel to the x-axis (Hor) or y-axis (Ver). You need only pick single points to define X lines of this type.
• Ang: Draw an x line at a specified angle to the X-axis by either entering an angle value or by dynamically picking two points.
• Bisect: Creates a construction line that bisects a specified angle. First, pick the angle vertex point and then mark the lines of the angle.
• Offset: Draws a construction line parallel to a selected line object at a specified offset. First, specify the offset by picking two points or entering a numeric value. Then, select a line object and pick a point to indicate the side on which to offset the construction line.

Ray

Ray creates the semi-infinite lines that are generally used as construction lines in a drawing. The ray extends from a selected point to infinity.

Command line: Ray

Menu: Draw → Ray

1. Specify start point: specify a start point for the ray.
2. Specify through point: specify the point through which you want the ray to pass.
3. Continue to specify points to create multiple rays.

Circle

Circle offers several methods for drawing a circle, the default being to choose a center point and enter or pick a diameter or radius.

Command: Circle, C

Menu: Draw Circle Center, Radius / Center, Diameter / 2Points / 3Points / Tan, Tan, Radius / Tan, Tan, Tan

1. Specify center point of the circle or (3P/2P/Ttr): pick a centre point or enter an option.
2. Specify radius of circle or (Diameter): Provide a radius by dynamically dragging, entering a value or pressing the letter D to display the prompt and then specify the diameter of the circle.

Options

• 3P (3 Points): Allows you to define a circle based on three points. Once you select this option, you are prompted for a first point, second and third point. The circle will pass through these three points.
• 2P (2 Points): Allows you to define a circle based on two points. Once you select this option, you are prompted for a first point and a second point. The two points will be the opposite ends of the diameter.
• Ttr (Tangent, Tangent, Radius): Allows you to define a circle based on two tangent points and a radius. The tangent points can be lines, arcs or circles.

Arc

Arc allows you to draw an arc using a variety of methods.

Command line: Arc, A

Menu: Draw → Arc

Options

• Angle: Enters an arc in terms of degrees or current angular units. At the prompt, Specify included angle, you can enter the angle value or use the cursor to select angle points onscreen.
• Center: Enters the location of an arc’s center point. At the prompt, Specify center point of arc, enter a coordinate or pick a point with your cursor.
• Direction: Enters a tangent direction from the start point of an arc. At the prompt, Specify tangent direction for the start point of arc, enter a relative coordinate or pick a point with your cursor.
• End: Enters the end point of an arc. At the prompt, Specify end point of arc, enter a coordinate or pick a point with your cursor.
• Chord length: Enters the length of an arc’s chord. At the prompt, Specify length of chord, enter a length or drag and pick a length with your cursor.
• Radius: Enters an arc radius. At the prompt, Specify radius of arc, enter a radius or pick a point that defines a radius length.

Ellipse

Ellipse draws an ellipse for which you specify the major and minor axes, a center point and two axis points or it draws the center point and the radius or diameter of an isometric circle. It also lets you define a second projection of a 3D circle by using the Rotation option.

Command line: Ellipse, El

Menu: Draw → Ellipse Center/Axis, End/Arc

Options

• Axis Endpoint: Allows you to enter the endpoint of one ellipse axes. Other endpoints of the axis appear after you have defined one point of the ellipse axes. Enter the distance from the center of the ellipse to the second axis point.
• Center: Allows you to pick the center point of ellipse.
• Arc: Creates an elliptical arc. The angle of the first axis determines the angle of the arc.