Autocad - Customize & Modify

When learning Autocad, it i important to be familiar with the basic toolbars and learning them can be tedious given the numerous icons and tools that you see when you open a window.

We were taught to click and drag toolbars into the main main layout just to see and familiarize ourselves with them. Also, you can disable toolbars that you don't need to unclutter your work space. This is helpful for beginners like me, who is easily confused by the icons in an Autocad layout area.

This can be done by clicking the Customize Menu and checking the toolbars you would want to use and you're more comfortable with. They do have keyboard options or shorcut keys, but based on experience this is way easier.


Modify Toolbar

This is one toolbar that is always present when i'm tinkering with Autocad. it contains the following:

Erase command: Keyboard – Erase , Short-cut – E

Copy command: Keyboard – Copy , Short-cut – CP

Mirror command: Keyboard – Mirror , Short-cut – MI

Offset command: Keyboard – Offset , Short-cut – O

Array command: Keyboard – Array , Short-cut – AR

Move command: Keyboard – Move , Short-cut – M

Rotate command: Keyboard – Rotate , Short-cut – RO

Scale command: Keyboard – Scale , Short-cut – SC

Stretch command: Keyboard – Stretch , Short-cut – S

Lengthen command: Keyboard – Lengthen , Short-cut – LEN

Trim command: Keyboard – Trim , Short-cut – TR

Extend command: Keyboard – Extend , Short-cut- EX

Break command: Keyboard – Break , Short-cut – BR


Chamfer command: Keyboard – Chamfer, Short-cut – CHA

Fillet command: Keyboard – Fillet , Short-cut – F

Explode command: Keyboard – Explode

Draw Polylines In AutoCAD

A polyline is a connected sequence of line segments created as a single object. You can create straight line segments, arc segments, or a combination of the two.

Multisegmented lines provide editing capabilities unavailable for single lines. For example, you can adjust their width and curvature. After you've created a polyline, you can edit it with PEDIT or use EXPLODE to convert it to individual line and arc segments. You can

• Convert a spline-fit polyline into a true spline with SPLINE
• Use closed polylines to create a polygon
• Create a polyline from the boundaries of overlapping objects

Create Arc Polylines

When you draw arc segments in a polyline, the first point of the arc is the endpoint of the previous segment. You can specify the angle, center point, direction, or radius of the arc. You can also complete the arc by specifying a second point and an endpoint.

Create Closed Polylines

You can draw a closed polyline to create a polygon. To close a polyline, specify the starting point of the last side of the object, enter c (Close), and press ENTER.

Create Wide Polylines

You can draw polylines of various widths by using the Width and Halfwidth options. You can set the width of individual segments and make them taper gradually from one width to another. These options become available after you specify a starting point for the polyline.

The Width and Halfwidth options set the width of the next polyline segments you draw. Zero (0) width produces a thin line. Widths greater than zero produce wide lines, which are filled if Fill mode is on and outlined if Fill mode is off. The Halfwidth option sets width by specifying the distance from the center of the wide polyline to an outside edge.

Taper

When you use the Width option, you are prompted for both a starting and an ending width. By entering different values, you can taper the polyline. The starting and ending points of wide polyline segments are in the center of the line. Intersections of adjacent wide segments are usually beveled. However, nontangent arc segments, acute angles, or segments that use a dash-dot linetype are not beveled.

Create Polylines from the Boundaries of Objects

You can create a polyline from the boundaries of overlapping objects that form a closed area. A polyline created using the boundary method is a separate object, distinct from the objects used to create it. You can edit it using the same methods used to edit other polylines.

To expedite the boundary selection process in large or complex drawings, you can specify a group of boundary candidates, called a boundary set. You create this set by selecting the objects you want to use define the boundary.

Source: AutoCAD 2008's User's Guide.

Drawing Lines In AutoCAD

In Autocad, you draw lines, whether, simple or spline curves to circles, by specifying points with the pointing device or by entering coordinate values at the command prompt.

To draw lines

1. Click Draw menu > Line.

2. At the Command prompt, enter line.

3. Specify the start point.
You can use the pointing device or enter coordinate values at the command prompt.

4. Complete the first line segment by specifying the endpoint.

5. To undo the previous line segment during the LINE command, enter u or click Undo on the toolbar.

6. Specify the endpoints of any additional line segments.

7. Press ENTER to end or c to close a series of line segments.

8. To start a new line at the endpoint of the last line drawn, start the LINE command again and press ENTER at the Specify Start Point prompt.



*Source: AutoCAD 2008's User Guide.

Autocad 2008 New Features Workshop

The good thing about the 2008 version for Autocad is, they have included a New features box. this is the first item you see when you open the program. You can choose to open it or reserve it for later on your free time.

Learning AutoCAD

It has been a while since my last update. Been trying to deal with a lot of things, decisions that need to be faced and projects that need to be undertaken.

One of them is honing my skills in Automated Computer-Aided Drafting and Design. I’m a frustrated Architect, frustrated Interior Designer. I should have taken any of the two courses in college instead of Majoring in Psychology.

Too much analysis of the Human Behavior leads to more problems making a person susceptible to unwarranted understanding and too much patience. Bad for relationships. Unless once has to specialize. Then at least you’ll get paid analyzing and being patient.

I prepared myself for it (the AutoCADD). I even attended a week training, travelling 45kms back and forth on the moped (benefit: I lost 4 pounds). It was a short-term hands-on course. Sort of an overview and theories of computer-aided drafting and design. It felt easy back then. We used the Autodesk Architectural Design 2007. Only to find out after the training that Autodesk released the 2008 version and lately the 2009 version (arghh!). Imagine my difficulty in familiarizing the new interface.

But this is so cool I tell you. I began plotting the dream house I’ll build in the future, and the furniture that goes with it. I haven’t mastered it though. I need countless work hours to really design with my eyes closed.

Now with the new releases, I had to start from scratch, learning the new tricks, and painstakingly so.