CHAPTER I
Introduction to AutoCAD
HISTORY OF AUTOCAD
AutoCAD is a software application for 2D and 3D computer-aided design
(CAD) and drafting — available since 1982 as a desktop application and since 2010 as a
mobile web- and cloud-based app marketed as AutoCAD 360.
Developed and marketed by Autodesk, Inc., AutoCAD was first released in
December 1982 — having been purchased a year prior in its original form by Autodesk
founder John Walker. The software is marketed in its eighteenth generation.
As Autodesk's flagship product, by March 1986 AutoCAD had become the most
ubiquitous microcomputer design program worldwide, with functions such as "polylines"
and "curve fitting". Prior to the introduction of AutoCAD, most other CAD programs ran
on mainframe computers orminicomputers, with each CAD operator (user) working at a
graphical terminal or workstation.
AutoCAD is used across a range of industries, including architects, project
managers and engineers, among other professions, with 750 training centers
established worldwide as of 1994.
AutoCAD was derived from a program begun in 1977 and released in
1979 called Interact CAD, also referred to in early Autodesk documents as MicroCAD,
which was written prior to Autodesk's (then Marinchip Software Partners) formation by
Autodesk cofounder Mike Riddle. The 2015 release marked the 29th major release for
the AutoCAD for Windows. The 2014 release marked the fourth consecutive year for
AutoCAD for Mac. (AutoCAD, 2014)
AUTOCAD 2012 USER INTERFACE
TOOLBARS AND ITS FUNCTIONS
1. Title Bar – the top most of the AutoCAD interface that contains the file name of the drawing and the
AutoCAD icon.
2. Pull Down Menus Toobar – contains almost the rest of the toolbars, located next to the title bar.
3. Styles Toolbar – the setting of styles use for text, dimension, table and multi-leader.
4. Workspaces – A workspace changes the display of ribbons and toolbars.
5. Layer Toolbar – Use for organizing the different elements or parts of the drawing.
6. Properties Toolbar – contains the line type, color and lineweight of the drawing.
7. Draw Toolbar – contains the basic objects in drawing.
8. Modify Toolbar – contains commands use for modifying or editing drawing.
TOOLBARS AND ITS FUNCTIONS
Command Line – contains the commands that the user type or encode to carry out specific
task.
Drafting Setting – contains snap & grid, polar tracking, object snap, 3d object snap and a lot
more.
Starting AutoCAD
OPEN – opens an existing drawing file.
Start from Scratch – start and use either Metric or English measurement.
Start from Template – start drawing area with an existing template with all dimensions, title,
blocks and font settings already defined.
Start Using Wizard – wizard will guide you in a step by step procedure on how set up the
drawing area.
Using Button Functions of a Mouse
1. Left Button /click (pressing once the left button) – pick or point button, use to specify a position
or point location and to select commands, objects and menus.
2. Right Button or Right click shortcut – rapid access to the available menu options.
3. Roll scroll forward – zoom in.
4. Roll scroll backward – zoom out.
5. Press and hold the scroll – pan.
Function Keys
F1 – Help
F2 – Toggle to switch text window.
F5 – Isoplane rotation
F6 – Dynamic UCS (On or Off)
F7 – Grid (On or Off)
F8 – Ortho mode (On or Off)
F9 – Snap mode (On or Off)
User Coordinating System (UCS)
Two Kinds of UCS icon
1. 2D ucs icon – two dimension using the x and y axes.
2. 3D ucs icon – three dimensions using the x, y and z axes.
The UCS icons are used as the basis for the orientation of the object drawn and
represent the “Geometry” of the drawing.
Two Types of Coordinating System
1. Cartesian Coordinating System
– illustrate the four quadrants of x and y.
Two Types of Coordinating System
2. Polar Coordinating System – provides the distance and angle direction.
Classification of Coordinating System
1. Absolute Coordinates – gives the exact x and y value to create the drawing.
Example (3, 5) x = 3 and y = 5.
2. Relative Coordinates – start the drawing using the @ sign followed by x and y
value (@ 4,5).
3. Relative Polar Coordinates – start the drawing using the @ sign, then distance
followed by < symbol, then value of angle. Example (@ 4<45), distance = 4 and
angle = 45.
4. Direct Distance Entry – start the drawing using the cross hair cursor pointing to the
direction: horizontally, vertically and the angle direction.
