List of Sidebars

Chapter 1: This Is AutoCAD

Message to Veteran AutoCAD Users

If You Can't Find the UCS Icon

Communicating with AutoCAD

Terminology to Remember: Cascading Menu

Menus versus the Keyboard

The Aerial View Window

Chapter 2: Creating Your First Drawing

Working with Toolbars

Getting Out of Trouble

A Fast Way to Enter Distances

Cleaning Up the Screen

Controlling the Status Bar Display

Other Selection Options

A Quick Summary of the Grips Feature

Chapter 3: Learning the Tools of the Trade

Using the Imperial and Metric Examples

Things to Watch Out for When Entering Distances

The Ortho Mode

Architects and Their Symbols

Selecting Close or Overlapping Objects

Making Adjustments to the AutoSnap Feature

The Osnap Options

Using AutoCAD's Automatic Save Feature

Rectangle Options

Using Osnap Tracking and Polar Tracking Together

Chapter 4: Organizing Your Work

Symbols for Projects Large and Small

Restoring Objects That Have Been Removed by the Make Block Tool or the Block Command

An Alternative to Blocks

Getting Multiple Uses from a Drawing Using Layers

Understanding Object Properties

Controlling Colors and Line Types of Blocked Objects

Other Layer Options

Setting Individual Colors, Line Types, and Line-Type Scales

Managing Symbols and Settings with the Tool Palette and the DesignCenter

Chapter 5: Editing for Productivity

Opening a File as Read-Only

Making Random Multiple Copies

Importing Settings from External Reference Files

Understanding the Osnap Tracking Vector

Other Methods for Using the Break Command

The Xline Options

Quickly Setting the Current Layer to That of an Existing Object

Chapter 6: Enhancing Your Drawing Skills

Creating Multiple Views

Opening a File to a Particular View

Substituting Blocks

How to Quickly Match a Hatch Pattern and Other Properties

Importing Blocks, Layers, and Other Named Elements from External Files

External References in the San Francisco Main Library Project

Special Save As Options That Affect Demand Loading

Chapter 7: Printing, Plotting, and Layouts

Controlling the Appearance of the Layout Tabs

Lineweights Past and Present

Colors and Line Weights in the San Francisco Main Library

ISO Pen Widths

Converting a Drawing from Color Plot Styles to Named Plot Styles

Plotting Image Files and Converting 3D to 2D

Understanding the Plott and Publish Tab in the Options Dialog Box

Chapter 8: Adding Text to Drawings

Using PostScript Fonts

Importing Text Files

The Textfill System Variable

Keeping Text from Mirroring

Adding Graphics to Table Cells

Making Substitutions for Missing Fonts

Manipulating Text Beyond Labels

Chapter 9: Using Dimensions

Fitting Text and Arrows in Tight Places

Using Grids in Architectural Dimensions

Making Changes to Multiple Dimensions

Modifying the Dimension Style Settings by Using Override

Understanding the Stretch Command

Understanding the Power of the Properties Palette

Chapter 10: AttributesStoring Data with Graphics

Understanding Attribute Definition Modes

Using Spaces in Attribute Values

Common Uses for Attributes

Using a Template File

Chapter 11: Copying Pre-existing Drawings into AutoCAD

Tracing with Tablets

Calibrating More Than Two Points

Scanning a Drawing

Tips for Importing Raster Images

The Image Manager Box Options

Chapter 12: Power Editing

Quick Access to Your Favorite Commands

Displaying Grips of Objects within a Block

Singling Out Proximate Objects

Nesting External References and Using Overlays

Disappearing Viewports

Masking Out Parts of a Drawing

Paper Space and the San Francisco Main Library Project

Chapter 13: Drawing Curves and Solid Fills

Turning Objects into Polylines and Polylines into Splines

Marking Off Intervals by Using Blocks Instead of Points

Chapter 14: Getting and Exchanging Data from Drawings

Recording Area Data in a Drawing File

Exchanging Files with Earlier Releases

Adding Sound, Motion, and Photos to Your Drawings

Chapter 15: Introducing 3D

The UCS Follows Your Orthogonal Views

Obscuredcolor and Obscuredltype Tips

Setting Layers and Hidden Lines Carefully

Things to Watch Out for When Editing 3D Objects

Chapter 16: Using Advanced 3D Features

Controlling the UCS Icon

Quick Hops to Your UCSs

Creating a 3D Mesh by Specifying Coordinates

Chapter 17: Rendering and Animating 3D Drawings

Improving the Smoothness of Circles and Arcs

Custom Object Types in AutoCAD

Chapter 18: Mastering 3D Solids

What Are Isolines?

Using the Command Line for Solids Editing

Creating a 2D Projection from Your 3D Model

Chapter 19: Introduction to Customization

Loading the Express Tools

Other Customization Options

Chapter 20: Integrating AutoCAD into Your Projects and Organization

Opening Toolbars from the Command Line

The Windows Menu Files

Loading AutoLISP Macros with Your Submenu

Chapter 21: Managing and Sharing Your Drawings

Using Your Web Space

Using the Favorites Tool in the AutoCAD File Dialog Boxes

Chapter 22: Keeping a Project Organized with Sheet Sets

Setting the Sheet Set Properties

Taking Advantage of Other Field Options