Introduction to Auto: CAD 2008. 2D and 3D Design

356 Pages·2007·32.74 MB·English

Prelims-H8512.qxd 12/4/07 8:26 PM Page xi
Preface
The purpose of writing this book is to produce a text suitable for those in
Further and/or Higher Education who are required to learn how to use the
CAD software package AutoCAD® 2008. Students taking examinations
based on computer-aided design will find the contents of the book of
great assistance. The book is also suitable for those in industry who wish
to learn how to construct technical drawings with the aid of AutoCAD
2008 and those who, having used previous releases of AutoCAD, wish to
update their skills in the use of AutoCAD.
The chapters dealing with two-dimensional (2D) drawing will also be
suitable for those who wish to learn how to use AutoCAD LT 2008, the
2D version of this latest release of AutoCAD.
Many readers using AutoCAD 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 or 2007 will
find the book’s contents largely suitable for use with those versions of
AutoCAD, although AutoCAD 2008 has enhancements over AutoCAD
2002,2004,2005,2006 and 2007 (see Chapter 21).
The contents of the book are basically a graded course of work, con-
sisting of chapters giving explanations and examples of methods of con-
structions, followed by exercises which allow the reader to practise what
has been learned in each chapter. The first 12 chapters are concerned with
constructing technical drawings in 2D. These are followed by chapters
detailing the construction of three-dimensional (3D) solid drawings and
rendering. The two final chapters describe the Internet tools of AutoCAD
2008 and the place of AutoCAD in the design process. The book finishes
with three appendices: printing and plotting; a list of tools with their
abbreviations; a list of some of the set variables upon which AutoCAD
2008 is based.
AutoCAD 2008 is very complex computer-aided design (CAD) soft-
ware package. A book of this size cannot possibly cover the complexities
of all the methods for constructing 2D and 3D drawings available when
working with AutoCAD 2008. However, it is hoped that by the time the
reader has worked through the contents of the book, they will be suffi-
ciently skilled with the methods of producing drawing with the software,
will be able to go on to more advanced constructions with its use,and will
have gained an interest in the more advanced possibilities available when
using AutoCAD.
Alf Yarwood
Salisbury 2007
xi
Prelims-H8512.qxd 12/4/07 8:26 PM Page xii
Registered Trademarks
Autodesk®and AutoCAD®are registered in the US Patent and Trademark
Office by Autodesk Inc.
Windows®is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation.
Alf Yarwood is an Autodesk authorised author and a member of the
Autodesk Advanced Developer Network.
xii
Ch01-H8512.qxd 4/11/07 4:05 AM Page 3
CHAPTER 1
Introducing AutoCAD 2008
Aim of this chapter
The contents of this chapter are designed to introduce features of the
AutoCAD 2008 window and methods of operating AutoCAD 2008.
Opening AutoCAD 2008
AutoCAD 2008 is designed to work in a Windows operating system. In
general,to open AutoCAD 2008,either double-clickon the AutoCAD 2008
Fig.1.1 The AutoCAD 2008
shortcut icon on the Windows shortcut in the Windows desktop (Fig. 1.1), or right-click on the icon, fol-
desktop lowed by a left-clickon Openin the menu which then appears (Fig. 1.2).
Fig.1.2 The right-clickmenu which
appears from the shortcut icon
When working in education or in industry, computers may be config-
ured to allow other methods of opening AutoCAD, such as a list appear-
ing on the computer in use when the computer is switched on,from which
the operator can select the program they wish to use.
3
Ch01-H8512.qxd 4/11/07 4:05 AM Page 4
4 Introduction to AutoCAD 2008
When AutoCAD 2008 is opened a window appears, depending
upon whether a 3D Modeling, Classic AutoCAD or a 2D Drafting &
Annotation workspace has been used previously. In this example the 2D
Drafting & Annotationworkspace is shown and includes the drop-down
menu from which a choice of the AutoCAD workspace to be opened
can be made (Fig. 1.3). This 2D Drafting & Annotation workspace
shows:
Fig.1.3 The AutoCAD 2008
2DDrafting & Annotation
workspace with its various parts
Standard Annotation toolbar (Fig. 1.4) docked at the top of the Auto-
CAD window under the Menu bar.
Fig.1.4 The tools in the
Standard Annotationtoolbar
Workspacestoolbar (Fig. 1.5) to the left of Standard Annotation.
Ch01-H8512.qxd 4/11/07 4:05 AM Page 5
Introducing AutoCAD 2008 5
Fig.1.5 The Workspace
Settingsdialog appearing when
the Workspace Settings... icon
of the Workspacestoolbar is
clicked
Command palette can be dragged from its position at the bottom of the
AutoCAD window into the AutoCAD drawing area, when it can be
seen as a palette (Fig. 1.6). As with all palettes,an AutoHideicon and
a right-clickmenu is included:
Fig.1.6 The command palette
when draggedfrom its position
atthe bottom of the AutoCAD
window
DASHBOARD palette showing a number of Control panels. In Fig. 1.7
the names of the tools in the 2D Drawcontrol panel are included.
Menu bar and menus: The menu bar is situated under the title bar
and contains names of menus from which commands can be selected.
Fig. 1.8 shows the View drop-down menu which appears with a left-
click on the name. Left-click 3D Views in the drop-down menu and a
submenu appears, from which other sub-menus can be selected if
required.
Ch01-H8512.qxd 4/11/07 4:05 AM Page 6
6 Introduction to AutoCAD 2008
Fig.1.7 The tools in the 2D
Drawcontrol panel
The mouse as a digitiser
Many operators working in AutoCAD will use a two-button mouse as the
digitiser. There are other digitisers which may be used – pucks with
tablets, a three-button mouse etc. Fig. 1.9 shows a mouse which has two
buttons and a wheel.
To operate this mouse pressing the Pick buttonis a left-click. Pressing
the Returnbutton is a right-click. Pressing the Returnbutton usually has
the same result as pressing the Enterkey of the keyboard.
When the wheel is pressed drawings in the AutoCAD screen can
be panned. Moving the wheel forward enlarges (zooms in) the draw-
ing on screen. Moving the wheel backwards reduces the size of a
drawing.
The pick box at the intersection of the cursor hairs moves with the
cursor hairs in response to movements of the mouse. The AutoCAD
window as shown in Fig. 1.3 includes cursor hairs which stretch
across the drawing in both horizontal and vertical directions. Some
operators prefer cursors hairs to be shorter. The length of the cursor
hairs can be adjusted in the Display sub-menu of the Options dialog
(page 10).
Ch01-H8512.qxd 4/11/07 4:05 AM Page 7
Introducing AutoCAD 2008 7
Fig.1.8 Menus and sub-menus
Palettes
A palette has already been shown – the Command palette. Two palettes
which may be frequently used are the DesignCenter palette and the
Properties palette. These can be called to screen from icons in the
Standard Annotation toolbar. The icon for the DesignCenter is shown
in Fig. 1.10.
DesignCenter palette: Fig. 1.11 shows the palette showing the
Block drawings of electronics circuit symbols from an AutoCAD
directory DesignCenter from which the drawing file Basic Elec-
tronics has been selected. An electronics symbol drawing can be
dragged from the DesignCenter for inclusion in a drawing under
construction.
Propertiespalette:Fig. 1.12 shows the Propertiespalette,also called
Fig.1.9 A two-button mouse from the Standard Annotation toolbar, in which the general and
Ch01-H8512.qxd 4/11/07 4:06 AM Page 8
8 Introduction to AutoCAD 2008
Fig.1.10 A left-clickon the
DesignCentericon brings the
DesignCenterpalette to screen
Fig.1.11 The DesignCenter
palette
geometrical features of a selected polyline are shown. The polyline
can be changed by the entering of new figures in parts of the
palette.
The DASHBOARD palette
Click on Tools in the menu bar and from the drop-down menu
which appears click Dashboard. The DASHBOARD palette appears
(Fig. 1.13). Right-click in the title bar of the palette and a popup
menu appears. Click on Control panels and click against names
which appear in the sub-menu. Parts of the DASHBOARD disappear
leaving only those control panels selected from the popup list.
Thiscanbe reduced in size by draggingat corners or edges,or hidden by
clickingon the Auto-hideicon,or moved by draggingon the Moveicon.
Ch01-H8512.qxd 4/11/07 4:06 AM Page 9
Introducing AutoCAD 2008 9
Fig.1.12 The Propertiespalette
Fig.1.13 The DASHBOARD
palette
Notes
1. Throughout this book tools will be shown as selected from the
DASHBOARD control panels. It will be seen in Chapter 3 that tools
can be ‘called’ in a variety of ways but, in the main, tools will be
selected from the control panels in the DASHBOARD.
2. For more details about the DASHBOARD,see page 18.
Dialogs
Dialogs are an important feature of AutoCAD 2008. Settings can be made
in many of the dialogs,files can be saved and opened,and changes can be
made to variables.
Examples of dialogs are shown in Figs 1.14 and 1.15. The first exam-
ple is taken from the Select Filedialog (Fig. 1.14),opened with a clickon
Open... in the File drop-down menu (Fig. 1.16). The second example
shows part of the Options dialog (Fig. 1.15) in which many settings can
be made to allow operators the choice of their methods of constructing
Ch01-H8512.qxd 4/11/07 4:06 AM Page 10
10 Introduction to AutoCAD 2008
Fig.1.14 The Select File dialog
Fig.1.15 Part of the Options
dialog