AutoCAD Express

This book guides the new AutoCAD user through the important features of the programming language to produce drawings quickly and accurately. It is intended to be an instructional book. It starts by explaining what AutoCAD is and how it fits into the general CAD field, and how it compares with other micro-based CAD systems. A variety of aspects are covered, from starting up, cursor display control, drawing and editing, to printing, plotting and increasing the productivity of AutoCAD. Particular guidance is given on potential pitfalls and how to avoid them. Worked examples throughout the text illustrate various commands and are coordinated to produce a recognisable drawing by the end of the book. The author is a lecturer in CAD at the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. He has extensive experience in training students in the use of AutoCAD. What is AutoCAD? With well over 200,000 copies of the program sold, AutoCAD is the world's most popular computer aided drafting package for the personal computer (PC). It is a fully functional2D CAD program. Full 3D wire frame representa­ tion was incorporated in the program with the launch of Release 10 in 1988. Its popularity has made AutoCAD the de facto industry standard for PC-CAD with a host of other program developers providing application software confor­ ming to the AutoCAD format. As a fully functional drafting program, AutoCAD can achieve anything that can be drawn on a drawing board. The main benefits of CAD come more from being able to edit and exchange drawing information rapidly rather than simply replacing the drawing board. Starting to use AutoCAD is a difficult step as it requires a certain amount of new skill development. Once you have made the commitment to learn how to use the program and implement it in your every­ day work the benefits will soon accrue. You will quickly discover that there are many things that you can do with AutoCAD that you could never do with a drawing board. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Introduction....Pages 1-5 Starting AutoCAD....Pages 7-31 Cursor and Display Control....Pages 33-55 Drawing and Editing....Pages 57-82 Constructive Editing....Pages 83-111 Super-Entities....Pages 113-143 Advanced Drawing and Dimensioning....Pages 145-169 Adding Depth to Your Drawings with 3D CAD....Pages 171-208 The Hard Copy — Printing and Plotting....Pages 209-226 Bespoke AutoCAD....Pages 227-245 AutoLISP as a Practical Tool....Pages 247-268 Add-On Programs for AutoCAD....Pages 269-285 Back Matter....Pages 287-312 Contents: Introduction Starting Autocad Cursor and display control Drawing and editing Constructive editing Super-entities Advanced drawing and dimensioning Adding depth to your drawings with 3D CAD The Hardcopy - Printing and Plotting Bespoke AutoCAD AutoLISP as a practical tool Add-on programs for AutoCAD Appendix A: Configuration Appendix B: Hints and hiccups Glossary Subject Index. Guides new AutoCAD users through the important features of the programming language, enabling them to produce drawings quickly and accurately. Worked examples throut the text illustrate various commands and are co-ordinated towards the production of a recognizable drawing by the end of the book.