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The world's favorite guide to everything AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT-updated for 2019!

Mastering AutoCAD 2019 and AutoCAD LT 2019 is the world's all-time best-selling guide to the world's most popular drafting software. Packed with tips, tricks, techniques, and tutorials, this guide covers every inch of AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT-including certification. This new edition has been fully updated to align with the software's 2019 update, featuring the same expert instruction augmented by videos of crucial techniques. Step-by-step walk-throughs, concise explanations, specific examples and plenty of hands-on projects help you learn essential AutoCAD skills by working directly with the necessary tools-giving you a skill set that translates directly to on-the-job use.

AutoCAD is the dominant design and drafting software for 2D and 3D technical drawings, while AutoCAD LT is the more affordable version often used by students and hobbyists. Professional designers need complete command of the software's tools and functions, but a deeper exploration of more complex capabilities can help even hobbyists produce work at a higher level of technical proficiency. This book is your ultimate guide to AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, whether you're seeking certification or just looking to draw.

Get acquainted with the workspace and basic drafting tools
Gain greater control of your drawings with hatches, fields, fills, dynamic blocks, and curves
Explore the 3D modeling and imaging tools that bring your drawing to life
Customize AutoCAD to the way you work, integrate it with other software, and more
As certification preparation material, this book is Autodesk-endorsed; as a self-study guide to AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT mastery, this book is the gold-standard, having led over a half million people on the journey to better design. If you're ready to learn quickly so you can get down to work, Mastering AutoCAD 2019 and AutoCAD LT 2019 is your ideal resource.



Contents

Introduction xxix

Part 1 The Basics 1

Chapter 1 Exploring the Interface 3

Taking a Guided Tour 3

Launching AutoCAD 4

The AutoCAD Window 5

Using the Application Menu 7

Using the Ribbon 8

Picking Points in the Drawing Area 14

Using the UCS Icon 14

Working in the Command Window 15

Working with AutoCAD 15

Opening an Existing File 16

Getting a Closer Look 17

Saving a File as You Work 21

Making Changes 21

Working with Multiple Files 22

Adding a Predrawn Symbol with the Tool Palettes 25

The Bottom Line 28

Chapter 2 Creating Your First Drawing 29

Getting to Know the Home Tab's Draw and Modify Panels 29

Starting Your First Drawing 32

Specifying Exact Distances with Coordinates 36

Specifying Polar Coordinates 38

Specifying Relative Cartesian Coordinates 39

Interpreting the Cursor Modes and Understanding Prompts 41

Understanding Cursor Modes 41

Choosing Command Options 43

Selecting Objects 48

Selecting Objects in AutoCAD 48

Providing Base Points 51

Using Noun/Verb Selection 54

Editing with Grips 60

Stretching Lines by Using Grips 60

Moving and Rotating with Grips 63

Understanding Dynamic Input 65

Displaying Data in a Text Window 70

Displaying the Properties of an Object 71

Getting Help 74

Using the Info Center 74

Finding Additional Sources of Help 74

The Bottom Line 75

Chapter 3 Setting Up and Using the Drafting Tools 77

Setting Up a Work Area 77

Specifying Units 78

Fine-Tuning the Measurement System 80

Setting up the Drawing Limits 81

Looking at an Alternative to Limits 83

Understanding Scale Factors 83

Using Polar Tracking 85

Setting the Polar Tracking Angle 86

Exploring the Drawing Process 88

Locating an Object in Reference to Others 88

Getting a Closer Look 89

Modifying an Object 89

Planning and Laying Out a Drawing 94

Making a Preliminary Sketch 95

Using the Layout 96

Erasing the Layout Lines 102

Putting on the Finishing Touches 105

Aligning Objects by Using Object Snap Tracking 106

Using the AutoCAD Modes as Drafting Tools 110

Using Grid Mode as a Background Grid 111

Using Snap Modes 113

The Bottom Line 114

Chapter 4 Organizing Objects with Blocks and Groups 115

Creating and Using a Symbol 115

Understanding the Block Definition Dialog Box 118

Inserting a Symbol 120

Scaling and Rotating Blocks 122

Using an Existing Drawing as a Symbol 124

Modifying a Block 127

Unblocking and Redefining a Block 127

Saving a Block as a Drawing File 129

Replacing Existing Files with Blocks 130

Understanding the Write Block Dialog Box Options 131

Other Uses for Blocks 131

Understanding the Annotation Scale 132

Grouping Objects 135

Modifying Members of a Group 137

Ungrouping, Adding, and Subtracting from a Group 140

Working with the Object Grouping Dialog Box 141

Working with the AutoCAD LT Group Manager 143

The Bottom Line 144

Chapter 5 Keeping Track of Layers and Blocks 147

Organizing Information with Layers 147

Creating and Assigning Layers 148

Working on Layers 155

Controlling Layer Visibility 158

Finding the Layers You Want 160

Taming an Unwieldy List of Layers 161

Assigning Line types to Layers 169

Adding a Line type to a Drawing 170

Controlling Line weights 174

Keeping Track of Blocks and Layers 174

Getting a Text File List of Layers or Blocks 175

The Bottom Line 177

Part 2 Mastering Intermediate Skills 179

Chapter 6 Editing and Reusing Data to Work Efficiently 181

Creating and Using Templates 182

Creating a Template 182

Using a Template 183

Copying an Object Multiple Times 184

Making Circular Copies 184

Making Row and Column Copies 186

Fine-Tuning Your View 188

Finishing the Kitchenette 190

Array Along a Path 191

Making Changes to an Associative Array 192

Developing Your Drawing 196

Importing Settings 196

Using Osnap Tracking to Place Objects 199

Finding an Exact Distance Along a Curve 216

Changing the Length of Objects 218

Creating a New Drawing by Using Parts from Another Drawing 219

Eliminating Unused Blocks, Layers, Line types, Shapes, Styles, and More 220

The Bottom Line 222

Chapter 7 Mastering Viewing Tools, Hatches,

and External References 223

Assembling the Parts 223

Taking Control of the AutoCAD Display 227

Understanding Regeneration and Redrawing 227

Saving Views 228

Understanding the Frozen Layer Option 231

Using Hatch Patterns in Your Drawings 233

Placing a Hatch Pattern in a Specific Area 233

Adding Predefined Hatch Patterns 235

Positioning Hatch Patterns Accurately 237

Updating a Block from an External File 238

Changing the Hatch Area 240

Modifying a Hatch Pattern 241

Understanding the Boundary Hatch Options 243

Controlling Boundaries with the Boundaries Panel 243

Fine-Tuning the Boundary Behavior 244

Controlling Hatch Behavior with the Opt