AutoCAD 2018 and AutoCAD LT 2018 Essentials

About the Author Scott Onstott is a consultant, former university professor, author, and independent video producer with more than 19 years of experience teaching and writing about design visualization software. He is the author of the six previous editions of AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Essentials, Photoshop CS6 Essentials, Enhancing Architectural Drawings and Models with Photoshop, and five other software training books published by Sybex.

• Introduction xiiiChapter 1 Get ting Star ted 1Sign In to Autodesk 360 on the Start Tab 1Exercise 1.1: Configure Autodesk 360  1Explore the AutoCAD 2018 for Windows User Interface  4Exercise 1.2: Explore the Graphical User Interface   4Exercise 1.3: Control the AutoCAD Ribbon   9Set Drawing Units  13Exercise 1.4: Set the AutoCAD Drawing Units  14Chapter 2 Gaining Basic Drawing Skills 17Navigate 2D Drawings  17Exercise 2.1: Navigate a Drawing 17Draw Lines and Rectangles  21Exercise 2.2: Draw Lines  21Exercise 2.3: Draw Rectangles 24Cancel, Erase, and Undo  25Exercise 2.4: Correct Mistakes 25Use Coordinate Systems  27Exercise 2.5: Use Absolute Coordinates  27Exercise 2.6: Use Relative Coordinates 28Exercise 2.7: Use Polar Coordinates 29Draw Circles, Arcs, and Polygons 33Exercise 2.8: Create Circles   33Exercise 2.9: Create Arcs  36Exercise 2.10: Draw Polygons  38Use Fillet and Chamfer  40Exercise 2.11: Join Nonparallel Lines  40Exercise 2.12: Join Crossed Lines with Fillet  41Chapter 3 Using Drawing Aids 43Use Grid and Snap  43Exercise 3.1: Draw with Grid and Snap 44t e n t sEmploy Ortho and Polar Tracking  47Exercise 3.2: Draw with Ortho and Polar Tracking  47Use PolarSnap  48Exercise 3.3: Draw with PolarSnap 49Select Running Object Snaps   51Exercise 3.4: Draw with Running Object Snaps  51Harness the From Snap 54Exercise 3.5: Use the From Snap 54Apply Object Snap Tracking  55Exercise 3.6: Use Object Snap Tracking  55Chapter 4 Editing Entities 59Create Selection Sets 59Exercise 4.1: Create a Selection Set at the Select Objects: Prompt  60Exercise 4.2: Create a Selection Set Before Deciding on a Command   62Use Move and Copy  66Exercise 4.3: Move and Copy  66Use Rotate and Scale 70Exercise 4.4: Rotate and Scale 70Work with Arrays  73Exercise 4.5: Create a Rectangular Array 74Exercise 4.6: Create a Polar Array 75Use Trim and Extend 77Exercise 4.7: Trim and Measure  77Use Lengthen and Stretch  78Exercise 4.8: Lengthen and Stretch 79Use Offset and Mirror 80Exercise 4.9: Offset and Mirror 80Edit with Grips  82Exercise 4.10: Edit with Grips  83Chapter 5 Shaping Curves 85Draw and Edit Curved Polylines  85Exercise 5.1: Draw and Edit Curved Polylines  85Draw Ellipses 91Exercise 5.2: Draw Ellipses   91Shape Splines 93Exercise 5.3: Work with Control Vertices 94Exercise 5.4: Work with Fit Points 98Blend Between Objects with Splines 101Exercise 5.5: Blend Splines  102Chapter 6 Controlling Object Visibility and Appearance 105Change Object Properties  105Exercise 6.1: Edit Object Properties  106Set the Current Layer  109Exercise 6.2: Choose the Current Layer 110Alter the Layer Assignments of Objects 113Exercise 6.3: Assign Layers  113Control Layer Visibility  116Exercise 6.4: Toggle Layer Status 116Exercise 6.5: Isolate Layers  118Exercise 6.6: Save Layer States  120Apply Linetype  121Exercise 6.7: Use Linetype   122Assign Properties by Object or by Layer 125Exercise 6.8: Assign Properties  125Manage Layer Properties  126Exercise 6.9: Control Layer Properties  126Isolate Objects  128Exercise 6.10: Isolate and Hide Individual Objects  128Chapter 7 Organizing Objects 131Define Blocks  131Exercise 7.1: Draw a Chair and Define It as a Block 132Exercise 7.2: Draw a Door and Define It as a Block  135Insert Blocks  137Exercise 7.3: Use Blocks  137Edit Blocks  141Exercise 7.4: Edit Block Definitions  142Exercise 7.5: Assign Floating Properties   143Exercise 7.6: Nest Blocks  145Exercise 7.7: Explode Blocks  147t e n t sRedefine Blocks  148Exercise 7.8: Redefine Block Definitions   148Work with Groups  151Exercise 7.9: Create Groups  151Chapter 8 Hatching and Gradients 155Specify Hatch Areas 155Exercise 8.1: Pick Points to Determine Boundaries 155Exercise 8.2: Select Objects to Define Boundaries  159Associate Hatches with Boundaries 161Exercise 8.3: Associate Boundaries  161Hatch with Patterns 163Exercise 8.4: Specify Properties 164Exercise 8.5: Separate Hatch Areas  165Hatch with Gradients  168Exercise 8.6: Create Gradients  168Chapter 9 Working with Blocks and Xrefs 171Work with Global Blocks  171Exercise 9.1: Write a Local Block Definition to a File  171Exercise 9.2: Insert a Drawing as a Local Block   175Exercise 9.3: Redefine Local Blocks with Global Blocks  177Access Content Globally  179Exercise 9.4: Access Global Content  179Store Content on Tool Palettes  180Exercise 9.5: Add to the Tool Palettes 180Reference External Drawings and Images 183Exercise 9.6: Use Xrefs  183Chapter 10 Creating and Editing Text 189Style Text  189Exercise 10.1: Create Text Styles 189Write Lines of Text  191Exercise 10.2: Create Text to Fit 191Exercise 10.3: Justify Text   193Exercise 10.4: Transform and Create Text  194Write and Format Paragraphs Using MTEXT  197Exercise 10.5: Write and Format with MTEXT   197tEdit Text   200Exercise 10.6: Edit Content and Properties  201Exercise 10.7: Work with Columns 202Recognize and Combine Text  203Exercise 10.8: Import, Recognize, and Combine Text from PDF  204Chapter 11 Dimensioning 209Style Dimensions  209Exercise 11.1: Create Dimension Styles 210Add Dimensions  215Exercise 11.2: Use Inquiry Commands  215Exercise 11.3: Add Dimension Objects  218Exercise 11.4: Add and Style Multileaders  222Edit Dimensions  223Exercise 11.5: Alter Dimension Objects 223Chapter 12 Keeping In Control with Constraints 227Work with Geometric Constraints 227Exercise 12.1: Use Geometric Constraints  227Apply Dimensional Constraints  230Exercise 12.2: Create Dimensional Constraints   231Constrain Objects Simultaneously with Geometry and Dimensions 234Exercise 12.3: Use Simultaneous Constraints  234Make Parametric Changes to Constrained Objects   236Exercise 12.4: Alter Constraint Parameters  237Chapter 13 Working with Layouts and Annotative Objects 239Create Annotative Styles and Objects 239Exercise 13.1: Work with Annotative Text  240Exercise 13.2: Work with Annotative Dimensions 243Create Layouts  245Exercise 13.3: Configure Layouts 245Adjust Floating Viewports 248Exercise 13.4: Work on Layout1 249Exercise 13.5: Work on Layout2 252Override Layer Properties in Layout Viewports  254Exercise 13.6: Override Layer Properties   255Draw on Layouts  256Exercise 13.7: Lay Out Geometry 256on t e n t sIntroduction xiiiChapter 1 Get ting Star ted 1Sign In to Autodesk 360 on the Start Tab 1Exercise 1.1: Configure Autodesk 360  1Explore the AutoCAD 2018 for Windows User Interface  4Exercise 1.2: Explore the Graphical User Interface   4Exercise 1.3: Control the AutoCAD Ribbon   9Set Drawing Units  13Exercise 1.4: Set the AutoCAD Drawing Units  14Chapter 2 Gaining Basic Drawing Skills 17Navigate 2D Drawings  17Exercise 2.1: Navigate a Drawing 17Draw Lines and Rectangles  21Exercise 2.2: Draw Lines  21Exercise 2.3: Draw Rectangles 24Cancel, Erase, and Undo  25Exercise 2.4: Correct Mistakes 25Use Coordinate Systems  27Exercise 2.5: Use Absolute Coordinates  27Exercise 2.6: Use Relative Coordinates 28Exercise 2.7: Use Polar Coordinates 29Draw Circles, Arcs, and Polygons 33Exercise 2.8: Create Circles   33Exercise 2.9: Create Arcs  36Exercise 2.10: Draw Polygons  38Use Fillet and Chamfer  40Exercise 2.11: Join Nonparallel Lines  40Exercise 2.12: Join Crossed Lines with Fillet  41Chapter 3 Using Drawing Aids 43Use Grid and Snap  43Exercise 3.1: Draw with Grid and Snap 44t e n t sEmploy Ortho and Polar Tracking  47Exercise 3.2: Draw with Ortho and Polar Tracking  47Use PolarSnap  48Exercise 3.3: Draw with PolarSnap 49Select Running Object Snaps   51Exercise 3.4: Draw with Running Object Snaps  51Harness the From Snap 54Exercise 3.5: Use the From Snap 54Apply Object Snap Tracking  55Exercise 3.6: Use Object Snap Tracking  55Chapter 4 Editing Entities 59Create Selection Sets 59Exercise 4.1: Create a Selection Set at the Select Objects: Prompt  60Exercise 4.2: Create a Selection Set Before Deciding on a Command   62Use Move and Copy  66Exercise 4.3: Move and Copy  66Use Rotate and Scale 70Exercise 4.4: Rotate and Scale 70Work with Arrays  73Exercise 4.5: Create a Rectangular Array 74Exercise 4.6: Create a Polar Array 75Use Trim and Extend 77Exercise 4.7: Trim and Measure  77Use Lengthen and Stretch  78Exercise 4.8: Lengthen and Stretch 79Use Offset and Mirror 80Exercise 4.9: Offset and Mirror 80Edit with Grips  82Exercise 4.10: Edit with Grips  83Chapter 5 Shaping Curves 85Draw and Edit Curved Polylines  85Exercise 5.1: Draw and Edit Curved Polylines  85Draw Ellipses 91Exercise 5.2: Draw Ellipses   91Shape Splines 93Exercise 5.3: Work with Control Vertices 94Exercise 5.4: Work with Fit Points 98Blend Between Objects with Splines 101Exercise 5.5: Blend Splines  102Chapter 6 Controlling Object Visibility and Appearance 105Change Object Properties  105Exercise 6.1: Edit Object Properties  106Set the Current Layer  109Exercise 6.2: Choose the Current Layer 110Alter the Layer Assignments of Objects 113Exercise 6.3: Assign Layers  113Control Layer Visibility  116Exercise 6.4: Toggle Layer Status 116Exercise 6.5: Isolate Layers  118Exercise 6.6: Save Layer States  120Apply Linetype  121Exercise 6.7: Use Linetype   122Assign Properties by Object or by Layer 125Exercise 6.8: Assign Properties  125Manage Layer Properties  126Exercise 6.9: Control Layer Properties  126Isolate Objects  128Exercise 6.10: Isolate and Hide Individual Objects  128Chapter 7 Organizing Objects 131Define Blocks  131Exercise 7.1: Draw a Chair and Define It as a Block 132Exercise 7.2: Draw a Door and Define It as a Block  135Insert Blocks  137Exercise 7.3: Use Blocks  137Edit Blocks  141Exercise 7.4: Edit Block Definitions  142Exercise 7.5: Assign Floating Properties   143Exercise 7.6: Nest Blocks  145Exercise 7.7: Explode Blocks  147t e n t sRedefine Blocks  148Exercise 7.8: Redefine Block Definitions   148Work with Groups  151Exercise 7.9: Create Groups  151Chapter 8 Hatching and Gradients 155Specify Hatch Areas 155Exercise 8.1: Pick Points to Determine Boundaries 155Exercise 8.2: Select Objects to Define Boundaries  159Associate Hatches with Boundaries 161Exercise 8.3: Associate Boundaries  161Hatch with Patterns 163Exercise 8.4: Specify Properties 164Exercise 8.5: Separate Hatch Areas  165Hatch with Gradients  168Exercise 8.6: Create Gradients  168Chapter 9 Working with Blocks and Xrefs 171Work with Global Blocks  171Exercise 9.1: Write a Local Block Definition to a File  171Exercise 9.2: Insert a Drawing as a Local Block   175Exercise 9.3: Redefine Local Blocks with Global Blocks  177Access Content Globally  179Exercise 9.4: Access Global Content  179Store Content on Tool Palettes  180Exercise 9.5: Add to the Tool Palettes 180Reference External Drawings and Images 183Exercise 9.6: Use Xrefs  183Chapter 10 Creating and Editing Text 189Style Text  189Exercise 10.1: Create Text Styles 189Write Lines of Text  191Exercise 10.2: Create Text to Fit 191Exercise 10.3: Justify Text   193Exercise 10.4: Transform and Create Text  194Write and Format Paragraphs Using MTEXT  197Exercise 10.5: Write and Format with MTEXT   197tEdit Text   200Exercise 10.6: Edit Content and Properties  201Exercise 10.7: Work with Columns 202Recognize and Combine Text  203Exercise 10.8: Import, Recognize, and Combine Text from PDF  204Chapter 11 Dimensioning 209Style Dimensions  209Exercise 11.1: Create Dimension Styles 210Add Dimensions  215Exercise 11.2: Use Inquiry Commands  215Exercise 11.3: Add Dimension Objects  218Exercise 11.4: Add and Style Multileaders  222Edit Dimensions  223Exercise 11.5: Alter Dimension Objects 223Chapter 12 Keeping In Control with Constraints 227Work with Geometric Constraints 227Exercise 12.1: Use Geometric Constraints  227Apply Dimensional Constraints  230Exercise 12.2: Create Dimensional Constraints   231Constrain Objects Simultaneously with Geometry and Dimensions 234Exercise 12.3: Use Simultaneous Constraints  234Make Parametric Changes to Constrained Objects   236Exercise 12.4: Alter Constraint Parameters  237Chapter 13 Working with Layouts and Annotative Objects 239Create Annotative Styles and Objects 239Exercise 13.1: Work with Annotative Text  240Exercise 13.2: Work with Annotative Dimensions 243Create Layouts  245Exercise 13.3: Configure Layouts 245Adjust Floating Viewports 248Exercise 13.4: Work on Layout1 249Exercise 13.5: Work on Layout2 252Override Layer Properties in Layout Viewports  254Exercise 13.6: Override Layer Properties   255Draw on Layouts  256Exercise 13.7: Lay Out Geometry 256on t e n t sChapter 14 Printing and Plot ting 261Configure Output Devices  261Exercise 14.1: Set Up a System Printer  262Exercise 14.2: Set Up an AutoCAD Plotter  262Create Plot Style Tables  265Exercise 14.3: Create a Named Plot Style Table  265Use Plot Style Tables  267Exercise 14.4: Configure New Drawings for Named Plot Style Tables  267Exercise 14.5: Assign Plot Styles by Layer or by Object  270Plot in Model Space 273Exercise 14.6: Plot from Model Space 273Plot Layouts in Paper Space   277Exercise 14.7: Plot from Paper Space 277Export to an Electronic Format 280Exercise 14.8: Export to DWF 281Exercise 14.9: Export to PDF 282Exercise 14.10: Share Design Views 284Chapter 15 Working with Data 287Geolocate Projects  287Exercise 15.1: Geolocate a Drawing  288Import SketchUp Models  292Exercise 15.2: Import a SketchUp Model   292Define Attributes and Blocks   293Exercise 15.3: Define Attributes and a Block  294Insert Attributed Blocks  298Exercise 15.4: Insert Block References with Attributes  298Edit Table Styles and Create Tables 300Exercise 15.5: Alter a Table Style and Make a Table  300Use Fields in Table Cells  305Exercise 15.6: Create Fields  305Edit Table Data  308Exercise 15.7: Alter Table Data  308Chapter 16 Navigating 3D Models 317Use Visual Styles  317Exercise 16.1: Explore Visual Styles  318Work with Tiled Viewports  322Exercise 16.2: Tile Viewports 322Navigate with the ViewCube   324Exercise 16.3: Use the ViewCube to Navigate  324Orbit in 3D  326Exercise 16.4: Orbit  326Use Cameras 328Exercise 16.5: Utilize Virtual Cameras  328Navigate with SteeringWheels  331Exercise 16.6: Use SteeringWheels to Navigate  331Save Views 334Exercise 16.7: Save Views  334Chapter 17 Modeling in 3D 337Create Surface Models  337Exercise 17.1: Make Planar Surfaces  338Exercise 17.2: Revolve a 2D Profile to Create a 3D Model  339Exercise 17.3: Sweep Out 3D Geometry 340Exercise 17.4: Extrude 2D Geometry into 3D   342Edit Surface Models  344Exercise 17.5: Trim Surfaces with Other Surfaces 344Exercise 17.6: Project Edges on Surfaces  345Exercise 17.7: Trim Surfaces with Edges  348Create Solid Models 350Exercise 17.8: Extrude Solid Objects 350Exercise 17.9: Loft Solid Objects 354Edit Solid Models  356Exercise 17.10: Perform Boolean Operations  356Exercise 17.11: Edit Solids   359Smooth Mesh Models  363Exercise 17.12: Create, Edit, and Smooth Mesh  363Live-Section Models 365Exercise 17.13: Create and Edit a Section Plane   365Chapter 18 Presenting and Documenting 3D Design 369Assign Materials  370Exercise 18.1: Apply Materials  370t e n t sPlace and Adjust Lights  376Exercise 18.2: Add Artificial Lights  376Exercise 18.3: Simulate Natural Light  382Create Renderings 383Exercise 18.4: Make Realistic Renderings in the Cloud 383Document Models with Drawings  387Exercise 18.5: Document Models 387Appendix A Making Isometric Drawings 393Appendix B Autodesk™ AutoCAD™ 2018 Certif ication 399Index 403Configure Output Devices  261Exercise 14.1: Set Up a System Printer  262Exercise 14.2: Set Up an AutoCAD Plotter  262Create Plot Style Tables  265Exercise 14.3: Create a Named Plot Style Table  265Use Plot Style Tables  267Exercise 14.4: Configure New Drawings for Named Plot Style Tables  267Exercise 14.5: Assign Plot Styles by Layer or by Object  270Plot in Model Space 273Exercise 14.6: Plot from Model Space 273Plot Layouts in Paper Space   277Exercise 14.7: Plot from Paper Space 277Export to an Electronic Format 280Exercise 14.8: Export to DWF 281Exercise 14.9: Export to PDF 282Exercise 14.10: Share Design Views 284Chapter 15 Working with Data 287Geolocate Projects  287Exercise 15.1: Geolocate a Drawing  288Import SketchUp Models  292Exercise 15.2: Import a SketchUp Model   292Define Attributes and Blocks   293Exercise 15.3: Define Attributes and a Block  294Insert Attributed Blocks  298Exercise 15.4: Insert Block References with Attributes  298Edit Table Styles and Create Tables 300Exercise 15.5: Alter a Table Style and Make a Table  300Use Fields in Table Cells  305Exercise 15.6: Create Fields  305Edit Table Data  308Exercise 15.7: Alter Table Data  308Chapter 16 Navigating 3D Models 317Use Visual Styles  317Exercise 16.1: Explore Visual Styles  318Work with Tiled Viewports  322Exercise 16.2: Tile Viewports 322Navigate with the ViewCube   324Exercise 16.3: Use the ViewCube to Navigate  324Orbit in 3D  326Exercise 16.4: Orbit  326Use Cameras 328Exercise 16.5: Utilize Virtual Cameras  328Navigate with SteeringWheels  331Exercise 16.6: Use SteeringWheels to Navigate  331Save Views 334Exercise 16.7: Save Views  334Chapter 17 Modeling in 3D 337Create Surface Models  337Exercise 17.1: Make Planar Surfaces  338Exercise 17.2: Revolve a 2D Profile to Create a 3D Model  339Exercise 17.3: Sweep Out 3D Geometry 340Exercise 17.4: Extrude 2D Geometry into 3D   342Edit Surface Models  344Exercise 17.5: Trim Surfaces with Other Surfaces 344Exercise 17.6: Project Edges on Surfaces  345Exercise 17.7: Trim Surfaces with Edges  348Create Solid Models 350Exercise 17.8: Extrude Solid Objects 350Exercise 17.9: Loft Solid Objects 354Edit Solid Models  356Exercise 17.10: Perform Boolean Operations  356Exercise 17.11: Edit Solids   359Smooth Mesh Models  363Exercise 17.12: Create, Edit, and Smooth Mesh  363Live-Section Models 365Exercise 17.13: Create and Edit a Section Plane   365Chapter 18 Presenting and Documenting 3D Design 369Assign Materials  370Exercise 18.1: Apply Materials  370t e n t sPlace and Adjust Lights  376Exercise 18.2: Add Artificial Lights  376Exercise 18.3: Simulate Natural Light  382Create Renderings 383Exercise 18.4: Make Realistic Renderings in the Cloud 383Document Models with Drawings  387Exercise 18.5: Document Models 387Appendix A Making Isometric Drawings 393Appendix B Autodesk™ AutoCAD™ 2018 Certif ication 399Index 403