MASTERING AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. George Omura. Expert Advice from Award- Winning Author Over a Half-Million Copies in Print

Transcription

1 Mastering AutoCAD is an excellent resource for learning and getting up to speed quickly on all things AutoCAD. Doug Cochran, AutoCAD Senior Product Manager George Omura MASTERING AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 Expert Advice from Award- Winning Author Over a Half-Million Copies in Print Master the Latest AutoCAD 2009 Features and Improve Your Productivity SERIOUS SKILLS.

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3 Mastering AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009

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5 Mastering AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 George Omura Wiley Publishing, Inc.

6 Acquisitions Editor: Willem Knibbe Development Editor: Gary Schwartz Technical Editor: Paul Richardson Production Editor: Eric Charbonneau Copy Editor: Judy Flynn Production Manager: Tim Tate Vice President and Executive Group Publisher: Richard Swadley Vice President and Executive Publisher: Joseph B. Wikert Vice President and Publisher: Neil Edde Book Designers: Maureen Forys and Judy Fung Compositors: Chris Gillespie and Craig Johnson, Happenstance Type-O-Rama Proofreader: Jen Larsen, Word One Indexer: Ted Laux Cover Designer: Ryan Sneed Cover Image: Pete Gardner / Digital Vision / Getty Images Copyright 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada ISBN: No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) , fax (978) Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) , fax (317) , or online at Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at (800) , outside the U.S. at (317) or fax (317) Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Omura, George Mastering AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 / George Omura. 1st ed. p. cm. ISBN (paper/website) 1. Computer graphics. 2. AutoCAD. 3. Computer-aided design. I. Title. T385.O dc TRADEMARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Autodesk, AutoCAD, and AutoCAD LT are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. Copyright All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book

7 Dear Reader, Thank you for choosing Mastering AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT This book is part of a family of premium quality Sybex books, all written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching. Sybex was founded in More than thirty years later, we re still committed to producing consistently exceptional books. With each of our titles we re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on, to the authors we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available. I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an at nedde@wiley.com, or if you think you ve found a technical error in this book, please visit Customer feedback is critical to our efforts at Sybex. Best regards, Neil Edde Vice President and Publisher Sybex, an Imprint of Wiley

8 To my dear friends Rick and Kathey Brown, who are true survivors.

9 Acknowledgments Many talented and hardworking folks gave their best effort to produce Mastering AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT I offer my sincerest gratitude to those people who helped bring this book to you. Heartfelt thanks go to the editorial and production teams at Sybex for their efforts. Willem Knibbe, as always, made sure things got off to a great start and was always there for support. Pete Gaughan kept a watchful eye on the progress of the book. Paul Richardson did an excellent job of ensuring that I didn t make any glaring mistakes and offered suggestions based on his own training experience. Gary Schwartz kept things running smoothly and always had a positive attitude. On the production side, Eric Charbonneau kept the work flow going and Judy Flynn made sure I wasn t trying out new uses of the English language. At Autodesk, special thanks go to Doug Cochran for taking the time from his busy schedule to write the Foreword. Thanks for the kind words, Doug. Thanks also go to Denis Cadu, who has always given his steadfast support of my efforts over many projects. Jim Quanci always gives his generous and thoughtful assistance to us author types I d be lost without your help, Jim. Finally, as always, a big thanks to Shaan Hurley for generously allowing us to have a look at the pre-release software. And a great big thank you to my family and friends, who have always been a source of inspiration and understanding.

10 About the Author George Omura is a licensed architect, Autodesk Authorized Author, and CAD specialist with more than 20 years of experience in AutoCAD and over 30 years of experience in architecture. He has worked on design projects ranging from resort hotels to metropolitan transit systems to the San Francisco Library project. George has written numerous other AutoCAD books for Sybex, including Introducing AutoCAD 2009, Mastering AutoCAD 2008 and AutoCAD LT 2008, and Just Enough AutoCAD 2007.

11 Foreword Congratulations! Whether you are a new or expert user of AutoCAD, you have truly made a worthwhile investment with Mastering AutoCAD. This book will be a valuable addition to your library that you will use on a regular basis as a reference and guide to using AutoCAD. With each release of AutoCAD and its new feature set, Mastering AutoCAD is an excellent resource for learning and getting up to speed quickly on all things AutoCAD. Everything from the basics of AutoCAD, including 3D and programming, is covered in this book. The information is well organized, and a comprehensive index makes retrieving information that you need a cinch. You ll see real-world examples that will quickly help you understand and learn new concepts through the exercises. You ll also learn new commands while actually working on a project as you progress toward a goal. This book is an excellent AutoCAD resource for beginners and advanced users alike. Don t be daunted by the book s thickness. While the in-depth coverage is there when you need it, you can just pick out the tools you want to learn and proceed from there, or if you are interested in learning new features, you can pick a different topic each week to learn about. I know our customers will benefit from reading it as I have. Doug Cochran AutoCAD Senior Product Manager Autodesk, Inc.

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13 Contents at a Glance Introduction...xxix Part 1 The Basics Chapter 1 Exploring the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Interface...3 Chapter 2 Creating Your First Drawing Chapter 3 Setting Up and Using AutoCAD s Drafting Tools Chapter 4 Organizing Objects with Blocks and Groups Chapter 5 Keeping Track of Layers and Blocks Part 2 Mastering Intermediate Skills Chapter 6 Editing and Reusing Data to Work Efficiently Chapter 7 Mastering Viewing Tools, Hatches, and External References Chapter 8 Introducing Printing, Plotting, and Layouts Chapter 9 Understanding Plot Styles Chapter 10 Adding Text to Drawings Chapter 11 Using Fields and Tables Chapter 12 Using Dimensions Part 3 Mastering Advanced Skills Chapter 13 Using Attributes Chapter 14 Copying Existing Drawings into AutoCAD...453

14 Chapter 15 Advanced Editing and Organizing Chapter 16 Laying Out Your Printer Output Chapter 17 Using Dynamic Blocks Chapter 18 Drawing Curves Chapter 19 Getting and Exchanging Data from Drawings Part 4 3D Modeling and Imaging Chapter 20 Creating 3D Drawings Chapter 21 Using Advanced 3D Features Chapter 22 Rendering 3D Drawings Chapter 23 Editing and Visualizing 3D Solids Part 5 Customization and Integration Chapter 24 Using the Express Tools Chapter 25 Exploring AutoLISP Chapter 26 Customizing Toolbars, Menus, Linetypes, and Hatch Patterns Chapter 27 Managing and Sharing Your Drawings Chapter 28 Keeping a Project Organized with Sheet Sets Appendices Appendix A The Bottom Line Appendix B Installing and Setting Up AutoCAD Appendix C Hardware and Software Tips Appendix D System Variables and Dimension Styles Index

15 Contents Introduction... xxix Part 1 The Basics Chapter 1 Exploring the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Interface... 3 Taking a Guided Tour...4 The AutoCAD Window...5 The Menu Browser...9 The Ribbon The Toolbars...15 Working with AutoCAD...17 Opening an Existing File Getting a Closer Look...19 Saving a File as You Work...22 Making Changes Working with Multiple Files...24 Adding a Predrawn Symbol with the Tool Palette...27 The Bottom Line Chapter 2 Creating Your First Drawing Getting to Know the Home Tab s Draw and Modify Panels Starting Your First Drawing Specifying Exact Distances with Coordinates Specifying Polar Coordinates...37 Specifying Relative Cartesian Coordinates...38 Interpreting the Cursor Modes and Understanding Prompts...40 Understanding Cursor Modes...41 Choosing Command Options Selecting Objects...46 Selecting Objects in AutoCAD Using Noun/Verb Selection...53 Editing with Grips...57 Stretching Lines by Using Grips...58 Moving and Rotating with Grips...60 Using Dynamic Input...63 Getting Help...67 Using the InfoCenter...68 Using Context-Sensitive Help...69 Finding Additional Sources of Help...70 Staying Informed with the Communication Center...70

16 xiv Contents Displaying Data in a Text Window...71 Displaying the Properties of an Object The Bottom Line Chapter 3 Setting Up and Using AutoCAD s Drafting Tools Setting Up a Work Area...75 Specifying Units Fine-Tuning the Measurement System...79 Setting Up the Drawing Limits...80 An Alternative to Limits...82 Understanding Scale Factors Using Polar Tracking...83 Setting the Polar Tracking Angle...85 Exploring the Drawing Process...86 Locating an Object in Reference to Others...87 Getting a Closer Look...88 Modifying an Object...88 Planning and Laying Out a Drawing...92 Making a Preliminary Sketch Using the Layout Erasing the Layout Lines Putting On the Finishing Touches Aligning Objects by Using Object Snap Tracking Using the AutoCAD Modes as Drafting Tools Using Grid Mode as a Background Grid Using the Snap Modes The Bottom Line Chapter 4 Organizing Objects with Blocks and Groups Creating a Symbol Understanding the Block Definition Dialog Box Inserting a Symbol Scaling and Rotating Blocks Using an Existing Drawing as a Symbol Modifying a Block Unblocking and Redefining a Block Saving a Block as a Drawing File Replacing Existing Files with Blocks Other Uses for Blocks Understanding the Annotation Scale Grouping Objects Grouping Objects for LT Users Modifying Members of a Group Working with the Object Grouping Dialog Box Working with the LT Group Manager The Bottom Line

17 Contents xv Chapter 5 Keeping Track of Layers and Blocks Organizing Information with Layers Creating and Assigning Layers Working on Layers Controlling Layer Visibility Finding the Layers You Want Taming an Unwieldy List of Layers Assigning Linetypes to Layers Adding a Linetype to a Drawing Controlling Lineweights Keeping Track of Blocks and Layers Getting a Text File List of Layers or Blocks The Bottom Line Part 2 Mastering Intermediate Skills Chapter 6 Editing and Reusing Data to Work Efficiently Creating and Using Templates Creating a Template Using a Template Copying an Object Multiple Times Making Circular Copies Making Row and Column Copies Fine-Tuning Your View Finishing the Kitchenette Developing Your Drawing Importing Settings Using Osnap Tracking to Place Objects Finding an Exact Distance along a Curve Changing the Length of Objects Creating a New Drawing by Using Parts from Another Drawing Eliminating Unused Blocks, Layers, Linetypes, Shapes, Styles, and More The Bottom Line Chapter 7 Mastering Viewing Tools, Hatches, and External References Assembling the Parts Taking Control of the AutoCAD Display Understanding Regeneration and Redrawing Understanding the Frozen Layer Option Using Hatch Patterns in Your Drawings Placing a Hatch Pattern in a Specific Area Positioning Hatch Patterns Accurately Updating a Block from an External File Changing the Hatch Area Modifying a Hatch Pattern...237

18 xvi Contents Understanding the Boundary Hatch Options Using Additional Hatch Features Using Gradient Shading Tips for Using Boundary Hatch Space Planning and Hatch Patterns Using External References Attaching a Drawing as an External Reference Other Differences between External References and Blocks Other External Reference Options Clipping Xref Views and Improving Performance Editing Xrefs in Place Adding and Removing Objects from Blocks and Xrefs Understanding the Reference Edit Dialog Box Options The Bottom Line Chapter 8 Introducing Printing, Plotting, and Layouts Plotting the Plan Understanding the Plotter Settings Paper Size Drawing Orientation Plot Area Plot Scale Shaded Viewport Options Plot Offset Plot Options WYSIWYG Plotting Using Layout Views Plot Scale in the Layout Viewports Adding an Output Device Editing a Plotter Configuration Storing a Page Setup Plotter and Printer Hardware Considerations Understanding Your Plotter s Limits Knowing Your Plotter s Origins The Bottom Line Chapter 9 Understanding Plot Styles Choosing between Color-Dependent and Named Plot Style Tables Creating a Color Plot Style Table Editing and Using Plot Style Tables Making Your Plot Styles Visible Making Changes to Multiple Plot Styles Setting Up Line Corner Styles Setting Up Screen Values for Solid Areas Controlling the Visibility of Overlapping Objects Other Options in the Plot Style Table Editor...307

19 Contents xvii Assigning Named Plot Styles Directly to Layers and Objects Using Named Plot Style Tables Assigning Plot Styles to Objects Assigning Plot Style Tables to Layers The Bottom Line Chapter 10 Adding Text to Drawings Preparing a Drawing for Text Organizing Text by Styles Getting Familiar with the Text and Annotation Scale Control Panels Setting the Annotation Scale and Adding Text Exploring Text and Scale Understanding the Text Style Dialog Box Options Style Exploring Text Formatting in AutoCAD Adjusting the Text Height and Font Understanding the Text Formatting Toolbar Adding Symbols and Special Characters Setting Indents and Tabs What Do the Fonts Look Like? Adding Simple Single-Line Text Objects Justifying Single-Line Text Objects Using Special Characters with Single-Line Text Objects Using the Check Spelling Feature Choosing a Dictionary Substituting Fonts Finding and Replacing Text The Bottom Line Chapter 11 Using Fields and Tables Using Fields to Associate Text with Drawing Properties Adding Tables to Your Drawing Creating a Table Adding Cell Text Adjusting Table Text Orientation and Location Editing the Table Line Work Adding Formulas to Cells Using Formulas Directly in Cells Using Other Math Operations Importing and Exporting Tables Exporting Tables Creating Table Styles The Table Style Options The Bottom Line

20 xviii Contents Chapter 12 Using Dimensions Understanding the Components of a Dimension Creating a Dimension Style Setting Up the Primary Unit Style Setting the Height for Dimension Text Setting the Location and Orientation of Dimension Text Choosing an Arrow Style and Setting the Dimension Scale Setting Up Alternate Units Setting the Current Dimension Style Modifying a Dimension Style Drawing Linear Dimensions Understanding the Dimensions Panel Placing Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions Continuing a Dimension Drawing Dimensions from a Common Base Extension Line Adjusting the Distance between Dimensions Editing Dimensions Appending Data to Dimension Text Using Grips to Make Minor Adjustments to Dimensions Changing Style Settings of Individual Dimensions Editing Dimensions and Other Objects Together Associating Dimensions with Objects Adding a String of Dimensions with a Single Operation Adding or Removing the Alternate Dimensions Dimensioning Non-orthogonal Objects Dimensioning Non-orthogonal Linear Distances Dimensioning Radii, Diameters, and Arcs Skewing Dimension Lines Adding a Note with a Leader Arrow Creating Multileader Styles Editing Multileader Notes Breaking a Dimension Line for a Leader Applying Ordinate Dimensions Adding Tolerance Notation Adding Inspection Dimensions The Bottom Line Part 3 Mastering Advanced Skills Chapter 13 Using Attributes Creating Attributes Adding Attributes to Blocks Copying and Editing Attribute Definitions Turning the Attribute Definitions into a Block Inserting Blocks Containing Attributes...433

21 Contents xix Editing Attributes Editing Attribute Values One at a Time Editing Attribute Text Formats and Properties Making Global Changes to Attribute Values Making Invisible Attributes Visible Making Global Format and Property Changes to Attributes Redefining Blocks Containing Attributes Extracting and Exporting Attribute Information Performing the Extraction Extracting Attribute Data to an AutoCAD Table The Bottom Line Chapter 14 Copying Existing Drawings into AutoCAD Methods for Converting Paper Drawings to AutoCAD Files Importing a Raster Image Working with a Raster Image Scaling a Raster Image Controlling Object Visibility and Overlap with Raster Images Clipping a Raster Image Adjusting Brightness, Contrast, and Strength Turning Off the Frame, Adjusting Overall Quality, and Controlling Transparency The Bottom Line Chapter 15 Advanced Editing and Organizing Using External References (Xrefs) Preparing Existing Drawings for Cross-Referencing Assembling Xrefs to Build a Drawing Importing Named Elements from Xrefs Controlling the Xref Search Path Managing Layers Saving and Recalling Layer Settings Other Tools for Managing Layers Using Advanced Tools: Filter, Quick Select, and QuickCalc Filtering Selections Using Quick Select Using the QuickCalc Calculator Adding Foot and Inch Lengths and Finding the Sum of Angles Using the Display Area and Units Conversion Using QuickCalc to Find Points Pasting to the Command Line Finding Fractional Distances between Two Points Using QuickCalc While in the Middle of a Command Storing Expressions and Values Guidelines for Working with QuickCalc The Bottom Line

22 xx Contents Chapter 16 Laying Out Your Printer Output Understanding Model Space and Paper Space Switching from Model Space to Paper Space Setting the Size of a Paper Space Layout Creating New Paper Space Viewports Reaching inside Viewports Working with Paper Space Viewports Scaling Views in Paper Space Setting Layers in Individual Viewports Creating and Using Multiple Paper Space Layouts Creating Odd-Shaped Viewports Understanding Lineweights, Linetypes, and Dimensions in Paper Space Controlling and Viewing Lineweights in Paper Space The Lineweight Settings Dialog Box Linetype Scales and Paper Space Dimensioning in Paper Space Layouts Other Uses for Paper Space The Bottom Line Chapter 17 Using Dynamic Blocks Exploring the Block Editor Editing a Block and Creating New Blocks Creating a Dynamic Block Adding a Parameter Adding an Action Adding an Increment Value Editing Parameters and Actions Keeping an Object Centered Adding Scale and Stretch Actions to a Parameter Adding More Than One Parameter for Multiple Grip Functions Including a Mirror Capability Adding a Selectable List Including Block Information with Data Extraction Creating Multiple Shapes in One Block Rotating Objects in Unison Filling in a Space Automatically with Objects The Bottom Line Chapter 18 Drawing Curves Introducing Polylines Drawing a Polyline Setting Polyline Options Editing Polylines Setting Pedit Options Smoothing Polylines Editing Vertices...578

23 Contents xxi Creating a Polyline Spline Curve Using True Spline Curves Drawing a True Spline Fine-Tuning Spline Curves Marking Divisions on Curves Dividing Objects into Segments of Equal Length Dividing Objects into Specified Lengths The Bottom Line Chapter 19 Getting and Exchanging Data from Drawings Finding the Area of Closed Boundaries Finding the Area of an Object Using Hatch Patterns to Find Areas Adding and Subtracting Areas with the Area Command Getting General Information Determining the Drawing s Status Keeping Track of Time Getting Information from System Variables Keeping a Log of Your Activity Capturing and Saving Text Data from the AutoCAD Text Window Storing Searchable Information in AutoCAD Files Searching for AutoCAD Files Recovering Corrupted Files Using the DXF File Format to Exchange CAD Data with Other Programs Exporting DXF Files Opening or Importing DXF Files Using AutoCAD Drawings in Page-Layout Programs Exporting Raster Files Exporting Vector Files Using OLE to Import Data Editing OLE Links Importing Worksheets as AutoCAD Tables Understanding Options for Embedding Data Using the Clipboard to Export AutoCAD Drawings The Bottom Line Part 4 3D Modeling and Imaging Chapter 20 Creating 3D Drawings Getting to Know the 3D Modeling Workspace Drawing in 3D Using Solids Creating a 3D Box Editing 3D Solids with Grips Constraining Motion with the Grip Tool Rotating Objects in 3D Using Dynamic UCS Drawing on a 3D Object s Surface...638

24 xxii Contents Pushing and Pulling Shapes from a Solid Making Changes to Your Solid Creating 3D Forms from 2D Shapes Extruding a Polyline Isolating Coordinates with Point Filters Moving around Your Model Finding Isometric and Orthogonal Views Rotating Freely around Your Model Changing Your View Direction Changing Where You Are Looking Flying through Your View Changing from Perspective to Parallel Projection Getting a Visual Effect Using Visual Styles Creating a Sketched Look with Visual Styles Turning a 3D View into a 2D AutoCAD Drawing The Bottom Line Chapter 21 Using Advanced 3D Features Setting Up AutoCAD for This Chapter Mastering the User Coordinate System Defining a UCS Saving a UCS Working in a UCS Building 3D Parts in Separate Files Understanding the UCS Options UCS Based on Object Orientation UCS Based on Offset Orientation UCS Rotated around an Axis Orienting a UCS in the View Plane Saving a UCS with a View Using Viewports to Aid in 3D Drawing Creating Complex 3D Surfaces Laying Out a 3D Form Spherical and Cylindrical Coordinate Formats Using a 3D Polyline Creating a Curved 3D Surface Converting the Surface into a Solid Shaping the Solid Finding the Interference between Two Solids Creating Tubes with the Sweep Tool Using Sweep to Create Complex Forms Creating Spiral Forms Creating Surface Models Slicing a Solid with a Surface Finding the Volume of a Cut

25 Contents xxiii Understanding the Loft Command Moving Objects in 3D Space Aligning Objects in 3D Space Moving an Object in 3D Rotating an Object in 3D Getting around in Your Model The Bottom Line Chapter 22 Rendering 3D Drawings Creating a Quick-Study Rendering Simulating the Sun Setting Up the Sun Setting Polar North Adding a Distant Light Using Materials Adjusting the Global Material Creating a New Material and Changing Its Properties Adding a Background Creating Effects Using Materials and Lights Adding a Self-Illuminated Material Assigning Materials by Layer Simulating a Night Scene with Spotlights Adding a Point Light Editing Lights Applying and Adjusting Texture Maps Creating a Building from a Box Adjusting a Material to Fit an Object Other Material-Mapping Options Specifying the Size of a Bitmap Simulating Trees and People with Opacity Maps Understanding the Rendering Options Checking and Saving Renderings in the Render Window Adding Cameras for Better View Control Making Adjustments to Your Camera Creating an Animated Walk-Through Fine-Tuning the Animation Printing Your Renderings Simulating Natural Light Rendering Interior Views Using the Sun And Sky Simulation The Bottom Line Chapter 23 Editing and Visualizing 3D Solids Understanding Solid Modeling Creating Solid Forms Joining Primitives...792

26 xxiv Contents Creating Complex Solids Tapering an Extrusion Extruding on a Curved Path Revolving a Polyline Editing Solids Splitting a Solid into Two Pieces Rounding Corners with the Fillet Tool Chamfering Corners with the Chamfer Tool Using the Solid Editing Tools Streamlining the 2D Drawing Process Drawing Standard Top, Front, and Right-Side Views Adding Dimensions and Notes in a Layout Using Visual Styles with a Viewport Visualizing Solids The Bottom Line Part 5 Customization and Integration Chapter 24 Using the Express Tools Using Enhancements Straight from the Source Opening the Express Toolbars Tools for Editing Text Express Blocks Tools Express Standard Tools Express Tools on the Menu Browser Layout Express Tools Putting AutoLISP to Work Loading and Running an AutoLISP Program Managing Your AutoLISP and VBA Library Loading AutoLISP Programs Automatically Creating Keyboard Macros with AutoLISP The Bottom Line Chapter 25 Exploring AutoLISP Understanding the Interpreter Defining Variables with Setq Understanding Data Types Using Arguments and Functions Using Text Variables with AutoLISP Storing Points as Variables Creating a Simple Program Dissecting the Rectangle Program Selecting Objects with AutoLISP The Ssget Function Controlling the Flow of an AutoLISP Program Using the If Function...873

27 Contents xxv Repeating an Expression Using Other Built-in Functions Data-Type Conversions Storing Your Programs as Files Getting More Help with AutoLISP The Bottom Line Chapter 26 Customizing Toolbars, Menus, Linetypes, and Hatch Patterns 883 Using Workspaces Customizing the User Interface Taking a Quick Customization Tour Understanding the Customizations in All CUI Files Panel Getting the Overall View Finding Commands in the Command List Preview/Button Image/Shortcuts Getting to the Core of Customization in the Properties Group Creating Your Own Toolbars and Menus Customizing Ribbon Panel Tools Creating Macros in Tools and Menus Pausing for User Input Opening an Expanded Text Box for the Macro Option Editing Keyboard Shortcuts Saving, Loading, and Unloading Your Customizations Understanding the Diesel Macro Language Using Diesel at the Command Line Using Diesel in a Custom Menu Macro Using Diesel as a Menu Option Label Using Diesel and Fields to Generate Text Creating Custom Linetypes Viewing Available Linetypes Creating a New Linetype Understanding the Linetype Code Creating Complex Linetypes Creating Hatch Patterns The Bottom Line Chapter 27 Managing and Sharing Your Drawings Sharing Drawings over the Internet Sharing Project Files with etransmit Protecting AutoCAD Drawing Files epublishing Your Drawings Exchanging Drawing Sets Other Publish Options Creating a DWF File by Using the Plot Dialog Box Adding Hyperlinks to Drawings...934

28 xxvi Contents Managing Your Drawings with DesignCenter and the Tool Palettes Getting Familiar with DesignCenter Opening and Inserting Files with DesignCenter Finding and Extracting the Contents of a Drawing Exchanging Data between Open Files Loading Specific Files into DesignCenter Downloading Symbols from DesignCenter Online Customizing the Tool Palettes with DesignCenter Establishing Office Standards Establishing Layering and Text Conventions Checking Office Standards Converting Multiple Layer Settings Other Layer Translator Options The Bottom Line Chapter 28 Keeping a Project Organized with Sheet Sets Understanding Sheet Sets Organizing by Reference Files and Sheet Files Managing Your Files with Sheet Sets Creating a Sheet Set from an Existing Project Using the Create Sheet Set Wizard Exploring the Sheet Set Manager Adding New Sheets to Your Sheet Set Managing Title Blocks and Cross-References Creating a New Sheet Set Based on an Existing One Building a Set of Drawings Adding Callout Blocks as Cross-Reference Symbols Editing Sheet Numbers and Title Block Information Closing a Sheet Set Customizing Sheet Sets Customizing a Title Block Creating Custom View Labels and Callout Blocks Archiving, Publishing, and etransmitting Sheet Sets Archiving Your Sheet Set Batch-Plotting and Publishing Your Sheet Set Packaging Sheet Sets with etransmit Preparing Your Project Files The Bottom Line Appendices Appendix A The Bottom Line Chapter 1: Exploring the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Interface Chapter 2: Creating Your First Drawing Chapter 3: Setting Up and Using AutoCAD s Drafting Tools

29 Contents xxvii Chapter 4: Organizing Objects with Blocks and Groups Chapter 5: Keeping Track of Layers and Blocks Chapter 6: Editing and Reusing Data to Work Efficiently Chapter 7: Mastering Viewing Tools, Hatches, and External References Chapter 8: Introducing Printing, Plotting, and Layouts Chapter 9: Understanding Plot Styles Chapter 10: Adding Text to Drawings Chapter 11: Using Fields and Tables Chapter 12: Using Dimensions Chapter 13: Using Attributes Chapter 14: Copying Existing Drawings into AutoCAD Chapter 15: Advanced Editing and Organizing Chapter 16: Laying Out Your Printer Output Chapter 17: Using Dynamic Blocks Chapter 18: Drawing Curves Chapter 19: Getting and Exchanging Data from Drawings Chapter 20: Creating 3D Drawings Chapter 21: Using Advanced 3D Features Chapter 22: Rendering 3D Drawings Chapter 23: Editing and Visualizing 3D Solids Chapter 24: Using the Express Tools Chapter 25: Exploring AutoLISP Chapter 26: Customizing Toolbars, Menus, Linetypes, and Hatch Patterns Chapter 27: Managing and Sharing Your Drawings Chapter 28: Keeping a Project Organized with Sheet Sets Appendix B Installing and Setting Up AutoCAD Before Installing AutoCAD Proceeding with the Installation Installing the AutoCAD Software Configuring AutoCAD The Files Tab The Display Tab The Open and Save Tab The Plot and Publish Tab The System Tab The User Preferences Tab The Drafting Tab The 3D Modeling Tab The Selection Tab The Profiles Tab Configuring the Tablet Menu Area Turning On the Noun/Verb Selection Method Turning On the Grips Feature Setting Up the Tracking Vector Feature

30 xxviii Contents Adjusting AutoCAD s 3D Graphics System The Adaptive Degradation Group The Hardware And Performance Tuning Group The Manual Performance Tuning Dialog Box Finding Hidden Folders That Contain AutoCAD Files Appendix C Hardware and Software Tips The Graphics Display Pointing Devices Output Devices Fine-Tuning the Appearance of Output Making Detailed Adjustments with the Printer/Plotter Configuration Options 1063 Adding a Plot Stamp Controlling How Lines Overlap Filtering Paper Sizes Filtering Printers Controlling the Plot-Preview Background Color Controlling the Windows Metafile Background Color Memory and AutoCAD Performance AutoCAD and Your Hard Disk Keep Your Hard Disk Clean AutoCAD Tools to Improve Memory Use Using Partial Open to Conserve Memory and Improve Speed Using Spatial and Layer Indexes to Conserve Memory Using the Incremental Save Percentage to Conserve Disk Space Setting Up Architectural Desktop to Act Like Standard AutoCAD When Things Go Wrong Starting Up or Opening a File Restoring Corrupted Files Troubleshooting Other Common Problems Appendix D System Variables and Dimension Styles System Variables Taking a Closer Look at the Dimension Style Dialog Boxes The Dimension Style Manager Dialog Box The New/Modify/Override Dimension Style Dialog Box Notes on Metric Dimensioning Drawing Blocks for Your Own Dimension Arrows and Tick Marks Index