Additional Exercises

Here are some additional exercises to practice that cover what we worked on in our last class as well as the basic skills we've been using.
There is also a floor plan with text and dimensions - see how much you can do!

Exercise #1

Exercise #2

Exercise #3

Exercise #4

Exercise #5

Floor Plan

Class #3

Class #3

Congratulations to everyone on being able to do most (or all) of the drafting exercises on your own! I didn't see anyone who wasn't able to do most of those exercises and that's fantastic.

In class we covered some additional modify commands:

• Array
• Divide
• Explode

We also briefly discussed the following commands:

• Text
• Dimensions
• Multileaders
• Hatch

Remember: Some commands are "continuous" commands and will keep you in the command even after you have finished the first thing you did. Line command will allow you to keep drawing lines, copy command will allow you to keep placing copies on screen, offset will allow you to keep offsetting. You will get used to which commands are like this - but remember the key is to look at the command line and look on the screen - if AutoCAD is saying "pick a point" or the crosshairs on your screen do not have a box in the center you are still in that command.

Remember: TRIM and EXTEND ask you to pick the OBJECT TO TRIM/EXTEND TO FIRST - not the object you want to trim or extend. It's backwards from what you would expect. Also, remember that typing TRIM or EXTEND and then ENTER 2x will make every single object in your drawing a TRIM/EXTEND edge.

Quick Tip: If you want to repeat the command you just used - hit the enter key it will automatically start the last command given.

Quick Tip: When you start your drawing - make sure that you right click on the OSNAPS button at the bottom of the screen - pick the OSNAPS you want to use and make sure that button is highlighted in BLUE - that lets you know it is enabled.

Quick Tip: Make sure you zoom into the area you are working on so you can see the points you are picking - if you are using OSNAPS, you need to see the GREEN ICON on the screen to know that you are picking the right point - just because you are NEAR the end of a line, doesn't mean you are actually SELECTED that point unless you see the ENDPOINT OSNAP box appear.

AutoCAD Drafting Excercises

These are the exercises I handed out in class today.
I will post more over the next week so you can practice at home.

Link to PDF

Student Version of Autocad

To all students who are looking to get the free student version of AutoCAD.
I am told that all students are issued a purchase college email address and that this is the ONLY thing you need to qualify for the free download of the software.
Go to the autodesk website and enter in your information - give your purchase email account address and a link should be sent to you at that email address. You are then prompted to download the software and given a code to register the product.
From reports from other students you should be able to use the software for 3 years as the student version.
Please let me know if you have any trouble.

Class #2

We covered a lot of ground in class #2 and you all were able to start drawing a real plan by the end of class. That is a great first step!!
I wanted to post a list of the commands we covered during our 2nd class so you can review them and continue to practice them. I am listing the keyboard short cut first with the name of the command after.

Draw Commands:
L - Line
PL - Polyline
REC - Rectangle
XL - Xline (or Construction Line)
C - Circle
A - Arc
E - Ellipse
SPL - Spline

Modify Commands:
E - Erase
U - Undo
CO - Copy
M - Move
MI - Mirror
O - Offset
RO - Rotate
S - Stretch
SC - Scale
TR - Trim
EX - Extend
F - Fillet
CH - Chamfer

This is a lot of information to take in all at once - don't worry - we'll be practicing these basic commands each class until you have a good working knowledge of each one.

A few quick tips:

• Remember that ESC key cancels commands and deselects objects. If you have accidentally selected an object, hit ESC. If you want to cancel your command, hit ESC.
• Remember that OSNAPS can help you find points on objects - you must move your cursor near the object and wait until you see the green indicator (varies by snap point) to click.
• Remember that ORTHO helps keep you in 90 degrees so you can draw straight lines. If you are feeling more adventurous - try POLAR.
• Remember that TRIM and EXTEND ask you to select the object you want to TRIM TO or EXTEND TO first (this is sort of counter-intuitive).

Class #1:
Thanks to everyone who came for a great start to the course. I want to review a few items we went over in class that are important to remember:

1. Remember to log on to your computer with your email and password so you can print. You can still log on to any computer with the username purchase.guest. Remember to save your work prior to breaks or any time you leave your computer for more than 5 mins as your computer will log you off and won't save your work!
2. Remember to bring a USB flash drive with you to class - this is the best and most convenient way to save your project files.

Commands and topics we reviewed in class:

• The AutoCAD screen
  
• Zoom and Pan
• Selection of objects
• Line
• Circle
• Erase
• Undo
• Escape (cancel a command)
• Distance
• Properties
• Help Menu

Remember: Autocad prompts you for information in the command line area at the bottom of the screen - it will ask for input, give you options for commands, etc.

Remember: Enter or Space Bar after input enters that input into the computer

Remember: Hitting ESC key will exit out of the current command or action

Quick Tip: Hitting Enter after doing a command will restart that same command (so if you want to undo three times you can type "u" and hit Enter- then hit Enter two more times)

Quick Tip: The wheel mouse can be used to zoom and pan around the screen. Scroll the wheel forward and backward to zoom, push the wheel down and hold it to pan, double click the wheel to zoom out to the extents of your drawing.