1. Introduction to AutoCAD 2012
Chapter 5 - Drawing Tools and Drafting Settings
by Paul Richard and Jim Fitzgerald
Richard / Fitzgerald :INTRODUCTION TO AutoCAD 2012
Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved

2. Chapter 5 Objectives
Use the Grid display and Snap mode drawing aids to locate points quickly and precisely
Draw orthogonally using the Ortho mode drawing aid
Draw at angles using the Polar Tracking drawing aid
Use basic Object Snaps to locate points precisely relative to existing objects
Defer Object Snaps to locate complex points
Use advanced Object Snaps to locate points using acquired points and alignment paths
Locate points relative to multiple objects by using the Object Snap Tracking
feature to display multiple intersecting alignment path tracking vectors
Control Dynamic Input settings
Use Construction Lines to increase productivity and precision when creating multiple
view drawings

3. Drafting Settings dialog box
Typing DSETTINGS
Drawing aid buttons
(Settings)
NOTE
Any of the drawing tool buttons discussed in this chapter can be removed from the status bar via the Status Bar menu. To display the Status Bar menu, click on the down arrow at the far right of the status bar.

4. Grid Display Setting the Grid Spacing Grid X spacing Grid Y spacing
“Grid too dense to display”

5. Snap Mode Setting the Snap Spacing specific X and Y increments
Snap and Grid tab
Setting the Snap Type and
Style
Rectangular snap
Isometric snap
TIP
When Snap Mode is on, your cursor will not snap to grid points when selecting objects—only when specifying points. Snap Mode is temporarily turned off during the selection process so that it is easier to select objects.

6. Ortho Mode ORTHO mode turned off ORTHO mode turned on
Creating a Drawing Using Ortho Mode

7. Polar Tracking AutoTracking™ Polar Tracking alignment path
Increment angle
Absolute option
Relative to last segment

8. Polar Tracking Continued…
The polar tracking settings are controlled on the Polar Tracking tab of the Drafting Settings dialog box.

9. Snap Mode Setting the Snap Spacing specific X and Y increments
Snap and Grid tab
Setting the Snap Type and
Style
Rectangular snap
Isometric snap
TIP
When Snap Mode is on, your cursor will not snap to grid points when selecting objects—only when specifying points. Snap Mode is temporarily turned off during the selection process so that it is easier to select objects.

10. Basic Object Snaps Endpoint Midpoint Intersection
Apparent Intersection
Center
Quadrant
Tangent
Deferred Tangent
Perpendicular
Deferred Perpendicular
Insert
Nearest
None

11. Advanced Object Snap Modes
Acquired point
From
Mid Between 2 Points
Extension
Parallel

12. OBJECT SNAP TRACKING
Object Snap Tracking relies on the AutoTracking feature to display alignment paths at orthogonal or polar angle settings using points you select in your drawing using Object Snaps
Object Snap Tracking
Settings

13. Dynamic Input
The Dynamic Input interface consists of three different components:
Pointer Input
Dimension Input
Dynamic Prompts

14. Dynamic Input Continued...
Pointer Input
Dimension Input
Dynamic Prompts
NOTE
If you enter an invalid value in any dimension input field, the value highlights automatically
so you can enter a new value.

15. Dynamic Prompts
When Dynamic Prompts is on, command prompts and options are displayed
in a tooltip near the cursor. You can type a response in the dynamic prompt
input field instead of on the command line.
Using dynamic prompts
Dynamic Prompts also allows you to select command options near
the cursor using the arrow keys on your keyboard. If a command has
options, a down arrow is displayed in the dynamic prompt tooltip. Pressing
the down arrow key displays the command options in a shortcut menu
near the cursor.
Selecting dynamic prompt options

16. Dynamic Input Settings
The dynamic input settings are managed on the Dynamic Input tab of the Drafting Settings dialog box
You can turn Pointer Input on and off via the
Enable Pointer Input check box. The Settings... button displays the Pointer Input Settings dialog box

17. Using Construction Lines
Common uses of construction lines are:
Creating multiple views
Temporary locating geometric features
Creating Architectural elevations
Bisecting an angle

18. Using Construction Lines continued…
Offsetting an object with
a construction line

19. Using Construction Lines continued…
Drawing angular construction lines

20. Using Construction Lines continued…
Creating the final drawing
using construction lines

21. The XLINE Command Using two pick points Horizontally Vertically
Offset from an existing line
Specified angle
Bisected angle
NOTE
The Zoom Extents tool is unaffected by Xline objects. Any Xlines that exist in a drawing
are ignored when zooming to the drawing extents.

22. The RAY Command Start point Through point Drawing a ray NOTE
Similar to Xlines, the Zoom Extents tool is unaffected by ray objects. Any rays that exist in a drawing are ignored when zooming to the drawing extents.
Drawing a ray

23. Introduction to AutoCAD 2012
Chapter 6 – Managing Object Properties
by Paul Richard and Jim Fitzgerald
Richard / Fitzgerald :INTRODUCTION TO AutoCAD 2012
Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved

24. Chapter 6 Objectives Managing Object Properties • Create layers
• Set layer properties
• Load linetypes
• Modify the properties of drawing objects
• Use DesignCenter and Content Explorer
to import layers from other drawings
• Create layer filters and groups
• Manage layer states
• Control object visibility

25. Common Object Properties
Layer: A layer is a collection of color, linetype, and lineweight properties that can be used to organize
the objects in your drawing.
Color
Linetype
Lineweight

26. Layers
The LAYER Command
Layer Properties Manager

27. Layer Settings Current Layer Layer Names On/Off Freeze/Thaw
Lock/Unlock
Color
Linetype
Lineweight
Plot/ Non-Plot
TIP
You can collapse the Layer Filter list by clicking on the double arrows on the top and bottom on the right side of the Filters pane.

28. Layer Names
Layer Names. The layer name is the primary means of identifying a layer.
Layer names can have up to 255 characters and can include letters and
numbers as well as other special characters, including spaces. Layer names
should convey the contents of that layer. Layer names can be based on
part numbers, project names, design discipline (civil, architectural, etc.),
or any other agreed-upon standard.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has published the CAD
Layer Guidelines for the building industry that has been adopted by the
National CAD Standards organization (
This layering standard describes a method of organizing layers based on
NOTE
AutoCAD layer names can contain all but the following characters: <>/\“”:;?*|,=’

29. Layer Color
Color. The color property is the default display color for objects on a layer.
The AutoCAD Color Index (ACI). The Index Color tab shows the
AutoCAD Color Index (ACI), which is the primary way colors are assigned
in AutoCAD. The ACI consists of 255 colors (numbered 1–255). Colors 1–9
are called the standard colors.

30. The AutoCAD Color Index (ACI)
Colors 1-9 (standard colors)
True Colors (Red, Green, Blue)
HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance)

31. The Color Books
The Color Books tab allows you to select colors based on various color matching standards, such as Pantone, DIC, or RAL

32. Linetypes
Linetypes. Linetype refers to the pattern (continuous, dashed, dotted,etc.) of a line. Linetypes are generally a series of lines, spaces, dots, and symbols (circles, squares, text, etc.) at preset intervals. Linetypes are used to designate a particular type of object (fence line, railroad tracks, hot water
line, etc.) or a feature of an object (the hidden edge of an object, centerline of a circle or arc, etc.).
To assign a linetype to a layer, choose the Linetype setting for the layer you want to change. The Select Linetype dialog box will appear

33. Linetypes The Select Linetype dialog box Standard Linetypes
Load or Reload Linetypes

34. The LINETYPE Command
ByLayer
ByBlock
Linetype Manager

35. Linetype Scale
The LTSCALE command allows you to set a global scaling factor for all linetypes

36. Lineweights ANSI standards (American National Standards Institute)
The Lineweight dialog box
NOTE
Before the lineweight setting was introduced in AutoCAD, pen tables were used to map AutoCAD colors to plotted lineweights. For example, all red objects are plotted with a
.35 mm pen, yellow objects with a .15 mm pen, etc. AutoCAD still supports pen tables and gives you a number of options for creating and managing them.
Current Layer

37. The LINEWEIGHT Command
Lineweight Control drop-down
Lineweight Settings dialog box
Adjust Display Scale

38. Plot / Noplot and New VP Freeze
Plot / Noplot settings
New VP Freeze
Overrides:
• VP Color Control the layer color per viewport
• VP Linetype Control the layer linetype per viewport
• VP Lineweight Control the layer lineweight per viewport
• VP Plot Status Control if layer plots or not

39. Deleting a Layer
To delete a layer from your drawing, select the layer(s) from the layer list and choose the Delete Layer button (or choose <Alt>+D). A layer can be deleted only if it is not used in the drawing or if it is not the current layer. If the layer is not used and is not the current layer, AutoCAD will delete the layer. You can use Undo in the Quick Access toolbar to bring back a deleted layer. If the layer is used in the drawing, or if it is the current layer, AutoCAD will display an error message.

40. Using Layers Make Object’s Layer Current button Layer Previous button
The Match button

41. layer on which the object resides.
By default, when an object is created in a drawing, it takes on the color,
linetype, lineweight, and transparency settings of the current layer. When
this happens, its properties are defined as Bylayer. This means that the
color, linetype, lineweight, and transparency of an object are defined by the
layer on which the object resides.
It is possible to override these soft-coded properties and define the
color, linetype, lineweight, and transparency directly. These are called
hard-coded properties because the properties are assigned directly to the
object, regardless of which layer it resides on.
TIP
The SETBYLAYER command allows you to quickly update the color, linetype, lineweight, and transparency of objects to the ByLayer property.

42. The current settings for the color, linetype, lineweight, and transparency
properties are shown in the Properties panel.

43. Just like the other object property overrides discussed thus far, it is best
to use the ByLayer option to control transparency for maximum control of your drawing. Although you can assign transparency directly to objects, it is not advised. In fact, the default setting is ByLayer on the Transparency options menu located on the Properties panel of the Home tab of the ribbon.

44. Changing the Properties of Objects
You can turn on the Quick Properties feature on the status bar so that a mini Properties palette is displayed whenever you select an object.
TIP
Double-clicking on most objects will automatically display the Properties palette.

45. Copying Properties
The MATCHPROP Command
The PAINTER

46. Using Design Center to Import Layers
The ADCENTER Command
The Design Center palette

47. Layer Tools
The popular Express Layer Tools commands and utilities have been integrated into AutoCAD so that you can now access them via the Layers panel and the Layer tools cascade menu found on the Format pull-down menu.
There are a number of useful miscellaneous layer tools available on the expanded Layers panel, the Layer Tools cascade menu found on the Format menu or via the Layers II toolbar.

48. It is possible to control object visibility independent of layer visibility via the Object Visibility tools located in the status tray on the far right of the status bar.
NOTE
• You can also use the ISOLATEOBJECTS and HIDEOBJECTS commands to control object visibility.
• The light bulb icon in the status tray on the status bar appears dimmed when either the Isolate Objects or Hide Objects tool is in use.
TIP
The OBJECTISOLATIONMODE system variable controls whether isolated/hidden objects persist between drawing sessions. Setting OBJECTISOLATIONMODE to 0 will not save the isolated/hidden status of objects between drawing sessions. Setting OBJECTISOLATIONMODE to 1 will save any active isolated/hidden status so that it persists
between drawing sessions. The default setting is 0.