Advanced AutoCAD® 2015 Exercise Workbook

LESSON 1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this lesson you will be able to:

1. Open Multiple Drawings.

2. Easily switch from one open drawing to another.

3. Test your current AutoCAD skills.

4. Plot from Model Space.

Note:

This lesson should be used to determine whether or not you are ready for this level of instruction. If you have difficulty creating Exercises 1A, 1B and 1C you should consider reviewing the "Exercise Workbook for Beginning AutoCAD 2015" before going on to Lesson 2.

OPEN MULTIPLE FILES

The File Tabs tool allows you to have multiple drawings open at the same time. If the File Tabs tool is switched on, you can open existing saved drawings or create new ones.

The File Tabs tool is located on the Interface panel of the View tab, and is a Neon Blue color when switched on.

How to open an existing saved drawing from the File Tabs

1.   Right mouse click on the ‘+’ icon.

2.   Select Open from the menu.

3.   Locate the Directory and Folder for the previously saved file.

4.   Select the File you wish to open.

5.   Select the Open button.

How to open a new drawing from the Files Tab.

1.   Right mouse click on the ‘+’ icon. (Refer to page 1–2)

2.   Select Drawing Template (*.dwt) from the Files of type drop-down list.

3.   Select the Template you require.

4.   Select the Open button.

Note:

If you right mouse click on any File Tab a menu appears with various options, including closing all open drawing tabs except the one you just clicked on.

You can also select a New Tab page where you can access online resources and the Learn and Create pages. You can also left mouse click on the ‘+’ icon to access the New Tab page.

The File Tabs drawing previews allow you to quickly change between open drawings. If you hover your mouse over any open File Tab, a preview of the Model and the Layout tabs are displayed. You can click on any of the previews to take you to that particular open drawing or view.

If an asterisk is displayed on a file Tab it means that particular drawing has not been saved since it was last modified. The asterisk will disappear when the drawing has been saved.

WARM UP DRAWINGS

The following drawings have been included for two purposes:

First purpose: To make sure you remember the commands taught in the Beginning Workbook and to get you prepared for the new commands in this Advanced Workbook.

Second purpose: To confirm that you are ready for this level of instruction.

IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:

This workbook assumes you already have enough basic AutoCAD knowledge to easily complete Exercises 1A, 1B and 1C. If you have difficulty with these exercises, you should consider reviewing "Exercise Workbook for Beginning AutoCAD". If you try to continue without this knowledge you will probably get confused and frustrated. It is better to have a good solid understanding of the basics before going on to Lesson 2.

PRINTING

Exercises 1A, 1B and 1C should be printed from Model space on any letter size printer. Instructions are on page 1–9.

EXERCISE 1A

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.   Start a NEW file using 2015-Workbook Helper.dwt (Refer to Intro-1)

2.   Draw the objects below using layers Object Line and Centerline.

3.   Do not dimension

4.   Save as EX1A

5.   Plot using the instructions on page 1–9

EXERCISE 1B

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.   Start a NEW file using 2015-Workbook Helper.dwt (Refer to Intro-1)

2.   Draw the objects below using layer Object Line

3.   Do not dimension

4.   Save as EX1B

5.   Plot using the instructions on page 1–9

EXERCISE 1C

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.   Start a NEW file using My Decimal Setup.dwt (from the Beginning workbook)

2.   Draw the objects below using layers Object Line, Centerline and Dimension

3.   Dimension using: Dim-Decimal.

4.   Save as EX1C

5.   Plot using the instructions on page 1–9

Basic Plotting from Model Space

1.   Important: Open the drawing you want to plot.

2.   Select: Zoom / All to center the drawing within the plot area.

3.   Select the Plot command using one of the following;

The Plot –Model dialog box will appear.

4.   Select the More Options button to expand the dialog box.

5.   Select your printer from the drop down list or Default windows system printer.pc3 Note: If your printer is not shown in the list you should configure your printer within AutoCAD. This is not difficult. Refer to Appendix-A for step by step instructions.

6.   Select the Paper size: Letter

7.   Select the Plot Area: Extents

8.   Select the Plot Offset: Center the Plot

9.   Select Plot Scale: 1:1

10. Select the Plot Style table: Monochrome.ctb (for all black) Acad.ctb (for color)

11. If the following dialog box appears, select Yes

12. Select the Preview button.

Does your display appear as shown below?

If yes, press and proceed to 13.

If not, recheck 1 through 11.

13. Select the Apply to Layout button.

14. Select the OK button to send the drawing to the printer or select Cancel if you do not want to print the drawing at this time. The Page Setup will still be saved.

15. Save the entire drawing again. The Plot settings will be saved to the drawing.

LESSON 2

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Customize the Workspace

2. Customize the Ribbon

3. Customize the Status Bar

4. Customize the Quick Access Toolbar

5. Select, Export, Import and Delete a Workspace

Customizing the Workspace

At this stage of your AutoCAD education you are probably not too interested in customizing AutoCAD. But I would like to at least introduce you to the Custom User Interface to familiarize you with a few of the customizing options that are available. It is relatively easy to use and sometimes helpful. If you find it intriguing you may explore further using the AutoCAD Help system discussed in Lesson 1 in the Beginning workbook.

Start by opening the Customize User Interface dialog box using one of the following:

The following dialog box should appear.

Creating a New Workspace

Have you found yourself wishing that you could move some of the commands from one Ribbon Panel to another? Or possibly Add, Remove or Move the Tabs. Well you can. You can create a Workspace all of your own very easily.

Important: Before you begin customizing your workspace it is important to create a Duplicate Workspace rather than modify an existing workspace. This will allow you to revert back to the original AutoCAD default workspace appearance.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. I will also show you how to easily return to the AutoCAD default workspace.

1.   Open the Customize User Interface dialog box as shown on the previous page.

2.   Duplicate the Drafting & Annotation workspace as follows:

A. Right click on Drafting & Annotation and select Duplicate.

3.   Rename the duplicate workspace as follows:

A. Right click on Copy of Drafting & Annotation 1 and select Rename.

4.   Enter the New Workspace name Class Workspace Demo

5.   Right Click on the New Workspace Class Workspace Demo and select Set current.

6.   The New Workspace should now be displayed as shown below.

7.   Select Apply and OK buttons located at the bottom of the CUI dialog box.

Now you have a workspace to customize. The following pages will guide you through:

1. Creating a new Ribbon tab.

2. Adding a new Ribbon Panel to the new tab.

3. Adding Commands to the new Panel.

Create a Ribbon tab

1.   Open the Customize User Interface dialog box (Refer to page 2–2)

2.   Select Class Workspace Demo

3.   Click on the [ + ] beside Ribbon to expand.

4.   Right Click on Tabs

5.   Select New Tab

6.   Enter a name for the new tab and press . (Note: I entered Class Tab)

7.   Select the Apply and then OK button at the bottom of the Customize User Interface box.

Note:

New Tabs are not automatically added to the workspace.

You must tell AutoCAD that you want to display this new tab in your workspace.

Follow the steps on the following page to Add a Ribbon Tab to a Workspace.

Add a Ribbon Tab to a Workspace

1.   Open the Customize User Interface dialog box (Refer to page 2–2)

2.   Select Class Workspace Demo

3.   Click on Customize Workspace button. (It will change to Done)

5.   Scroll down the list of tabs and click the check box beside the Class Tab.

Notice the Class tab was added to the Workspace Contents also.

6.   Click on the Done button.

7.   Select the Apply and OK button.

The New Tab should now appear in the Ribbon.

8.   Select the Class Tab

Add a Ribbon Panel to a tab

1.   Open the Customize User Interface dialog box. ( Refer to page 2–2)

2.   Select Class Workspace Demo

3.   Select the [+] beside Ribbon to expand.

4.   Select the [+] beside Tabs to expand.

5.   Select the [+] beside Panels to expand.

6.   Scroll down the list of Panels and select the one you wish to add to the tab.

7.   Right click on the Panel and select Copy. from the menu.

8.   Scroll up and find the Tab to which you wish to add the panel.

9.   Right Click on the Tab name and select Paste.

10. The Panel should now be listed under Class Tab

11. Select Apply and OK buttons located at the bottom of the Customize User Interface box.

12. Select the Class Tab. (The added Panel should appear)

Create a New Ribbon Panel

The previous page showed you how to add an existing Ribbon Panel to a tab. The following will guide you through creating a New Ribbon Panel to which you will add commands and then you will add it to a Ribbon tab.

1.   Open the Customize User Interface dialog box (Refer to page 2–2)

2.   Select Class Workspace Demo

3.   Select the [+] beside Ribbon to expand.

4.   Right Click on Panels

5.   Select New Panel

6.   Enter a name for the new panel and press . (Note: I entered My Panel)

7.   Select Apply and OK buttons.

You will now add commands to the new panel.

Refer to the next page for Adding commands to a panel.

After adding commands to the panel you will add the new panel to the tab.

Add a Command to a Ribbon Panel

1.   Open the Customize User Interface dialog box (Refer to page 2–2)

2.   Select Class Workspace Demo

3.   Select the [+] beside Ribbon to expand.

4.   Select the [+] beside Panels to expand.

5.   Select the [+] beside the Panel name to which you want to add commands. (Note: The new panel will be located at the bottom of the list of panels)

6.   Locate the command, that you wish to add, in the Command List area.

7.   Click, drag and drop the command on Row 1. (Note: I selected Save As for this example)

8.   Now refer back to page 2–8 for instructions to Add a Ribbon Panel to a Tab

After adding the My Panel to the Class tab it Should appear as shown below.

How to customize the Status Bar

AutoCAD allows you to decide what you would like displayed on the Status Bar. Customizing the Status Bar is strictly personal preference. You decide.

The Status Bar is located on the bottom of the screen. It displays the current settings. These settings can be turned ON or OFF by clicking on one of the buttons or by pressing a corresponding function key, F2, F3 etc.

When an icon is turned on it will display a neon blue in color.

Status Bar Icons

The status bar provides you with a set of commonly used drawing tools like grid display, snap, object snap and isometric drafting. You can choose to remove some or all of them, or you can choose to add more tools.

To add or remove tools from the Status Bar.

1.   Select and click on the Customization button.

2.   Check or uncheck the tools you want to remove or add from the list.

3.   Left click in the main drawing area to close the list.

Note: The tools on the status bar may change depending on whether you are in Model Space or Paper Space.

Customize the Quick Access Toolbar

Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is located in the top left corner of the AutoCAD window. It includes the most commonly used tools, such as New, Open, Save, Save as, Print, Undo and Redo.

How to Customize the Quick Access Toolbar

You can add tools with the Customize User Interface dialog box.

For Example:

You will find that you will be using the Zoom All tool often. So I add the "Zoom All" tool to the Quick Access Toolbar. If you would like to add the "Zoom All" tool, or any other tool, to your Quick Access Toolbar follow the steps below.

1.   Place the Cursor on the Quick Access Toolbar and press the right mouse button.

2.   Select Customize Quick Access Toolbar… from the menu.

3.   Scroll through the list of Commands to Zoom, All

4.   Press the Left mouse button on "Zoom, All" and drag it to a location on the Quick Access Toolbar and drop it by releasing the left mouse button.

5.   Select the OK button at the bottom of the Customize User Interface dialog box.

The Customize User Interface dialog box will disappear and the new Quick Access Toolbar is saved to the current Workspace.

To Remove a tool:

Place the cursor on the tool to remove and press the right mouse button. Select Remove from Quick Access Toolbar.

Export a Workspace

Now that you have created your workspace you may wish to Export the workspace so you may Import the workspace onto another computer.

1.   Select the Customize User Interface EXPORT using one of the following:

2.   Select the Workspace you wish to export.

3.   Select Save As from the drop down list.

4.   Locate where you wish to save the workspace file.

(Note: This is a fairly large file so make sure you have data area available.)

5.   Enter a name

6.   Select the Save button.

Your customized workspace is now saved and can be imported onto another computer. Import instructions are on the next page.

Import a Workspace

Now that you have created your workspace you may wish to Import the workspace onto another computer. Note: you should be importing the workspace into a computer that does not have the workspace that you wish to import.

1.   Select the Customize User Interface IMPORT using one of the following: