Getting Started with AutoCAD

Download the AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT trial to explore 2D and 3D design. This lesson covers the interface, Express Tools only in AutoCAD, and the lighter, 2D-focused AutoCAD LT.

Explore the AutoCAD LT 2020 interface, including the application menu, quick access toolbar, ribbon, and the command bar, with model and layout spaces, grid mode, snap mode, and osnap tools.

Set up your AutoCAD drawing by choosing units in centimeters, then master zoom and pan commands, window selection, and essential options and shortcuts for fast, reliable drawing saves.

Draw lines with l and enable ortho for straight angles, then master circle options (center/radius, 3p, 2p diameter, tan-tan radius) and rectangle tools (rec, chamfer, fillet, width).

Erase objects by selecting them and pressing E or the delete key, then undo with U or Ctrl+Z and redo with Ctrl+Y, save the drawing, and start the assignment.

Use AutoCAD layers to organize a house drawing with ground, walls, doors, and landscaping on separate layers. Manage visibility, color, linetype, line weight, printing, and properties with layer tools.

Explore polylines, arcs, and polygons in AutoCAD, drawing continuous polylines with curved segments, using arc options with center and radius, and inscribed or circumscribed polygons with 3 to 1024 sides.

Explore ellipse creation with major and minor axes, arc, and center options, plus splines, donuts, points, and rectangular, path, and polar arrays in AutoCAD.

Explore move, copy, rotate, scale, stretch, and offset commands in AutoCAD, including drag, arrays, osnap, and layer management for precise drawing modifications.

Create infinite construction lines with the xl command, adjust offsets to set overhang, then trim, extend, and apply fillet or chamfer with radius to refine edges.

Learn AutoCAD basics by building a roof and window, using offset, fillet, trim, and extend, then master explode, divide, break, join, poly edit, and mirror for flexible editing.

Learn to dimension drawing objects using dim commands, set up a dedicated dim layer, customize dimension styles, and explore associative, non-associative, and exploded dimensions.

Learn to add text to AutoCAD drawings by creating a text layer and using single line text (DT) or multi line text (MT or T) with height, rotation, and justification.

Create and format tables in AutoCAD, customize cell styles and text, and use leader and multi-line leader commands to annotate drawings with precise text and arrows.

Master the hatch command in AutoCAD to fill closed boundaries with patterns, adjust scale and angle, and edit hatches using origin control for clean, precise drawings.