BASIC DRAWING COMMANDS FOR AUTOCAD
Measuring
Commands
GRID:
Displays a grid of dots at a desired
spacing on the screen.
Command: GRID (enter)
On/Off/Tick
spacing(x)/Aspect: (enter value) (enter)
SNAP:
Specifies a "round off"
interval so that points entered with the mouse can be locked into alignment with the grid spacing.
Command: SNAP (enter)
On/Off/Value/Aspect/Rotate/Style: (enter value) (enter)
Basic
Draw Commands
CIRCLE: Draws
circles of any size.
Command: Circle (enter)
3P/2P/TTR/<center
point>: (pick a center point)
Diameter
or <Radius>: (Pick a point on the
circle)
LINE: Draws straight lines between two
points
Command: LINE (enter)
From
Point: (pick a point using the mouse)
To
Point: (Pick a point using the mouse)
To
Point: (Press return to end the command)
ARC: Draws an arc (any part of a
circle or curve) through three known points.
Command: ARC (enter)
Center/
< Start point > : (pick the first
point on the arc)
Center/End/
< Second point > : C
Center: (pick the arc's center point)
Angle/Length
of chord/ <End point > : (pick the
arc endpoint)
Display
Commands
LIMITS: Sets
the size of the drawing paper. For size
"A" drawing paper the limits should be set for 10.5
x 8.
Command: LIMITS (enter)
On/Off/Lower
left corner <0.0000> (enter)
Upper
right corner: 10.5,8 (enter)
ZOOM: Enlarges or reduces the display
of a drawing.
Command: ZOOM (enter)
All/Center/Dynamic/Extents/Left/Previous/Vmax/Window/<Scale(x/XP)>:
(pick
a point to define one corner of a rectangular viewing window then pick
a point to define the second point to define the
opposite diagonal corner of the viewing window)
Note: To return the picture to its original viewing
size enter ALL and press the enter
key when prompted instead of defining a window.
PAN: Allows you to move your view point
around the drawing without changing the magnification factor.
Command: PAN (enter)
Editing
Commands
CHANGE: Alters
properties of selected objects
Command: CHANGE (enter)
Select
objects or window or Last (select objects to be changed)
Properties/<Change
point>: (type P)
Change
what property (Color/Elev/LAyer/LType/Thickness)? (type Layer)
New
Layer: (enter new layer name and press
enter)
ERASE: Erases
entities from the drawing.
Command: ERASE (enter)
Select
objects or Window or Last: (Select objects to be erased and press enter when
finished)
EXTEND: Lengthens
a line to end precisely at a boundary edge.
Command: Extend (enter)
Select
boundary edge(s)...
Select
Objects (pick the line which represents
the boundary edge which lines will be extended to)
(press
enter when finished selecting cutting edges)
<Select
object to extend>/Undo: (pick the
line(s) that need to be extended
TRIM: Trims
a line to end precisely at a cutting
edge.
Command: Trim (enter)
Select
cutting edge(s)...
Select
Objects (pick the line which represents
the cutting edge of line in which objects will be trimmed to)
(press
enter when finished selecting cutting edges)
<Select
object to trim>/Undo: (pick the
line(s) that need to be trimmed)
Grips
You can edit selected objects by
manipulating grips that appear at defining points on the object. Grips is not a command. To activate grips simply pick the
object. Small squares will appear at
various entity-specific positions. By
selecting an end grip you can stretch the entity to change its size. By selecting the center grip you can move the
entity to a new location. To remove
grips press CTL-C twice. You can perform
the following using grips: Copy, Multiple Copy, Stretch, Move, Rotate, Scale,
and Mirror.
Creating
Layers
LAYER: Creates named drawing layers and assigns
color and line type properties to those layers.
Command: LAYER (enter)
A Layer & Linetype Properties
dialog box will be displayed. To add a
new layer, pick the New button. A new
layer listing appears, using a default name of Layer1. the layer name can be changed by highlighting
the layer name. Colors and Linetypes can
be assigned to each new layer by picking the color box to assign a color and
picking the linetype box to assign a line type.
Standard AutoCAD colors
1
= Red 2 = Yellow 3 = Green 4 = Cyan
5
= Blue 6 = Magenta 7 = White
Standard AutoCAD linetypes
Hidden2 = hidden lines
Center2 = center lines
Phantom2 = phantom or cutting-plane
lines
Construction
Commands
ARRAY: Makes
multiple copies of selected objects in a rectangular or circular pattern
Command: ARRAY (enter)
Select
objects or Window or Last: (select
object to array)
Rectangular
or Polar array (R/P) <current>: (P)
Center
point of array: (pick the point around
which to form the array)
Angle
to fill (+=CCW, -=Cw) <360>:
(enter)
COPY: Draws a copy of selected objects.
Command: COPY (enter)
Select
objects or Window or Last: (select objects to be copied)
Base
point or displacement: (pick a point on
the object to be use as a reference point)
Second
point of displacement: (pick a point
which represents the new location of the copied
object)
MIRROR: Makes
mirror images of existing objects.
Command: MIRROR (enter)
Select
objects or Window or Last: (select objects to be mirrored)
First
point of mirror line: (pick a point on
top of the mirror line)
Second
point: (pick a point on the bottom of the mirror line)
Delete
old objects? <N> y or n (enter)
MOVE: Moves
designated entities to another location.
Command: MOVE (enter)
Select
objects or Window or Last: (select objects to move)
Base
point or displacement: (pick a point on
the object to be use as a reference point)
Second
point of displacement: (pick a point
which represents the new location of the object)
OFFSET: Constructs
an entity parallel to another entity at a specified distance. Offset can be used with lines,
circles, arcs, and polylines.
Command: OFFSET (enter)
Offset
distance or Through <last>: (enter
a distance value)
Select
object to offset: (select object to
offset)
Side
to offset: (Pick any point on the side
of the object you wish to offset)
FILLET: Changes
any corner to a rounded corner.
Command: FILLET
Polyline/Radius/Angle/Trim/Method/
<Select first line > : (pick the
first line)
Select
second line: (pick the second line)
CHAMFER: Changes
any corner to an angled corner.
Command: CHAMFER
Polyline/Distance/Angle/Trim/Method/
< Select first line > : (pick the
first line)
Select
second line: (pick the second line)
OSNAP
Instantly locates exact points
relative to existing objects (points).
Object Snap Modes: Endpoint, Midpoint, Center, Quadrant,
Intersection, Insertion, Perpendicular, Tangent,
Nearest, Node, and None.
Placing
lettering on a drawing
TEXT: Draws text characters of any
size.
Command: TEXT (enter)
Justify/Style/<Start
point>: (pick a starting point or
enter a justification letter)
Height
(0) (enter the height of the lettering)
Rotation
Angle (0) (enter)
Text: (enter the desired lettering) (enter)
Summary
of Options
<Start Point> Left-Justifies text along its
baseline
Justify Justifies
text according to the alignment options
Style Enters
a new text style
Null reply Enters a new line of text below the previous
text.
(space
or Enter key will give a Null reply)
Text Alignment Options
Alignment Abbreviation Orientation
Aligned A Aligns
text between two points. Text height
will adjust automatically
Fit F Fits
text between two points. Text height will
not change
Centered C Centers text at the
baseline of a specified point
Middle M Centers
text horizontally and vertically at the
baseline of a specified point
Right R Right
Justify text at the baseline of a specified
point
Alignment Abbreviation Orientation
Top
Left TL Left
Justifies text at the top of text
Top
Center TC Centers
text at the top of text
Top
Right TR Right
justifies text at the top to text
Middle
Left ML Left
justifies text at the middle of text
Middle
Center MC Centers
text both horizontally and vertically at
the middle of the text
Middle
Right MR Right
justifies text at the middle of text
Bottom
Left BL Left
justifies text at the bottom of text
Bottom
Center BC Centers
text a the bottom of text
Bottom
Right BR Right
justifies text at the bottom of text
The SPELL command will check the
spelling of a group of text.
Crosshatching
a drawing
BHATCH: Allows
the user to crosshatch areas of a section view.
Command: BHATCH (enter)
The Boundary Hatch dialogue Box
will be displayed. Select the Hatch
Options box.
The Hatch Options box will be
displayed. Select the Patterns box.
The Choose Hatch Pattern box will
be displayed. Select the desired hatch
pattern.
The Hatch Options box will be
displayed again. You can select a scale
and rotation angle for the crosshatch pattern.
Select the OK box when finished.
The Boundary Hatch dialogue box
will be displayed again. Select the Pick
Points box. When prompted select the
internal point of the are to be crosshatched.
Press the enter key when finished.
The Boundary Hatch dialog box will be displayed again.
Select the Apply box to add the crosshatching to the drawing