Lesson 3

CAD
•Blocks
•Attributes

Working
Drawings •
Sections
•Elevations
 BLOCKS in AutoCAD
Objects created by combining graphic primitives.
Generated by the BLOCK command, this group of
individual objects becomes a single object that can be held
and inserted by a specified basepoint.

A block can also be

made by the
WBLOCK command
which makes it
available outside the
current file, for
insertion in other
 drawings.
Using AutoCAD BLOCKS
The INSERT command will bring the block into the
current
drawing .
Inserted blocks can
be copied,
scaled, rotated .
… Experiment for
yourself.

If the objects in the

block are drawn
 on
the Zero layer, they
will assume the
properties of the
current layer when
inserted.
ATTRIBUTES of CAD objects/blocks
1. Attributes are a special set of properties attached to a
created object.
2. The object properties command gives AutoCAD’s
predetermined list of properties generated by the software
programmers to define the different types of graphic
primitives that the software can create.
 3. The AutoCAD user can generate properties for objects that
he/she created by combining graphic primitives. i.e blocks. 4.
These user-generated properties of an object are called
attributes, and can be any type of information pertaining to
the object.
5. Attributes can be extracted from the AutoCAD file to
become information
about that object in
another format, e.g. in
an Excel spreadsheet.
ATTRIBUTES
Found in the attribute creation
dialogue
box, TAGS cannot have spaces
between words, but PROMPTS
 can.

INVISIBLE attributes are

not visible when
the block is used
[inserted] in the
drawing.
ELEVATIONS
Elevations refer to perpendicular [paraline] views of a
building, not perspective views.

Not to be shown on
working drawing
elevations are:
• shadows,
• trees/plants,
• people,
• vehicles.

CSA bldg. East Elevation

ELEVATIONS
Working drawing ELEVATIONS should show, at least: •
floor levels [and other significant datum lines] •
windows and doors and their respective symbols •
roof slope
ratio
• exterior
material on
walls/roof –
• column grid
–
[numbered]
• Section and
detail symbols
 •Vertical
dimensions
Refer to your working drawing
checklist for all elevation
requirements.
 ELEVATIONS

starting from
scratch…
ELEVATION complete
 SOUTH ELEVATION [partial]
ELEVATIONS –
material finish
DOOR ELEVATIONS
• How it is hinged • Door
frame/jamb
• Panels in door • Material
indication Hinged edge

• Correct height and width – cf

floor plan
• Door symbol/
identifier
reference to
door schedule
WINDOW
ELEVATIONS

• Frame
• How hinged
• Sashes
• Trim – if present •
 Sill – if present •
Height and width
cf floor plan
• Height above floor
level
• Window
symbol
STAIRS IN
ELEVATION
• Stairs
viewed in
front
 elevation are essentially a
set of parallel horizontal
lines.
• In side elevation, they
appear as the classic
staircase, unless there is a
wall /solid handrail that
obscures the steps.

• ..\CSA bldhg stair details.pdf

SECTIONS
Working drawing SECTIONS should show, at least:
 • floor levels [and other significant datum]
• windows and doors[ and symbols] if in elevation
• roof slope
ratio
• construction
notes for floors,
ceilings, fdn, etc
[leaders] • detail
references
[callouts]
• column grid
identifiers
• material –
[hatch] •Vertical
dims.
Refer to your working drawing checklist for all section requirements.
SECTIONS

• A section can be considered a vertical slice through a

building.
 • Sections can be full or partial.
• Sections tell much about the constructability of a building. • Details can
be developed from general or partial
sections.
• Clarification of building
structure requires adequate notes as well as drawings.

• Detailed sections can accompany general sections on the same drawing sheet,
and are usually referred to by a detail callout in the general section
 Basement Foundation Section
ANNOTATIVE OBJECTS
 • ..\annotative dimensng\Overview of
Creating Annotative Objects.doc

LESSON 2-4A - CREATING A TITLE BLOCK WITH

ATTRIBUTES
• http://www.we-r
here.com/cad/tutorials/level_2/title_block.htm
Anno dims
In this tutorial, by Ms Finkelstein, annotative
dimensions are created that show [are
visible] in differently scaled viewports.

• http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/acadblog/
tutorial-automate-annotation/
REFERENCES
• How to Use AutoCAD Blocks - AutoCAD Tutorial, By autocadtutorial
retrieved from http://autocadtutorial.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Use
AutoCAD-Blocks on 24/1/14

• MY CAD SITE The best free AutoCAD course online!

 ATTRIBUTES - NON-GRAPHICAL INFORMATION Retrieved from
http://www.we-r-here.com/cad/tutorials/level_2/2-2.htm on 27/1/14

• Wakita, O.A, Bakhoum, N.R, and Linde, R.M.,(2012) The Professional

Practice of Architectural Working Drawings (4th Ed) New Jersey: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc. (ISBN 978-0-470-61815-8)