AutoCAD Basic to Advance

User Convenience:

1) Colour of Workspace : Change it to Black

● Background and foreground sometimes are in high contrast.
● Creates strain if you work for a longer time.
● Change Colour of workspace in BLACK.
● Command : OP ↵ , Go to Display Tab, Colours and chose Black. Apply
and Close.

2) Cursor : Crosshair size

● Increase the Crosshair Size to 50 and Pickbox size.
● OP ↵ , Go to Display Tab, Crosshair Size to 50.
● Go to the Selection tab, Inc. Pickbox size.

3) Version : Always work in 2014 or older versions.

● This does not mean to download older versions but to save files in older
versions.
● OP ↵ , Open and Save Tab, Choose AutoCAD 2000 dwg. extension

4) Units : Set units before you start drafting.

● Un ↵
● If you want to work in metres, select Decimal and precision to 0.000.
● If you want to work in feet and inches, select Architecture and precision to
0’½” .
● Note: If you want to plan in feet and inches, always select only Inches.

5) Limits : Set Limit of workspace before you start drafting plan.

● Lim ↵
● Set lower limit to 0,0
● Set the upper limit to more than your maximum length of the building.
● Apply zoom command, i.e, Z↵ and then A↵ .
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Drafting Tools:

Command Shortcut Steps to Use Command Dimension

Name

Line L 1. Type LINE or press L 2. Specify DIMLINER - For linear

the first point 3. Specify the second measurement

point 4. Press Enter to end the DIMALI - For aligned

command. measurement

DIMCON - for continuous

F8 - Ortho measurement

F12- Dynamic Size i.e length and DIMANG- for angles

angle QDIM- quick dimensions

DIMSPA- creates equal spacing

DIMJOG - Jogged

dimension/break in dimension

Polyline PL 1. Type PLINE or press PL 2. Specify DIMLINER - For linear

the first point 3. Specify subsequent measurement

points 4. Press Enter to end the DIMALI - For aligned

command. measurement

DIMCON - for continuous

measurement

Circle C 1. Type CIRCLE or press C 2. Specify DIMRAD - For radial

the centre point 3. Specify the radius measurement

or diameter 4. Press Enter to end the DIMDIA - for diameter

command. measurement

Arc ARC 1. Type ARC or press ARC 2. Specify DIMARC

the start point 3. Specify the

endpoint 4. Specify a point on the

arc 5. Press Enter to end the

command.
Rectangle REC 1. Type RECTANGLE or press REC 2. DIMLINER - For linear

Specify the first corner 3. Specify measurement

the opposite corner 4. Press Enter to DIMALI - For aligned

end the command. measurement

DIMCON - for continuous

measurement

Ellipse EL 1. Type ELLIPSE or press EL 2. DIMRAD - For radial

Specify the centre or a point on the measurement

major axis 3. Specify the endpoint of DIMDIA - for diameter

the major axis 4. Press Enter to end measurement

the command.

Spline SPL 1. Type SPLINE or press SPL 2.

Specify the fit points or control

vertices 3. Press Enter to end the

command

Hatch 1)H 1)Creates hatch in enclosed objects

2)H+S 2)Creates hatch to multiple objects

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Modify Tools:

Command Name Shortcut Steps to Use Command

1. Type MOVE or press M 2. Select objects to move 3. Specify the base

Move M
point 4. Specify the second point 5. Press Enter to end the command.
 1. Type COPY or press CO 2. Select objects to copy 3. Specify the base
Copy CO
point 4. Specify the second point 5. Press Enter to end the command.

1. Type ARRAY or press AR 2. Select objects to array 3. Specify the

Array AR type of array (rectangular, polar, etc.) 4. Follow the prompts to define

the array parameters.

1. Type ROTATE or press RO 2. Select objects to rotate 3. Specify the

Rotate RO base point 4. Specify the rotation angle 5. Press Enter to end the

command.

1. Type TRIM or press TR 2. Select cutting edges 3. Select objects to

Trim TR
trim 4. Press Enter to end the command.

1. Type MIRROR or press MI 2. Select objects to mirror 3. Specify the

Mirror MI first point of the mirror line 4. Specify the second point 5. Press Enter

to end the command.

1)F
1. Type FILLET or press F 2. Select the first object 3. Select the

Fillet second object 4. Specify the fillet radius 5. Press Enter to end the

command.
2) F+P+R

1. Type OFFSET or press O 2. Select the object to offset 3. Specify the

Offset OFF distance 4. Specify the side to offset 5. Press Enter to end the

command.

1. Type STRETCH or press ST 2. Select objects to stretch 3. Specify the

Stretch ST base point 4. Specify the second point 5. Press Enter to end the

command.

1. Type ALIGN or press AL 2. Select objects to align 3. Specify the first

Align AL source point and destination point 4. Repeat for additional source

and destination pairs.

 1. Type SCALE or press SC 2. Select objects to scale 3. Specify the

Scale SC base point 4. Specify the scale factor 5. Press Enter to end the

command.

1. Type EXPLODE or press X 2. Select the object to explode 3. Press

Explode X
Enter to end the command.

1. Type JOIN or press J 2. Select lines, arcs, or polylines to join 3.

JOIN J
Press Enter to end the command.

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Layers :

● Create New Layer - Alt + N

● Set Layer - Alt + C
● Delete Layer - Alt + D

Note : Always work with Layer ON.

Command : LAYISO = isolates layers other than selected layer objects.

Layer Name Colour Linetype Line Weight (mm)

Wall Blue Conti Line 0.3

Wall - Main Cyan Conti Line 0.3

Wall - Hatch Grey Conti Line 0.15

RCC white Conti Line 0.3

Furniture Brown/Orange Conti Line 0.9, 0.15, 0.25

Door Conti Line 0.9

Window Conti Line 0.13

Dimension Conti Line 0.13

Centre Line Near to Black Hidden 0.05

Elevation 1,2,3 Conti Line 0.15, 0.18, 0.20

Electrical Text Magenta Conti Line 0.15

electrical magenta Conti Line 0.13

Section Line Red Conti Line 0.30

Text Conti Line 0.15, 0.09

Hatch Dark Green 0.09

Joinery Conti Line 0.25

Additional Commands :

Command Usage Shortcut

Ortho 90 degree lines F8

Selection Cycle Allow to select from multiple ctrl+w

overlapping objects

Count Blocks Tells how many blocks has BCOUNT

been used

Centerline Creates Centerline CENTERLINE

DDPTYPE Points Style DDPTYPE

BREAK Breaks object BREAK

Multiline Creates 2 lines at a time ML

Area Tells Area of the enclosed AA

object AA+O

Wipeout Creates a wipeout object, WIPEOUT

and controls whether
wipeout frames are
displayed in the drawing.