How to Draw With AutoCAD 2007

AutoCAD displays the changing coordinates of forms as you draw them.

Drawing with AutoCAD 2007 can take several forms. One of them is a line drawing, which you can create by defining the line's two points in 2-D space with the mouse. Another type of AutoCAD drawing is one with polygons. These shapes can have any number of sides you choose. A 3-D drawing is also possible in AutoCAD. You can create 3-D forms using several approaches, including one called "extrusion." Familiarity with the different ways of drawing in AutoCAD 2007 fosters a smoother transition between your initial idea for a design and the final design drawing.

Instructions

Draw a Line

1. Type "Line," then click anywhere on the screen to plot the first point of a line. Creating lines is one way of drawing in AutoCAD 2007.

2. Drag to another screen location, then click the mouse to complete the drawing of the line.

3. Click on the line at one of its endpoints. AutoCAD will display the line's vertices as blue squares. You can drag the boxes to change the line's position or shape.

4. Drag one of the line's endpoints to reshape the line. Drag the line's center square to re-position the line.

5. Click the mouse to finish editing the line drawing.

Draw a Polygon

1. Type "polygon." AutoCAD will ask you how many sides you'd like the polygon to have.

2. Type an integer, then press "Enter." AutoCAD will create a polygon with the number of sides you specified.

3. Drag the mouse to the screen location at which you'd like to place the polygon's center. Click the mouse to begin creating the polygon. AutoCAD will draw the polygon around the mouse cursor, and automatically resize it as you drag the mouse further from or closer to the center point you just clicked.

4. Drag the mouse a short distance from the polygon's center.

5. Click the mouse to finish drawing the polygon.

Make a 3-D Drawing

1. Type "3dorbit," and then press "Enter." This command tells AutoCAD you want to change the viewpoint to a 3-D one. You need such a viewpoint to see the 3-D form you'll draw.

2. Click the mouse, then drag slowly until you see the three coordinate axes appear in the lower left corner of the drawing canvas. Release the mouse.

3. Type "Rectangle," then click any point on the screen to draw the rectangle's first point.

4. Drag the mouse to increase the size of the rectangle, and then click again to complete the rectangle.

5. Type "Extrude," and then click the rectangle to select it. Extrusion is the term for pushing 2-D shapes into 3-D space, which makes the shapes into 3-D objects.

6. Drag upward with the mouse to grow the 3-D box from the rectangle. Click to finish the box.

References

• "AutoCAD 2008 and AutoCAD LT 2008 Bible"; Ellen Finkelstein; 2008