Description
Rather than just showing you how each command works, this book shows you AutoCAD 2016 in the context of a meaningful activity. You’ll learn how to use commands while working on an actual project and progressing toward a goal. This book also provides a foundation on which you can build your own methods for using AutoCAD and become an AutoCAD expert. For this reason, we haven’t covered every single command or every permutation of a command response. You should think of this book as a way to get a detailed look at AutoCAD as it’s used on a real project. As you follow the exercises, we also encourage you to explore AutoCAD on your own, applying the techniques that you learn to your own work.
Both experienced and beginning AutoCAD users will find this book useful. If you aren’t an experienced user, the way to get the most out of this book is to approach it as a tutorial—chapter by chapter, at least for the first two parts of the book. You’ll find that each chapter builds on the skills and information that you learned in the previous one. To help you navigate, the exercises are shown in numbered steps. To address the needs of all readers worldwide, the exercises provide both Imperial (feet/inches) and metric measurements. Some exercises use generic units of measurement or, if the focus of the exercise is not dependent on the measurement system, Imperial is used.
After you’ve mastered the material in Parts 1 and 2, you can follow your interests and explore other parts of the book in whatever order you choose. Part 3 takes you to a more advanced skill level. There you’ll learn more about storing and sharing drawing data and how to create more complex drawings. If you’re interested in 3D, check out Part 4. If you want to start customizing right away, go to Part 5. You can check out Chapter 25 at any time because it gives you general information about sharing AutoCAD files with your coworkers and consultants. You can also use this book as a ready reference for your day-to-day problems and questions about commands. The Bottom Line section at the end of each chapter will help you review and look at different ways to apply the information that you’ve learned. Experienced users will also find this book a handy reference tool.
AutoCAD 2016 and AutoCAD LT 2016
Autodesk has released both AutoCAD 2016 and AutoCAD LT 2016 simultaneously. Not surprisingly, they’re nearly identical in the way they look and work. You can share files between the two programs with complete confidence that you won’t lose data or corrupt files. The main differences are that AutoCAD LT doesn’t support all of the 3D functions of AutoCAD 2016, nor does it support the customization tools of AutoLISP® or the .NET Framework. But AutoCAD LT still has plenty to offer in both the productivity and customization areas. Because they’re so similar, we can present material for both programs with only minor adjustments.
When a feature is discussed that is available only in AutoCAD 2016, you’ll see the AutoCAD Only icon.
For the purposes of this publication, the “ACAD only” icon means that the relevant (or adjacent) content applies only to AutoCAD software and not to AutoCAD LT software.
You’ll also see warning messages when tutorials vary between AutoCAD 2016 and AutoCAD LT. If only minor differences occur, you’ll see either a warning message or directions embedded in the exercise indicating the differences between the two programs.
We’ve also provided workaround instructions wherever possible when AutoCAD LT doesn’t offer a feature found in AutoCAD 2016.