Introduction

This chapter introduces basic features and functions used with drawings:

• Creating, Opening, Closing, and Saving Drawings
• Setting Up the Drawing Environment
• Using a Template Drawing
• Working with Sheets

Creating, Opening, Closing, and Saving Drawings

Creating a New Drawing

To create a new drawing:

Click File > New.

– or –

Click New  on the Standard toolbar.

– or –

Press Ctrl + N.

Press Ctrl + N.

Press Command + N.

– or –

Type New at the command prompt.

Opening an Existing Drawing

To open an existing drawing:

Click File > Open.

– or –

Click Open  on the Standard toolbar.

– or –

Press Ctrl + O.

Press Ctrl + O.

Press Command + O.

– or –

Type Open at the command prompt.

Closing a Drawing

To close a drawing:

Click File > Close.

– or –

Press Ctrl + F4.

– or –

Press Ctrl + F4.

– or –

Type Close at the command prompt.

Saving a Drawing

To save a drawing:

Click File > Save.

– or –

Click Save  on the Standard toolbar.

– or –

Press Ctrl + S.

Press Ctrl + S.

Press Command + S.

– or –

Type Save at the command prompt and type a file name in the Save File dialog box.

  Use the SaveAs command to save the drawing under a different name or in a different location.

Setting Up the Drawing Environment

To set up the drawing environment you can apply unit, drawing bounds, grid, and snap settings. You can store these settings in template drawings.

Setting the Units Format

Drawing units

When you create a drawing, decide what units to use. You can set one drawing unit to represent one millimeter, one centimeter, one meter, and so on.

Linear and angular units

You can set the format for entering and displaying linear and angular units. You can also set the accuracy level by specifying the number of decimal places.

Linear units can have formats such as Decimal Units, Imperial Architectural Inch and Feet, Imperial Engineering Inch and Feet, Fractional Units, and Scientific Exponential Notation.

Angular units can have formats such as Decimal Degrees, Degrees/Minutes/Seconds, Grads, Radians, and Surveyors Quadrant Angles.

To set the units format:

1. Click Tools > Options (or type UnitSystem).
1. Click Tools > Options (or type UnitSystem).
1. Click Application menu > Preferences (or type UnitSystem).
2. In the dialog box, click Drawing Settings .
3. Expand Unit System.
4. Set options.
5. Click OK.

Setting the Drawing Bounds

Use drawing bounds to:

• Define the bounds of a drawing
• Control where entities can and cannot be drawn to prevent entities from being drawn outside a specified region
• Define the extent of the grid display

Usually drawing bounds are relative to the paper size when printing a drawing. Bounds checking is turned off by default; there is no restriction as to where entities can be drawn.

To set drawing bounds:

• Click Format > Drawing Boundary (or type DrawingBounds).

Setting the Grid and Snap

Grid

The grid is a pattern of evenly spaced dots that serve as a visual distance reference. The grid is not part of the drawing file and does not appear in the printed output.

You can set the grid to span the graphics area or limit it to the extents of the drawing.

To show or hide the grid:

• Click Grid in the status bar.
• – or –
• Press F7.
• Press F7.
• Press Fn + F7.
• – or –

1. Click Tools > Options (or type Options).
1. Click Tools > Options (or type Options).
1. Click Application menu > Preferences (or type Options).
2. In the Options dialog box, click User Preferences , then expand Drafting Options > Display > Grid Settings.
3. Select Enable Grid.
4. Click OK.

To adjust the grid display settings:

• Type Grid at the command prompt.
• – or –

1. Click Tools > Options (or type Options).
1. Click Tools > Options (or type Options).
1. Click Application menu > Preferences (or type Options).
2. In the Options dialog box, click User Preferences , then expand Drafting Options > Display > Grid Settings.
3. Set Orientation and Spacing options.

Snap

Snap creates a set of invisible magnetic points that force the pointer to move in even increments. Snap constrains the points you can choose with the pointer to the snap grid you define.

You can set the grid display and the snap grid independent of each other.

To turn snapping on or off:

• Click Snap in the status bar.
• – or –
• Press F9.
• Press F9.
• Press Fn + F9.
• – or –

1. Click Tools > Options (or type Options).
1. Click Tools > Options (or type Options).
1. Click Application menu > Preferences (or type Options).
2. In the Options dialog box, click User Preferences , then expand Drafting Options > Pointer Control > Snap Settings.
3. Select Enable Snap.
4. Click OK.

To adjust the snap settings:

• Type Snap at the command prompt.
• – or –

1. Click Tools > Options (or type Options).
1. Click Tools > Options (or type Options).
1. Click Application menu > Preferences (or type Options).
2. In the Options dialog box, click User Preferences , then expand Drafting Options > Pointer Control > Snap Settings.
3. Set Orientation and Spacing options.
4. Click OK.

The example below shows the grid set to the drawing bounds and the snap grid set to the grid display spacing.

Using Templates

You can create drawings using predefined templates. Templates act as a basis for your finished work and set up the required drawing environment.

Using drawing templates saves time because you can reuse the elements and settings of an already existing drawing.

• Templates are useful for drawing elements such as logos, title Blocks, frames, boundaries, rulers, guidelines, and views.
• Every drawing requires specific settings for units, snap and grid, and drawing bounds. In templates, you determine these settings according to specific requirements as discussed in Setting Up the Drawing Environment.
• Use templates to set up DimensionStyles and load LineStyles and TextStyles that you frequently use.
• Set local settings that are loaded with the template to standardize drafting and editing defaults.
• Create layers in the template to group drawing entities and assign them colors, LineStyles, and LineWeights.

Creating templates with these elements and parameters ensures that new drawings follow the standards of your company, organization, or industry.

Working with Sheets

There are two modes to work with a drawing: model mode and sheet mode.

The entities in model mode constitute the geometry of the model.

The entities in sheet mode show the model in different views and let you annotate the drawing.

In sheet mode, you can:

• Add title Blocks to drawings
• Display and print different areas and views
• Create details of the model
• Include part lists, legends, annotations, and instructions