The 4 bases for AutoCAD drawings
There are many factors you need to know before you start drawing with AutoCAD for the first time. However, there are 4 factors, 4 bases that you must learn and they are essential for your beginnings in AutoCAD drawing to be beneficial and that you can draw immediately without having to go through long explanations of theory or initial introductions to the operation of the program.
These 4 bases will make you start drawing immediately and without passing large papers since they will help you draw with the fundamentals that AutoCAD offers you for drafting services. The 4 factors that I am referring to are:
- Know and assimilate that with AutoCAD we always draw in 3D, even if it is a flat drawing.
- AutoCAD requires “enter” for data entry.
- Correctly use the “layers” window.
- Learn the difference between Model and Layout and what each of them represents.
We always draw in 3D
AutoCAD is a design program that is based on 3-dimensional drawing. And it is always drawn in 3 dimensions, even if we usually see flat or 2D drawings. This is due to the fact that it is not that we are drawing in 2 dimensions, but rather that we are viewing our drawing from “above”, that is, it is like we are seeing a house without a roof from above (which would be a plan view in the technical drawing ).
This form of visualization makes us appreciate our drawing in 2 of the 3 coordinate axes, so the “Z” axis, that is, the axis that represents the height, loses visual appreciation and on the contrary, we are going to appreciate the axes “X” and “Y” that define our drawing plane.
In conclusion, we always draw in 3D, but to draw flat 2D drawings the “Z” axis of elevation is not taken into account in the drawings.
The requirement of “enter” for data entry
AutoCAD requires that we press the enter key to enter data from the keyboard. In other words, when we draw with AutoCAD, we always enter one of these two types of things: orders or data.
If we want to enter an order or command from the keyboard, it will always require that we press “enter” to accept the order. On the contrary, if we choose to enter a command through the icons or drop-down menus, it is not necessary that we press “enter” to accept the command.
Now when we want to enter data or value from the keyboard, it is essential to accept with enter since everything we write on the command line has to be accepted with enter. Otherwise, if we do not accept with enter, AutoCAD still will not recognize the command or data entered.
Layers or Layers of AutoCAD
Knowing how to use the AutoCAD layers window well is essential for an orderly and differentiated work. Managing your drawings by layers is the first-order factor that you must have when starting a drawing.
In addition to the distribution of AutoCAD objects by layers, this window also serves mainly to give color and type of lines to the objects in your drawing. In other words, from this window, you can make the group of objects that belong to a layer have a specific color and line style, and thus make your drawing obtain criteria and order.
However, you can also change the color and line type to objects individually regardless of the layer. So you don’t necessarily have to change the color and type of line from the layers window, but you can also do it at your free choice, for example from the “properties” icon bar.
Model and Layout Space
AutoCAD has two general areas of work: The Model and the Layout. Knowing what each of them represents and how to use them is essential for working with drawings and plans. Using them gives neatness, simplicity, and quality to your work with AutoCAD.
But what are the model and layout?
Model Space is the place where we must make our drawings. It is the space where AutoCAD opens when we start it.
The Layout is another work area where so-called “viewports” or “windows” are created, which are areas that allow us to view the model, and therefore to be able to see the two work areas on the screen at the same time with their respective drawings and also in our permit drawings services.
In the layout, it is convenient to locate everything related to formats and plan labels and references. We could also locate the dimensions. In this area, the “viewports” that visualize the model are created, and these windows are given scales that make us see what is in the model at the required scale.
In conclusion: in the layout, we can draw as in the model, but from the layout, we can create windows that allow us to see what is drawn in the model in the visual scale we need.
