Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 6
Editing and Reusing Data
to Work Efficiently
At least five AutoCAD commands are devoted to duplicating objects—10 if you include the grips
options. Why so many? If you're an experienced drafter, you know that you frequently have to
draw the same item several times in many drawings. AutoCAD offers a variety of ways to reuse
existing geometry, thereby automating much of the repetitive work usually associated with
manual drafting.
In this chapter, as you finish drawing the studio apartment unit, you'll explore some of the
ways to exploit existing files and objects while constructing your drawing. For example, you'll
use existing files as prototypes for new files, eliminating the need to set up layers, scales, and
paper sizes for similar drawings. With AutoCAD, you can also duplicate objects in multiple
arrays. In Chapter 3, “Setting Up and Using AutoCAD's Drafting Tools,” you saw how to use the
Object Snap (Osnap) overrides on objects to locate points for drawing complex forms. This chap-
ter describes other ways of using lines to aid your drawing.
Because you'll begin to use the Zoom command more in the exercises in this chapter, you'll
review this command as you go along. You'll also discover the Pan command—another tool to
help you get around in your drawing.
You're already familiar with many of the commands you'll use to draw the apartment unit.
So, rather than going through every step of the drawing process, the exercises will sometimes
ask you to copy the drawing from a figure and, using notes and dimensions as guides, put
objects on the indicated layers. If you have trouble remembering a command you've already
learned, go back and review the appropriate section of the topic.
In this chapter, you'll learn to do the following:
Create and use templates
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Copy an object multiple times
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Develop your drawing
Find an exact distance along a curve
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Change the length of objects
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Create a new drawing by using parts from another drawing
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