Learning Basic Commands to Get Started - AutoCAD 2011 and AutoCAD LT 2011: No Experience Required - page 62

NOTE If you make a mistake and pick the wrong part of a line or the
wrong line, press esc to end the command and then enter u ↵ . this will undo
the effect of the last command.
Used together like this, the OFFSET and FILLET commands are a powerful combi-
nation of tools for laying out walls on a floor plan drawing. Because these commands
are so important, let's take a closer look at them to see how they work. Both com-
mands are in the Modify panel of the Ribbon and in the Modify menu of the menu
bar, both have the option to enter a numeric value or accept the current value — for
offset distance and fillet radius — and both hold that value as the default until it's
changed. However, the OFFSET command keeps running until you stop it, and the
FILLET command stops after each use unless the Multiple option is invoked. These
commands are two of the most frequently used tools in AutoCAD. You'll learn about
more of their uses in later chapters.
The FILLET command has a sister command, CHAMFER , which is used to bevel
corners with straight lines. When the distances for the CHAMFER command are
set to 0 , you can use the command to clean up corners the same way that you
use the FILLET command. Some users prefer to use CHAMFER rather than FILLET
because they don't bevel corners, but they may at times use FILLET to round off
corners. If you use CHAMFER to clean up corners, FILLET can have any radius and
won't have to be overridden or reset constantly to 0 . You'll develop your own
preference.
Completing the Shape
The final step in completing the box (Figure 2.1 from the beginning of this chap-
ter) is to make an opening in the bottom wall. From the diagram, you can see
that the opening is 2 units wide and set off from the right inside corner by 0.5
units. To make this opening, you'll use the OFFSET command twice, changing
the offset distance for each offset, to create marks for the opening.
offsetting Lines to Mark an opening
Follow these steps to establish the precise position of the opening:
1. At the command prompt, start the OFFSET command (Home tab ➢
Modify panel ➢ Offset tool). Notice the command window. The default
distance is now set at 0.5 , the offset distance you previously set to off-
set the outside lines of the box to make the inside lines. If the distance
is different, enter 0.5 ↵ . You'll want to use this distance again. Press ↵
to accept this preset distance.