Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
lecting objects for editing. Feel free to experiment, but look at the command line
after each click. If you get confused, press Esc a couple of times to clear the cur-
rent operation and return to the naked command prompt.
In most cases, you can right-click in the drawing area to display a menu with some
options for the current situation.
Fun with F1
AutoCAD 2012's rather limited Help menu is accessible only as a drop-down list on the
program title bar. (As always, pressing F1 at any time opens the online help window.)
Click the down arrow beside the question mark to open the menu.
The main AutoCAD 2012 Help system, as shown in Figure 2-14, is one of the
major components of the Autodesk Exchange for AutoCAD application. AutoCAD
LT's setup is similar except that there is no Apps page — just the Home page and
the Help system.
As is the case with most Windows programs, AutoCAD help is context-sensitive; for ex-
ample, if you start the LINE command and just don't know what to do next, Help will, er,
help. You can browse through the online Product Documentation from the AutoCAD
2012 Help page, or type in the Search box to look for speciic words. In this topic, I some-
times direct you to the AutoCAD online help system for information about advanced
topics.
AutoCAD is one program where you really need to take advantage of the on-
line help resources. AutoCAD contains many commands, options, and quirks.
(Alas, the quirks aren't listed in the online help.) Everyone from the greenest be-
ginner to the most seasoned expert can find out something by using the AutoCAD
online help. Take a moment to peruse the Home page of the main help system so
that you know what's available. Throughout this topic, I direct you to pages in the
help system that I think are particularly useful, but don't be afraid to explore on
your own when you get stuck or feel curious.
