Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
doesn't
say Drafting & Annotation, click the little black arrow on the button and
then select Drafting & Annotation from the menu.
2. Click the Application button — that's the big red A at the top left of the screen —
to display the Application Menu. Then, click New, or hover the mouse pointer over
New and select Drawing.
Don't click the New button on the Quick Access Toolbar — use the menu. I explain
why in Chapter 4, but just humor me for now. The Select Template dialog box ap-
pears with a list of drawing templates (DWT files), which you can use as the starting
point for new drawings. Chapter 4 describes how to create and use drawing tem-
plates.
3. Select
acad.dwt
[
acadiso.dwt
], as shown in Figure 3-2, and click Open. (For
AutoCAD LT, select
acadlt.dwt
[
acadltiso.dwt
].)
AutoCAD creates a new, blank drawing that uses the settings in
acad.dwt
or
acadiso.dwt
. The
acad.dwt
template (
acadlt.dwt
in AutoCAD LT) is
AutoCAD's default, plain-Jane template for drawings in
imperial units
(units ex-
pressed in inches and/or feet). The
acadiso.dwt
(
acadltiso.dwt
in AutoCAD
LT) template is the corresponding version for drawings created in metric units.
Chapter 4 contains additional information about these and other templates.
Figure 3-2:
Starting a new drawing from a template.
4. Click all the buttons on the left half of the status bar except Dynamic Input until
they look dimmed (they'll be gray instead of light blue). If your status bar displays
button icons rather than text labels, click the button with the Dynamic Input tool-
tip.
Some of these settings can make selecting points difficult. It's best to start with
them all turned off and then toggle them on and off as needed. I tell you which ones
to use in the steps that follow.
