Subject: AutoCAD

Software Category: CAD/CAM
Supported by: ACS

Description:

AutoCAD, a modeling package from Autodesk, is useful for modeling rooms, floor layouts, circuits, and other similar complicated drawings.

Getting Started:

The simplest way to start AutoCAD is to position the mouse cursor over the AutoCAD: Computer-Aided Design item in the RCS Applications menu, and clicking the left mouse button on this menu item. If you have selected it successfully, it should briefly appear highlighted in a black rectangle. You may also access AutoCAD by entering acad from a UNIX prompt.

After a moment, a separate AutoCAD graphics window will appear on your screen, consisting of a large black work area and a series of menus and options along both the top and right side of the window. You will automatically start up in a new AutoCAD file.

Opening An Existing File

To open an existing AutoCAD file:

1. Position the mouse cursor over the File menu option in the top left corner of the window, and click the left mouse button; a pop-up sub-menu should appear.
2. Left-click on the Open... menu option, and a separate Open Drawing dialog box should appear on the screen.
3. You may now left-click on the desired directory and accompanying filename to select them, and then left-click on OK. The Open Drawing dialog box should disappear, and the contents of the selected file should appear in the main working area of the AutoCAD Graphics Window.

Saving Your Work

To save your work in AutoCAD:

1. Open the File menu and select the Save... menu option. If you are saving a new file, doing this will open a separate Save Drawing As dialog box.
2. Type the desired filename of the file you're saving, and then click OK.
   If you are saving an existing file, the dialog box will not appear; the file will simply be saved under the same name. To save the file under a new name and leave the original file unchanged, open the File menu and select the Save As... option.

Opening A New File

If, after working on and saving an existing AutoCAD file, you wish to open a new file:

1. Position the mouse cursor over the File menu option in the top left corner of the window, and click the left mouse button; a pop-up menu should appear.
2. Left-click on the New... option from this sub-menu; a separate Create New Drawing dialog box will appear.
3. Type the desired drawing name in the New Drawing Name... field, and left-click on the OK button.

Exiting AutoCAD

To exit the AutoCAD package entirely, pull down the File menu and select the Exit... menu option. The main AutoCAD window should close and disappear from your screen.

For more information on using AutoCAD, refer to the documentation listed below, as well as the Tips and Hints and Possible Problems and Solutions sections.

Documentation:

Several AutoCAD manuals are available in hardcopy form at the Help Desk in the VCC and CII 3111.

Tips and Hints:

AutoCAD also has online help available. To access it:

1. Start AutoCAD as described above.
2. Pull down the Assist menu at the top of the main AutoCAD window.
3. From the sub-menu which should appear, left-click on the Help! item; a separate Help window should appear.
4. You may now enter the name of the desired command or system variable in the Help Item: field.
5. Left-click on the OK button, or you may left-click on the Index... button in the lower right corner of the window to obtain an index of all available AutoCAD help topics.

Possible Problems and Solutions

AutoCAD may occasionally appear to "crash" or "freeze" in that you cannot successfully select any menu items, and that the white crosshairs inside the main work area do not move when you move the mouse. If this ever happens, position the mouse cursor anywhere inside the main work area, and press the Ctrl-C key sequence. Doing this should "reboot" the package, and you may continue your work.

Vendor:

Autodesk, Inc.

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