Autocade 2007

Welcome to the AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible. Whether you use AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, you’ll find complete explanations of all of the powerful features that you need to know to design and draw anything. This book is designed to be your comprehensive guide to both the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT programs. This book covers every significant AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT feature. If you’re a beginning user, you’ll find everything you need to start out; if you’re already using AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT regularly, the book covers advanced material as well. Although you can use this book as a tutorial if you’re just starting out or learning a new set of features, it also provides a solid reference base to come back to again and again.

The short tutorials on almost every topic will quickly have you drawing professionally. The CD-ROM is chock-full of drawings, a trial version of AutoCAD 2007, and add-in programs (which are mostly for AutoCAD only). This book should be all that you need to make full use of either program. For AutoCAD 2007, the emphasis is on 3D tools, including new 3D objects, new ways of navigating in 3D, and a completely new environment. For AutoCAD LT 2007, the emphasis of the new features is on ease of use and automation, including dynamic blocks and object snap tracking.

For both programs, layer tools that were previously in the Express Tools set have been incorporated into the core program; these are available for AutoCAD LT for the first time. Other minor changes make drawing easier and faster.


Part I: AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Basics

Part I provides the background information that you need to start drawing. It starts with a “quick start” that has you drawing right away, and then covers how to start a drawing, use commands, specify coordinates, and set up a drawing.

Part II: Drawing in Two Dimensions

Part II covers all of the commands and procedures for drawing and editing in two dimensions. In addition, I discuss how to control the drawing process with layers, zooming, and panning. Also included in this part is information about dimensioning, plotting, and printing.

Part III: Working with Data

Part III covers many ways to organize and share data, including blocks, attributes, external references, and external databases.

Part IV: Drawing in Three Dimensions

Part IV explains everything that you need to know to draw in three dimensions. It also discusses how to present 3D drawings using hiding, shading, and rendering techniques.

Part V: Organizing and Managing Drawings

Part V helps you to incorporate AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT into your work world by explaining how to set standards, manage drawings, and work with other applications. It concludes with a chapter on getting drawings on the Internet.

Part VI: Customizing AutoCAD

Part VI introduces the tools that you need to customize commands, toolbars, linetypes, hatch patterns, shapes, fonts, and menus. You’ll also find a chapter on script files, which you can use to create macros.

Part VII: Programming AutoCAD

Part VII introduces you to programming AutoCAD. It includes three chapters on AutoLISP and Visual LISP, and one chapter on Visual Basic for Applications. This part applies to AutoCAD only.

Part VIII: Appendixes

Part VIII provides additional information for AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT users. Appendix A gives instructions for installing and configuring AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. Appendix B covers further resources for AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT users. Appendix C explains what you’ll find on the CD-ROM.