INTERFACE

Today let’s move on and try to get familiar with AutoCAD User Interface.

Note – We are going to refer here what popularly known as AutoCAD Classic Window. If you are using 2008 and higher version you can switch to this interface by using ‘Workspaces switching’ tab at the lower right corner of the AutoCAD window. (The words in italic belong to AutoCAD environment)

Before starting AutoCAD application let us first understand some fundamental facts about AutoCAD

• AutoCAD is a Vector-based Application. A Vector can be defined as an entity with dimension and direction. It is entirely different from pixel in its nature as well as behavior. Hence precision, accuracy and parameters (like units) matter a lot while working with AutoCAD.
• Although AutoCAD is a technical tool for drafting and designing, it has a strong logic and all the menus, commands and terms are based on pure logic. If you could understand the basics of drawing / drafting and succeed in blending the same with AutoCAD you will discover that every term in AutoCAD is self-explanatory. For e.g. Model Space is meant for modeling and a Line will draw a line passing through two points.
• AutoCAD is designed and developed to facilitate your job of designing and drafting and not the other way round. If you started to feel that things are going in antagonizing order at any point in your AutoCAD session, take a break, understand the concepts, check your procedure and seek help if necessary. If you get anything wrong in the basics itself, it can cause you nightmares.
• You can never ever work with AutoCAD by relying on your imagination alone. You may get weird, frustrating and inappropriate results and messages. You have to have your homework complete and all the inputs in place before commencing an AutoCAD session. For e.g. you can not draw a Circle in AutoCAD with whatever radius. Even if you don’t specify, AutoCAD will always draw that circle with a certain radius and will inform its value to you if and when enquired…!
• Finally, AutoCAD is an application which is most interactive and hence a typical AutoCAD session unfolds more in a dialogue. It ripostes to all your commands / requests every single moment and that’s the reason we have something unique as ‘Command Line’ and ‘AutoCAD Text Window’ within AutoCAD. These are AutoCAD’s means of communicating to the user. Moreover the text field in the command line is very aptly termed as ‘Command Prompt’. It is not only ‘ready’ at all times to follow the instructions but also responds to every keyboard stroke or a mouse click.

Now as we have enough knowledge about the characteristics, structure and behavior of AutoCAD, let’s move on to getting acquainted with its Interface…

A typical AutoCAD window is divided into 5 major parts or division. All these parts are formed by grouping of set of elements that are similar in nature and behavior.

1. The Topmost Horizontal Band comprises of – Title Bar, Menu Bar, Standard Tools Bar, Object Properties Bar.
2. The left Vertical Bars are the fully customizable Floating Toolbars like Draw, Modify etc.
3. The right Vertical Bar is the Scroll Bar to navigate (PAN) the drawing.
4. The Bottom Horizontal Band comprises of – Scroll Bar, Space Tabs, Drafting Setting Radio Buttons, Command Line Area and Status Bar.
5. The remaining area in the center with a black background is the Work Area where we will draw our drawing. Generally it is referred as ‘AutoCAD Drawing Window’.

Tomorrow we will learn in detail about each of these elements – their purpose and function.

Stay Tuned…!