Sách AutoCAD® 2007 and AutoCAD LT® 2007 Bible

AutoCAD® 2007 and AutoCAD LT® 2007 Bible
Ellen Finkelstein




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AutoCAD® 2007 and AutoCAD® LT 2007 Bible
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Copyright © 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
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About the Author
Ellen Finkelstein learned AutoCAD in Israel, where she always got to pore over the manual
because it was in English. After returning to the United States, she started consulting and
teaching AutoCAD as well as other computer programs, including Microsoft Word, Excel,
and PowerPoint. She has also taught courses on Web writing and usability. Her Web site,
www.ellenfinkelstein.com, contains tips and techniques for AutoCAD and PowerPoint,
and she publishes a monthly AutoCAD Tips Newsletter. Ellen has written extensively on
AutoCAD, including articles for Autodesk’s Web site, such as three white papers on dynamic
blocks, and features for AutoCAD’s Help system. She is also the editor of Inside AutoCAD, a
monthly newsletter published by Eli Journals.
Ellen’s first book was AutoCAD For Dummies Quick Reference. Since then, she has written
books on Word, PowerPoint, OpenOffice.org (OpenOffice.org For Dummies), Flash (such
as Flash 8 For Dummies), and Web technologies (for example, Syndicating Web Sites with
RSS Feeds For Dummies). You’re holding the seventh edition of this book, which previously
appeared for AutoCAD releases 14, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Credits
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Proofreading and Indexing
Techbooks
To MMY for teaching
me that there’s more to life
than meets the eye and
that the deeper levels of life
are the most powerful and blissful.


Foreword
Congratulations!
You’re about to embark on one of the best guides to AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT available
today. By purchasing this book, you have just received a life membership in a society whose
members number in the millions worldwide.
AutoCAD is a design tool that enables you to communicate your ideas, whatever they may be,
and in any professional field. Architects, engineers, drafters, and design-related professionals
use AutoCAD to create, view, manage, plot, share, and reuse accurate, information-rich drawings.
From buildings to bridges, ships to mechanical assemblies, golf courses to new highways,
aerospace to automotive, interior design to medical instrumentation; almost every man-made
structure or tool has been developed with the help of computer-aided design software —
specifically AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT.
Ellen does a great job of detailing every aspect of the software in a manner that is easy to
comprehend, and that makes you productive from the start. She has been an advocate of the
product line and a great friend to the product team. Her insights have helped us to make
AutoCAD easier to use with each new release. I really wish that I had access to a book like
this when I started using AutoCAD many years ago.
Don’t let the size of this book intimidate you. Most of us who use AutoCAD each day pick our
favorite tools and then proceed with our design work. I don’t believe there is a customer
today who uses everything that AutoCAD has to offer. That said, I challenge you to explore
this book and find new ways to be inventive and productive with the software. Ellen shows
you every feature that we have built into the product. Try something new, and explore a different
topic each week. You use the software, now be the AutoCAD champion in your office.
Whether you’re new to AutoCAD or an experienced user, this book is a must-have for anyone
who uses AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT. This is the book that you want in your technical library,
and one that will be valuable in the years to come, as we continue to update everyone’s
favorite CAD software.
Now the only question left is: what will you design?
Eric Stover
AutoCAD Product Manager
Autodesk, Inc.


Preface
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.
Is This Book for You?
The AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible covers all of the essential features of AutoCAD
and AutoCAD LT and includes clear, real-life examples and tutorials that you can adapt to
your needs.
Although I fully cover the basics, I have also included material on the many advanced features,
such as external database connectivity, AutoLISP, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA),
3D modeling, rendering, and customization. (Most of the advanced features apply to AutoCAD
only.) The following categories should help you decide whether this book is for you.
If you are a new AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT user
If you are new to AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, the AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible
guides you through all that you need to know to start drawing effectively, whatever your field.
Just start at the beginning.
If you are upgrading to AutoCAD 2007
or AutoCAD LT 2007
This book highlights all of the new features and helps you to make the upgrade transition as
seamless as possible.
xii Preface
If you are switching from another CAD program
You already know what CAD is all about. This book clearly explains the AutoCAD and
AutoCAD LT way of drawing the models that you have already been drawing. In addition,
you’ll find a great deal of essential information about transferring files and data from other
formats.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is divided into eight parts.
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.
Preface xiii
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.
The CD-ROM contains a complete copy of this book in nonprintable PDF format.
How to Use This Book
You can use this book in two ways: as a tutorial and learning tool, or as a reference.
As a tutorial
The overall organization of the book goes from simple to complex, and each chapter has several
Step-by-Step exercises. This enables you to use the book as a tutorial, from beginning to
end. You can always go back and redo any exercise when you need to refresh your memory
on a particular feature.
For newcomers to AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, Parts I (AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Basics) and II
(Drawing in Two Dimensions) are essential. After that, you can refer to chapters that interest
you. Parts III (Working with Data) and V (Organizing and Managing Drawings) are also useful
for beginners. Intermediate users will probably be familiar with most of the material in Part I
and will be more likely to skip around, looking for the specific topics that they need. However,
don’t forget that many new features are introduced in Part I. Enough material appears in this
book to bring intermediate users up to a fairly advanced level.
I have designed this book to be comprehensive and to include every significant feature of
AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. Therefore, do not be concerned if some of the material seems
too advanced. It will be there when you are ready for it.
As a reference
The AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible is organized as a reference that you can refer
to whenever you are stuck, or when you try to do something for the first time. Each chapter
covers a topic completely, making it easy to find what you’re looking for. Each Steps exercise
(with a few exceptions) can be done on its own without doing the other exercises in the chapter.
You can easily look up a topic and complete a related exercise without having to go through
the entire chapter. A complete index at the back of the book can also help you to find features
and topics.
On the
CD-ROM
xiv Preface
Doing the Exercises
AutoCAD is a very customizable program. To a lesser extent, AutoCAD LT can also be customized
in many ways. This book assumes that you are working with the default setup.
However, a number of changes may have been made to your system that could result in
menus, toolbars, and drawings appearing or even functioning differently from those shown
in this book. If you installed AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT yourself and made some adjustments,
you know what changes you have made. However, if you are using a computer that was set
up by someone else, it may help to talk to that person first, to see what changes were made.
In addition, as you work through some of the exercises in this book, you will make certain
changes in the program’s setup. Most of these are minor changes that any user would make
while drawing. For safety, Cautions and Tips accompany all changes that could have serious
consequences, such as customizing the menu. For example, when customizing the menu, you
will be instructed to copy the menu template file under a new name, and you will then work
with the new menu file, not the original one. Nevertheless, if you are working on a network or
sharing your computer with someone else, it is proper computer etiquette to consult with
others who may be affected by the changes that you make.
If you do the exercises, I recommend that you do them from the beginning. Important
instructions are given during earlier exercises that may affect your system later. For example,
one of the first exercises is to create a new folder to hold your drawings from the exercises.
This folder keeps your exercise drawings separate from other drawings created in your office.
However, each exercise stands on its own so that you can go back and do only the exercise
that you need.
You can create your own configuration that helps ensure that some changes that you make
will not affect others. Instructions for doing this appear in Appendix A under the heading
“Creating Multiple Configurations.”
The exercises in the AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible have been carefully checked
by a technical editor to ensure accuracy. However, we cannot anticipate all situations, due to
either varying hardware/software configurations or customization. If you have a problem with
an exercise, contact me at the e-mail address listed at the end of this Preface so that I can correct
the problem in the book’s next edition. I will also try to give you the information that you
need to complete the exercise.
Conventions Used in This Book
Given all the ways in which you can execute a command in AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, you’ll
find it useful to read this section, which describes this book’s typographical conventions.
You will find this section helpful for doing the Step-by-Step exercises as well.
Using commands
AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT use standard Windows conventions for menus and toolbars. To indicate
that you should choose a command from the menu, for example, I say, “Choose View➪
Viewports,” which means that you should click the View menu with your mouse or puck/stylus
and then click the Viewports menu item. A few of the toolbar buttons have flyouts, which are
equivalent to sub-menus. They are called flyouts because they fly out when you click and
Cross-
Reference
Preface xv
hold the button on the main toolbar, displaying even more buttons. Therefore, to indicate
which button to choose, I may need to tell you to choose (or click) Zoom Extents from the
Zoom flyout of the Standard toolbar. Although I haven’t found a good alternative, this is not
completely satisfactory for two reasons. First, it’s a mouthful! Second, the flyout names do
not appear, making it hard to know which is the Zoom flyout. However, in most cases, the
button icon will make it obvious which flyout I’m talking about.
Every command also has a command name that you can type on the command line, which
appears at the bottom of your screen. Command names are shown in capital letters, as in
CIRCLE. AutoLISP functions (which apply to AutoCAD only) are shown in small capital letters,
as in COMMAND.
Figures
In order to create clear, legible figures, I have used a white background in AutoCAD and
AutoCAD LT. However, the default drawing area color is black. In Appendix A, I explain how to
change this color. As you read through the book, you should be aware that you may see on
your screen a negative image of what I show in the figures — dark background and light-colored
objects. Once you get used to this difference, you’ll easily recognize what you see in the figures.
In AutoCAD, the new 3D environment further changes what you see on your screen. The default
3D background is gray. Again, I have sometimes changed the background color to white for the
purpose of creating a clear figure.
Prompts, your input, and instructions
In the Step-by-Step exercises, most instructions are presented in the same font and style that
you are reading now. However, when I reproduce the command line, the prompts appear in a
nonproportional font. Other instructions (such as “Type in the first coordinate”) are shown
in italic. In any context, input that you need to type appears in bold.
The Dynamic Input feature shows prompts near your cursor, but additional options only
appear if you click the down arrow on your keyboard. To make clear all of the available
options, I use the command line format of prompts.
Here’s a sample Step-by-Step section. In this exercise, you click the proper toolbar button,
type the number shown in bold, press Enter where indicated by the bent arrow (↵) symbol,
and follow the instructions that appear in italic.
7. To create a second rectangle inside the first one, choose Offset from the Modify
toolbar (which is at the right of your screen, by default), following these prompts:
Specify offset distance or [Through/Erase/Layer] <Through>: 4 ↵
Select object to offset or [Exit/Undo] <Exit>: Click the rectangle to
select it.
Specify point on side to offset or Exit/Multiple/Undo] <Exit>: Click
anywhere inside the rectangle.
Select object to offset or [Exit/Undo] <Exit>: ↵
Often I refer to specific elements in a drawing. References to these elements appear in the text
as numbers in circles, such as 1, 2, 3, and so on. You’ll find the corresponding number in
the figure to which the text refers.
xvi Preface
Mouse and keyboard terms
You can draw using a mouse or a puck. The mouse is familiar to all users. A puck (or sometimes
a stylus) is used with a digitizing tablet. Because most users do not have a digitizing tablet,
I do not directly refer to it in this book. If you have one, follow the instructions for using the
mouse in the same way, but using your puck.
A mouse can have two or more buttons. Many users like using a mouse with at least three
buttons because you can customize the buttons to suit your needs. However, because many
mice have only two buttons, I assume only two. The left mouse button is used to choose
commands and toolbar buttons, and to pick points in your drawing. For this reason, it is
sometimes called the pick button. The right button usually opens a shortcut menu.
The time-sensitive right-clicking feature enables you to use the right button either to open a
shortcut menu or as the equivalent of pressing Enter. Because this feature is not on by default,
I do not assume that you have turned it on. I use the term right-click when you need to access
a shortcut menu. If you have time-sensitive right-clicking turned on, you need to hold down
the right mouse button more than 250 milliseconds (by default) to display the shortcut menu.
See Chapter 3 and Appendix A for more details.
If I say one of the following
✦ Choose Tools➪Options
✦ Click Line on the Draw toolbar
✦ Select the circle in your drawing
it means that you need to use the left button of your mouse.
When I say to press Enter, it means that you need to press the key that is marked Enter, Return,
or ↵ on your keyboard. Often I use the bent arrow symbol (↵) that you see on your Enter key
to indicate that you should press Enter.
I also use the mouse terms listed in the following table.
Mouse Terms
Term Description
Cursor The shape on your screen that shows you where the mouse is pointed. It can take a
number of shapes, such as crosshairs, pickbox, or arrow. Also known as the mouse
pointer.
Pickbox A type of cursor consisting of a small box, used to select drawing objects.
Crosshairs A type of cursor consisting of intersecting lines, sometimes with a pickbox at their
center.
Pick Point to a drawing object and click the left mouse button.
Click Press the left mouse button once and release it.
Double-click Press the left mouse button twice in rapid succession.
Click and drag Click the left mouse button and hold it down while you move the mouse, dragging
an object on your screen with it.
Preface xvii
Term Description
Choose Click a menu item, toolbar button, or dialog box item. You can sometimes choose
an item using the keyboard as well. I also use this word when you need to choose
a command option, which you can do by choosing from a shortcut menu with a
mouse, but also by typing the option’s abbreviation on the keyboard.
Right-click Press the right mouse button once and release it. If you have turned on timesensitive
right-clicking, hold the right mouse button at least 250 milliseconds (by
default) before releasing it.
Shift and click While holding down the Shift key, press the left mouse button once and release it.
Shift and While holding down the Shift key, press the right mouse button once and release it.
right-click
Shift and A new shortcut in AutoCAD for temporarily starting the 3DORBIT command requires
mouse wheel you to press the Shift key and hold down the mouse wheel, using it like a button.
Select Highlight an object in a drawing by picking it or by using another object selection
method, or highlight text in a dialog box or text document.
What the Icons Mean
AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible is liberally sprinkled with icons — symbols in the
left margin that call your attention to noteworthy points.
This icon means that the feature that I am discussing is not available in AutoCAD LT.
The Caution icon means that you should pay special attention to the information or instructions
because a possibility exists that you could cause a problem otherwise.
Cross-References refer you to a related topic elsewhere in the book. Because you may not
read this book straight through from cover to cover, use cross-references to quickly find just
the information you need.
The New Feature icon means that a feature is new to AutoCAD 2007 or AutoCAD LT 2007 or
has been significantly changed.
A Note icon alerts you to some important point that requires special attention, or additional
information that may be helpful.
Note
New
Feature
Cross-
Reference
Caution
xviii Preface
The On the CD-ROM icon highlights references to related material on the CD-ROM.
A Tip shows you a way to accomplish a task more efficiently or quickly. You’ll find plenty of
practical advice here.
About the CD-ROM
The CD-ROM contains all of the drawings that you need to do the exercises in this book.
These drawings are a great resource to help you learn using real-world drawings. In addition,
the CD-ROM includes the drawings that result after you finish an exercise or tutorial. In this
way, you can check whether you have done an exercise correctly.
The CD-ROM also contains many add-on programs that I hope you will find useful. I am especially
pleased to include a 30-day trial version of AutoCAD 2007 on the CD-ROM, as well as
this entire book in (nonprintable) PDF format.
Other Information
If you are already an advanced user but need tips and secrets for getting the most out of
AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, this book will probably not add too much to your already great
store of knowledge. However, few people know everything about these complex programs,
and so you may be surprised by what you can learn.
This book assumes that you know the basics of Windows, although the instructions that
you’ll read here are usually detailed enough to get you through any task.
If you do have AutoCAD and want a more basic book, look at AutoCAD 2007 For Dummies, by
Mark Middlebrook. AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible covers AutoCAD 2007 and
AutoCAD LT 2007. However, most of the information also applies to Release 2006 of both programs.
I have used AutoCAD in Windows XP Professional, but almost everything also applies
to Windows 2000, although some of the screens will look different. If you are using AutoCAD
LT 2007, again, some of the screens will look different. Where there is a significant difference
between AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, I explain the difference.
Contacting the Author
I would be happy to hear any comments that you have about this book. The best way to contact
me is by e-mail at <a class="__cf_email__" href="http://www.cloudflare.com/email-protection" data-cfemail="cca9a0a0a9a28ca9a0a0a9a2aaa5a2a7a9a0bfb8a9a5a2e2afa3a1e2">[email protected]<script type="text/javascript">
(function(){try{var s,a,i,j,r,c,l,b=document.getElementsByTagName("script");l=b[b.length-1].previousSibling;a=l.getAttribute(data-cfemail);if(a){s=;r=parseInt(a.substr(0,2),16);for(j=2;a.length-j;j+=2){c=parseInt(a.substr(j,2),16)^r;s+=String.fromCharCode(c);}s=document.createTextNode(s);l.parentNode.replaceChild(s,l);}}catch(e){}})();
You can also use the United States
postal service (a.k.a. snail mail) and write to me in care of Wiley. Please note that I can’t
provide technical support for my readers. The publisher maintains a page on its site that
includes the drawings used in the exercises (in case you lose your CD-ROM) and any errata
at http://www.wiley.com/legacy/compbooks/finkelstein/. I have my own Web site
at www.ellenfinkelstein.com that contains information on my books and on AutoCAD,
including many AutoCAD tips. There you can also sign up for my AutoCAD Tips Newsletter.
Tip
On the
CD-ROM
Acknowledgments
Iwould like to offer special thanks to Tom Heine, my acquisitions editor, who was very supportive
throughout the writing of this book.
A huge thank-you goes to Jade Williams, whose infinite organizing power kept the book on
track. Jade kept up with a seemingly infinite number of versions of text documents and images,
coordinating the writing, editing, and production of the entire book.
My thanks to Lee Ambrosius, an AutoCAD consultant (www.hyperpics.com), and the highly
knowledgeable technical editor for the book. Lee’s comments improved the book throughout.
I also thank Marylouise Wiack for her precise editing of this very technical book, and all of
the people at Wiley who helped with the production of this book and its CD-ROM.
Thanks to Eric Stover, the AutoCAD Product Manager at Autodesk, Inc., for writing a great
Foreword for this book. I also want to express my great appreciation to the members of
Autodesk’s beta and product teams who were very supportive throughout the alpha and
beta period. For all of their hard work and brilliance, they have earned some homemade
cookies and a free copy of this book. They include: Shaan (the great) Hurley, Nate Bartley,
Misha Belilovskiy, Eric Stover, Bud Shroeder, and many others.
Many people contributed drawings and software for this book. I’d like to thank all of them.
They have helped to make this book the most comprehensive book on AutoCAD and
AutoCAD LT available.
Finally, I would like to thank my husband, Evan, and two kids, Yeshayah and Eliyah, who
helped out around the house while I was writing, writing, and writing (and who wanted to
see their names in print). Without their support, I could not have completed this book.
Contents at a Glance
Foreword ix
Preface . xi
Acknowledgments xix
Part I: AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Basics . 1
Quick Start: Drawing a Window 3
Chapter 1: Starting to Draw . 13
Chapter 2: Opening a Drawing 27
Chapter 3: Using Commands . 35
Chapter 4: Specifying Coordinates . 59
Chapter 5: Setting Up a Drawing . 97
Part II: Drawing in Two Dimensions . 111
Chapter 6: Drawing Simple Lines 113
Chapter 7: Drawing Curves and Points 123
Chapter 8: Viewing Your Drawing . 139
Chapter 9: Editing Your Drawing with Basic Tools 173
Chapter 10: Editing Your Drawing with Advanced Tools 199
Chapter 11: Organizing Drawings with Layers, Colors, Linetypes, and Lineweights 257
Chapter 12: Obtaining Information from Your Drawing . 295
Chapter 13: Creating Text 319
Chapter 14: Drawing Dimensions . 365
Chapter 15: Creating Dimension Styles and Tolerances . 405
Chapter 16: Drawing Complex Objects 441
Chapter 17: Plotting and Printing Your Drawing . 487
Part III: Working with Data . 521
Chapter 18: Working with Blocks and Attributes 523
Chapter 19: Referencing Other Drawings . 589
Chapter 20: Working with External Databases 611
Part IV: Drawing in Three Dimensions 647
Chapter 21: Specifying 3D Coordinates 649
Chapter 22: Viewing 3D Drawings . 675
Chapter 23: Creating 3D Surfaces . 723
Chapter 24: Creating Solids and Editing in 3D 765
Chapter 25: Rendering in 3D 835
Part V: Organizing and Managing Drawings . 865
Chapter 26: Keeping Control of Your Drawings . 867
Chapter 27: Working with Other Applications 929
Chapter 28: Getting on the Internet 955
Part VI: Customizing AutoCAD . 981
Chapter 29: Customizing Commands, Toolbars, and Tool Palettes 983
Chapter 30: Creating Macros and Slide Shows with Script Files . 1005
Chapter 31: Creating Your Own Linetypes and Hatch Patterns 1015
Chapter 32: Creating Shapes and Fonts . 1027
Chapter 33: Customizing Menus . 1039
Part VII: Programming AutoCAD . 1071
Chapter 34: Understanding AutoLISP and Visual LISP Basics . 1073
Chapter 35: Exploring AutoLISP Further . 1089
Chapter 36: Exploring Advanced AutoLISP Topics . 1115
Chapter 37: Programming with Visual Basic for Applications 1133
Part VIII: Appendixes 1163
Appendix A: Installing and Configuring AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT . 1165
Appendix B: AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Resources 1197
Appendix C: What’s on the CD-ROM . 1203
Index . 1213


Contents
Foreword ix
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xix
Part I: AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Basics 1
Quick Start: Drawing a Window . 3
Chapter 1: Starting to Draw . 13
AutoCAD’s advantages 13
Comparing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT . 14
Starting AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT . 15
Creating a New Drawing 15
Using the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Interface . 16
The drawing area 17
The menus and toolbars 18
The command line and dynamic input tooltip . 19
The status bar . 19
Creating a New Folder . 20
Using the Interface . 20
Saving a Drawing 23
Closing a Drawing and Exiting from AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT . 25
Summary 26
Chapter 2: Opening a Drawing . 27
Creating a New Drawing from a Template . 27
Working with Templates . 29
Customizing the default template 29
Creating your own templates . 30
Creating a Drawing with Default Settings 30
Opening an Existing Drawing . 30
Using other ways to open drawings . 31
Using shortcuts in dialog boxes . 32
Using an Existing Drawing as a Prototype . 32
Saving a Drawing under a New Name 33
Summary 34
xxiv Contents
Chapter 3: Using Commands . 35
The AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Interface 35
Using menus 36
Using shortcut menus . 36
Using dialog boxes . 37
Using toolbars . 38
Using palettes 39
The Command Line and Dynamic Input . 41
Using Dynamic Input 41
Understanding command names . 42
Responding to commands . 43
Command Techniques 46
Repeating commands . 46
Using recent input . 46
Canceling commands . 46
Undoing a command 47
Redoing a command 49
Using one command within another command . 50
Of Mice and Pucks . 51
Getting Help 53
Getting help on a command 53
Finding help with Quickstart links 54
Using the main Help system 54
Working with Help screens 56
Using the Info Palette window 56
Getting more help . 57
Summary 58
Chapter 4: Specifying Coordinates . 59
Understanding the X,Y Coordinate System . 59
Drawing units 60
Types of measurement notation . 60
Typing Coordinates 60
Using the Dynamic Input tooltip to enter coordinates . 61
Absolute Cartesian coordinates . 64
Relative Cartesian coordinates 66
Polar coordinates 68
Direct distance entry 70
Orthogonal mode 70
Polar tracking 70
Displaying Coordinates 73
Picking Coordinates on the Screen . 75
Snap settings 75
Object snaps 80
Running object snaps and OSNAP mode 84
Overriding Coordinate Settings . 85
Locating Points . 88
Object snap tracking 88
Using the temporary tracking features . 92
Point filters . 92
From feature 93
Summary 94
Contents xxv
Chapter 5: Setting Up a Drawing 97
Choosing Unit Types . 97
Setting the drawing units . 98
Setting the angle type . 99
Setting the angle measure and direction 99
Drawing Limits 100
Understanding Scales 102
Working with scale formats . 103
Customizing the scale list 104
Deciding on a scale and sheet size . 105
Creating a Title Block 106
Specifying Common Setup Options 107
Customizing with the MVSETUP Command 109
Using the Setup Wizards . 109
Summary . 110
Part II: Drawing in Two Dimensions 111
Chapter 6: Drawing Simple Lines . 113
Using the LINE Command 113
Drawing Rectangles . 115
Drawing Polygons 116
Creating Construction Lines 118
Creating Rays . 120
Summary . 121
Chapter 7: Drawing Curves and Points 123
Drawing Circles 123
Understanding the circle options 123
Drawing circles 124
Drawing Arcs . 126
Understanding arc options . 126
Drawing arcs 127
Creating Ellipses and Elliptical Arcs 130
Understanding ellipse options . 130
Drawing ellipses 131
Making Donuts 133
Understanding DONUT options . 134
Drawing donuts 134
Placing Points . 135
Changing the point style . 135
Creating points 136
Summary . 137
Chapter 8: Viewing Your Drawing . 139
Regenerating and Redrawing the Display . 139
Panning 140
Using the PAN command . 140
Using the scroll bars . 140
xxvi Contents
Using the ZOOM Command . 142
Understanding ZOOM options 142
Using ZOOM Dynamic 144
Using Aerial View . 147
Creating Named Views 148
Saving a view . 148
Displaying a view . 152
Managing named views 152
Using named views to manage a drawing . 153
Working with Tiled Viewports . 155
Configuring tiled viewports . 156
Using tiled viewports . 158
Saving and restoring viewport configurations 158
Using Snap Rotation . 161
Understanding User Coordinate Systems . 163
Understanding UCS options . 163
Saving and restoring a custom UCS . 164
Controlling the UCS icon . 165
Using a custom UCS 166
Creating Isometric Drawings 168
Understanding isometric planes 168
Drawing in Isometric mode . 168
Summary . 171
Chapter 9: Editing Your Drawing with Basic Tools . 173
Editing a Drawing . 173
Understanding object-selection basics . 174
Erasing objects 174
Moving objects 176
Copying objects 178
Copying and moving objects from one drawing to another . 181
Rotating objects 183
Scaling objects 186
Using the CHANGE command 188
Selecting Objects . 189
Selecting objects after choosing a command . 189
Cycling through objects . 193
Selecting objects before choosing a command 193
Implied windowing 193
Customizing the selection process . 195
Summary . 198
Chapter 10: Editing Your Drawing with Advanced Tools 199
Copying and Moving Objects 199
Using the MIRROR command 200
Using the ARRAY command . 201
Offsetting objects . 207
Aligning objects 209
Resizing commands . 212
Trimming objects . 213
Extending objects . 216
Contents xxvii
Lengthening objects . 219
Stretching objects . 221
Using Construction Commands . 224
Breaking objects . 224
Joining objects 224
Creating chamfered corners . 227
Creating rounded corners 229
Creating a Revision Cloud 232
Hiding Objects with a Wipeout . 233
Double-Clicking to Edit Objects . 234
Grips 235
Stretching with grips . 236
Moving with grips . 237
Rotating with grips 238
Scaling with grips . 238
Mirroring with grips . 239
Customizing grips . 242
Editing with the Properties Palette . 242
Managing the Properties palette 243
Using the Properties palette . 243
Selection Filters 245
Using Quick Select to select objects 245
Using the FILTER command . 247
Naming and editing filters 250
Using filters 250
Groups . 252
Creating and modifying groups in AutoCAD 252
Changing a group . 253
Creating and modifying groups in AutoCAD LT 254
Using groups 255
Summary . 255
Chapter 11: Organizing Drawings with Layers, Colors,
Linetypes, and Lineweights . 257
Working with Layers . 257
Understanding layers . 258
Creating new layers 259
Using layers 267
Using special layer tools . 272
Modifying layers 275
Changing Object Color, Linetype, and Lineweight 280
Changing an object’s color 281
Changing the current color . 282
Changing an object’s linetype 282
Changing the current linetype 283
Changing an object’s lineweight . 283
Changing the current lineweight 284
Working with Linetype Scales 286
Changing linetype spacing by using a different linetype . 286
Changing linetype spacing by changing the global linetype scale . 287
Changing linetype spacing by changing the object linetype scale . 288
xxviii Contents
Importing Layers and Linetypes from Other Drawings . 290
Matching Properties . 291
Summary . 293
Chapter 12: Obtaining Information from Your Drawing 295
Drawing-Level Information . 295
Listing the status of your drawing . 295
Listing system variables . 296
Tracking drawing time 297
Object-Level Information 299
Listing objects . 299
Calculating distances . 300
Finding coordinates 300
Calculating area and perimeter . 302
Getting information from the Properties palette . 304
Measurement Commands 305
Dividing objects 305
Measuring objects 306
AutoCAD’s Calculator 308
Calculating numbers . 309
Using coordinates . 311
Using object snaps 311
Using the scientific calculator 312
Converting units . 313
Working with QuickCalc variables . 313
Using QuickCalc in the Properties palette . 314
Summary . 317
Chapter 13: Creating Text 319
Creating Single-Line Text 319
Justifying single-line text . 320
Setting the height . 322
Setting the rotation angle 323
Adding special characters and formatting . 323
Editing single-line text 325
Understanding Text Styles . 328
Creating a new text style . 328
Renaming and deleting text styles . 330
Modifying a text style . 331
Making a style current or changing a text object’s style . 332
Importing a text style . 332
Creating Multiline Text 333
Using the In-Place Text Editor 333
Editing paragraph text 340
Importing text . 341
Creating Tables 343
Inserting a table 343
Specifying a table style 344
Entering data into a table 346
Modifying a table . 347
Contents xxix
Inserting Fields 351
Creating fields . 352
Editing and updating fields . 354
Managing Text 355
Using Quicktext 355
Using AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT fonts . 356
Freezing text layers 356
Using MIRRTEXT . 357
Finding Text in Your Drawing 359
Checking Your Spelling . 360
Customizing the Spelling Dictionary 361
Summary . 363
Chapter 14: Drawing Dimensions . 365
Working with Dimensions 365
The elements of a dimension 365
Preparing to dimension . 366
Drawing Linear Dimensions . 367
Specifying the dimensioned object . 367
Using dimension options . 369
Drawing Aligned Dimensions 372
Specifying the dimensioned object . 373
Using the options . 373
Creating Baseline and Continued Dimensions 374
Drawing baseline dimensions 374
Drawing continued dimensions . 375
Dimensioning Arcs and Circles . 378
Marking arc and circle centers . 378
Dimensioning arc lengths 378
Creating radial dimensions . 379
Creating diameter dimensions . 379
Dimensioning Angles . 380
Creating Ordinate Dimensions . 384
Drawing Leaders . 386
Using the Leader Settings dialog box 386
Creating a leader . 389
Using Quick Dimension . 391
Editing Dimensions 394
Editing associativity . 394
Using the DIMEDIT command 396
Using the DIMTEDIT command . 397
Flipping dimension arrows 398
Editing dimension text 398
Using the Properties palette to edit dimensions . 399
Using Quick Dimension to edit dimensions 399
Using grips to edit dimensions . 400
Editing objects and dimensions together . 400
Summary . 403
xxx Contents
Chapter 15: Creating Dimension Styles and Tolerances 405
Understanding Dimension Styles 405
Defining a New Dimension Style 406
Managing dimension lines 407
Defining symbols and arrows 409
Managing dimension text 413
Fitting dimensions into tight spaces 416
Defining primary units 421
Defining alternate units . 423
Formatting tolerances 425
Changing Dimension Styles . 428
Choosing a new current dimension style . 428
Creating a variant of a dimension style 429
Modifying a dimension to use a new dimension style 429
Modifying dimension styles . 430
Overriding a dimension style 430
Updating dimensions . 431
Comparing dimension styles 431
Copying dimension styles from other drawings 432
Creating Geometric Tolerances . 435
Starting the tolerance frame . 435
Inserting the tolerance frame 437
Editing a tolerance frame 437
Summary . 439
Chapter 16: Drawing Complex Objects 441
Creating and Editing Polylines . 441
Using the PLINE command 441
Editing polylines with the PEDIT command 445
Editing polylines using the Properties palette 447
Drawing and Editing Splines 448
Creating splines 448
Editing splines . 450
Creating Regions . 453
Creating Boundaries . 455
Creating Hatches . 457
Understanding hatch patterns . 457
Defining a hatch 458
Determining the hatch boundary 462
Dragging and dropping hatch patterns . 466
Creating gradient fills . 467
Editing hatches 469
Using the SOLID command 470
Creating and Editing Multilines . 471
Creating a multiline style . 471
Drawing multilines 476
Editing multilines . 477
Creating Dlines in AutoCAD LT . 479
Contents xxxi
Using the SKETCH Command 480
Digitizing Drawings with the TABLET Command . 482
Summary . 484
Chapter 17: Plotting and Printing Your Drawing 487
Preparing a Drawing for Plotting or Printing . 487
Doing a draft plot . 487
Plotting a drawing from model space 488
Creating a Layout in Paper Space . 488
Entering paper space . 489
Using the Layout Wizard . 489
Laying out a drawing in paper space on your own 494
Working with Plot Styles . 506
Setting the plot-style mode . 507
Creating a plot-style table 508
Attaching a plot-style table to a layout . 512
Setting the plot-style property for a layer or object . 513
Plotting a Drawing 515
Specifying plot settings 516
Previewing your plot . 518
Creating a plot stamp . 518
Creating the plot . 518
Summary . 520
Part III: Working with Data 521
Chapter 18: Working with Blocks and Attributes 523
Combining Objects into Blocks . 524
Understanding base points and insertion points . 524
Creating a block 525
Redefining a block 527
Saving blocks as files . 528
Replacing an existing file . 529
Inserting Blocks and Files into Drawings . 530
Using the Insert dialog box . 531
Using the DesignCenter . 533
Managing Blocks . 537
Working with layers 537
Exploding blocks . 540
Using the XPLODE command 541
Editing blocks . 542
Creating and Using Dynamic Blocks 545
Understanding the work flow of dynamic blocks . 546
Defining a dynamic block 547
Inserting and modifying dynamic blocks 555
Using Windows Features to Copy Data 562
Manipulating objects with the Windows Clipboard 562
Using drag-and-drop . 563
xxxii Contents
Working with Attributes . 566
Creating attribute definitions 566
Inserting blocks with attributes . 571
Editing attributes . 572
Extracting a database from attributes . 579
Summary . 586
Chapter 19: Referencing Other Drawings 589
Understanding External References 589
Attaching an external reference . 590
Opening an xref 591
Using the External References palette . 591
Editing an Xref within Your Drawing 594
Choosing the xref or block to edit . 595
Editing the xref 596
Controlling Xref Display . 599
Xrefs and dependent symbols 599
Circular references 600
Clipping xrefs . 600
Speeding up the display of large xrefs . 601
Managing Xrefs 606
Xref notification 607
DesignCenter . 608
The xref log file 608
Summary . 610
Chapter 20: Working with External Databases . 611
Understanding External Database Access . 611
Preparing for Database Connectivity . 613
Organizing the database structure . 613
Configuring a data source 614
Connecting to Your Database 618
Connecting a database to a drawing 619
Opening a data table . 620
Editing data in the Data View window . 624
Linking Data to Drawing Objects 625
Creating a link template . 625
Creating a link . 627
Creating Labels 632
Creating label templates . 632
Creating attached labels . 634
Creating freestanding labels . 634
Querying with the Query Editor 635
Using the Quick Query tab 636
Using the Range Query tab . 638
Using the Query Builder tab . 638
Using the SQL Query tab . 640
Creating selection sets with Link Select 642
Working with Query Files 644
Storing queries 644
Importing and exporting queries 644
Summary . 645
Contents xxxiii
Part IV: Drawing in Three Dimensions 647
Chapter 21: Specifying 3D Coordinates . 649
Working in a 3D Environment 650
Using 3D Coordinates 651
Absolute and relative Cartesian coordinates in 3D 652
Cylindrical and spherical coordinates . 653
Using the Dashboard for 3D drawings . 654
Using editing commands with 3D wireframes . 654
Using point filters, object snaps, object tracking, and grips in 3D . 657
Creating 3D polylines . 659
Creating helixes 660
Using Elevation and Thickness . 661
Creating surfaces with thickness 661
Using the HIDE command 662
Controlling the display of hidden lines and objects . 663
Adding elevation to objects . 666
Working with the User Coordinate System 667
Using the UCS icon 668
Using UCS options to change the UCS . 668
Changing the UCS dynamically . 670
Summary . 674
Chapter 22: Viewing 3D Drawings . 675
Working with the Standard Viewpoints 676
Using the VPOINT command 677
Looking at a drawing from the standard viewpoints . 677
Using DDVPOINT . 680
Creating a Named View with a Camera 681
Creating a camera . 681
Editing a camera . 682
Adding a Background to a Named View 685
Working with the Tripod and Compass 687
Displaying a Quick Plan View 689
Working with Visual Styles . 690
Displaying visual styles in AutoCAD 690
Creating custom visual styles 691
Using the shading options in AutoCAD LT . 694
Display materials, textures, and lights as you work . 695
Displaying Parallel and Perspective Projections . 697
Using 3D Orbit 697
Starting 3D Orbit . 698
Navigating with 3D Orbit . 699
Refining your 3D Orbit view . 701
Using Tiled Viewports 704
Walking Through a Model 704
Navigating in Walk mode . 705
Specifying Walk mode settings . 707
Flying through a model 707
Saving the walk as a movie file . 708
Using a motion path to save a movie file 709
xxxiv Contents
Using DVIEW to a Create a Perspective View . 713
Using DVIEW 713
Understanding the DVIEW options . 714
Laying Out 3D Drawings . 716
Using SOLVIEW to lay out paper space viewports 716
Using SOLDRAW to create hidden lines and hatching 717
Using SOLPROF to create profiles 718
Flattening 3D drawings 719
Chapter 23: Creating 3D Surfaces . 723
Converting Objects to Surfaces . 724
Drawing Surfaces with 3DFACE . 724
Using the 3DFACE command . 725
Making 3D face edges invisible . 725
Drawing Surfaces with PFACE 730
Creating Plane Surfaces . 735
Creating Polygon Meshes with 3DMESH 735
Drawing Standard 3D Shapes 737
Box . 738
Wedge . 739
Pyramid 739
Cone 741
Sphere . 742
Dome 742
Dish . 743
Torus 744
Mesh 744
Drawing Revolved Surfaces . 747
Understanding the REVSURF command 747
Working with the REVOLVE command . 751
Drawing an Extruded Surface 752
Working with the TABSURF command . 752
Working with the EXTRUDE command . 755
Sweeping objects along a path . 755
Drawing Surfaces Between 2D Objects 756
Creating ruled surfaces 756
Lofting objects . 758
Drawing Edge Surfaces 759
Working with Multiple Types of 3D Objects 761
Thickening a surface into a solid 761
Extracting edges from a surface or a region 762
Slicing solids with a surface . 762
Summary . 762
Chapter 24: Creating Solids and Editing in 3D . 765
Drawing Basic Shapes 766
Drawing a box . 766
Drawing a wedge . 768
Drawing a cone 769
Drawing a sphere . 770
Contents xxxv
Drawing a cylinder 771
Drawing a torus 771
Drawing a pyramid 772
Creating Extruded Solids 775
Managing objects used to make other objects 776
Using the EXTRUDE command . 776
Drawing Swept Solids 778
Drawing Revolved Solids 780
Drawing Lofted Solids 781
Drawing Polyline-Like Solids 784
Creating Complex Solids . 786
Combining solids . 787
Subtracting solids . 787
Creating a solid from the intersection of two solids . 788
Creating a new solid using INTERFERE . 788
Pressing or pulling a region . 791
Using solid history 792
Sectioning and Slicing Solids 794
Using the SECTION command 794
Creating an interactive section object . 795
Using the SLICE command 796
Using Editing Commands in 3D . 799
Grip-editing solids 800
Subselecting solids 800
Using the move grip tool and the 3DMOVE command 801
Mirroring in 3D 803
Arraying in 3D . 804
Rotating in 3D . 807
Aligning in 3D . 810
Trimming and extending in 3D . 812
Filleting in 3D . 815
Chamfering in 3D . 817
Exploding and converting 3D objects . 819
Using the SOLIDEDIT Command 821
Editing faces 821
Editing edges . 828
Editing bodies . 828
Listing Solid Properties . 832
Summary . 833
Chapter 25: Rendering in 3D 835
Understanding Rendering 835
Learning the steps 836
Doing a default rendering 836
Creating Lights 838
Setting the default light 838
Creating a point light . 838
Creating a spotlight 841
Creating a distant light 842
Simulating the sun 842
Managing lights 844
xxxvi Contents
Working with Materials . 849
Attaching a material from the Tool Palettes window . 849
Using the Materials palette . 850
Creating your own materials . 852
Attaching materials 857
Using backgrounds 858
Doing the Final Render 859
Statistics 863
Saving rendered images . 863
Summary . 864
Part V: Organizing and Managing Drawings 865
Chapter 26: Keeping Control of Your Drawings . 867
Accessing Drawing Components with the DesignCenter 867
Navigating with the DesignCenter . 868
Accessing named drawing components 871
Controlling the DesignCenter display . 872
Accessing Drawing Content with Tool Palettes 874
Creating a new tool palette . 875
Adding content tools . 876
Adding command tools 876
Copying a tool . 878
Setting tool properties 878
Organizing tool palettes . 881
Using a tool palette 881
Setting Standards for Drawings . 884
Using the CAD Standards tools . 885
Translating layers . 891
The Communication Center . 894
Renaming named objects 895
Working with Sheet Sets . 895
Understanding sheet sets 896
Creating a sheet set 897
Setting up sheet-set references . 902
Using a sheet set . 911
Organizing Your Drawings 916
Archiving drawings 916
Finding drawings . 917
Specifying drawing properties 918
Maintaining Security . 918
Password protection . 919
Digital signatures . 919
Keeping Track of Referenced Files . 921
Handling Errors and Crashes 923
Taking care of temporary files 923
Repairing corrupted drawing files . 924
Using backup drawings 925
Recovering from a crash . 925
Managing Drawings from Prior Releases . 926
Summary . 927
Contents xxxvii
Chapter 27: Working with Other Applications 929
Importing and Exporting Other File Formats . 929
Exporting drawings 930
Importing files . 934
Working with Raster Images . 937
Inserting images 938
Managing images . 939
Clipping images 940
Controlling image display 940
Pasting, Linking, and Embedding Objects . 944
Embedding objects into a drawing . 944
Using Paste Special 946
Linking data 949
Summary . 953
Chapter 28: Getting on the Internet 955
Sending Drawings . 955
Using eTransmit 955
Specifying transmittal settings . 956
Opening Drawings from the Web 958
Using the Browse the Web – Open dialog box . 958
Using i-drop to drag objects into a drawing 959
Creating Object Hyperlinks . 959
Creating a hyperlink . 959
Using a hyperlink . 961
Editing a hyperlink 961
Publishing Drawings . 963
Understanding DWF files . 963
Creating 2D DWF files . 963
Creating 3D DWF files . 969
Using the Publish to Web Wizard 970
Posting DWF files directly 973
Editing Web pages 973
Viewing DWF drawings 973
Using Autodesk Design Review and the Markup Set Manager 978
Summary . 979
Part VI: Customizing AutoCAD 981
Chapter 29: Customizing Commands, Toolbars, and Tool Palettes . 983
Working with Customizable Files 983
Editing customizable files 986
Backing up customizable files 986
Using the command-line form of commands . 987
Documenting your files 989
Creating Shortcuts for Commands . 989
Creating shortcuts to Windows programs . 989
Creating keyboard shortcuts to commands 990
xxxviii Contents
Customizing Toolbars 992
Using the Customize User Interface dialog box 993
Removing buttons from an existing toolbar 993
Creating a new toolbar 994
Customizing Tool Palettes . 1002
Summary . 1004
Chapter 30: Creating Macros and Slide Shows with Script Files 1005
Creating Macros with Script Files . 1005
Creating the script file . 1005
Running a script file . 1008
Creating Slide Shows 1011
Creating slides 1011
Viewing slides 1011
Using scripts to create slide shows 1012
Creating Slide Libraries . 1013
Summary . 1014
Chapter 31: Creating Your Own Linetypes and Hatch Patterns . 1015
Creating Linetypes . 1015
Creating simple linetypes 1015
Creating complex linetypes 1017
Creating Hatch Patterns 1021
Summary . 1026
Chapter 32: Creating Shapes and Fonts . 1027
Creating Shapes . 1027
Using shape files . 1027
Creating shape files . 1028
Editing shape files 1036
Creating Fonts 1036
Summary . 1037
Chapter 33: Customizing Menus . 1039
Working with the Customization File . 1039
Understanding the menu file 1039
Loading and unloading customization files . 1040
Customizing a Menu 1043
Looking at a drop-down menu . 1044
Writing menu macros 1046
Swapping menus . 1047
Customizing mouse buttons and tablet buttons . 1048
Customizing drop-down menus 1051
Customizing image-tile menus . 1062
Customizing tablet menus . 1064
Working with the Screen menu . 1065
Creating keyboard shortcuts 1065
Summary . 1069
Contents xxxix
Part VII: Programming AutoCAD 1071
Chapter 34: Understanding AutoLISP and Visual LISP Basics 1073
Introducing Visual LISP . 1074
Opening Visual LISP . 1074
Opening and loading an AutoLISP file with Visual LISP . 1074
Loading an AutoLISP file 1075
Using an AutoLISP routine in AutoCAD 1077
Looking at an AutoLISP routine 1078
Using the Visual LISP interface . 1079
Closing a file and Visual LISP 1080
Getting Help in Visual LISP . 1081
Working with AutoLISP Expressions . 1082
Understanding AutoLISP syntax 1082
Working with numbers and text 1083
Using AutoLISP on the Command Line 1085
Creating AutoLISP Files . 1086
Summary . 1088
Chapter 35: Exploring AutoLISP Further 1089
Creating Variables 1089
Working with AutoCAD Commands 1090
Accessing AutoCAD commands 1090
Creating functions 1091
Creating functions with arguments 1094
Working with system variables 1095
Working with Lists . 1097
Using lists for coordinates . 1097
Creating dotted pairs 1098
Setting Conditions . 1099
Conditional structures . 1099
Loop structures . 1100
Managing Drawing Objects 1103
Getting information about an object . 1103
Modifying objects 1106
Creating selection sets . 1106
Getting Input from the User 1108
Putting on the Finishing Touches . 1110
Summary . 1114
Chapter 36: Exploring Advanced AutoLISP Topics . 1115
Understanding Local and Global Variables . 1115
Working with Visual LISP ActiveX Functions 1117
Reviewing AutoLISP retrieval and modification . 1117
Using ActiveX with Visual LISP . 1121
Debugging Code . 1125
Using the Error Trace window . 1126
Working with break points . 1126
Using the Watch window 1129
Summary . 1131
xl Contents
Chapter 37: Programming with Visual Basic for Applications 1133
Starting to Work with VBA . 1133
Opening the VBA environment . 1134
Getting acquainted with VBA 1134
Investigating the hierarchy model . 1136
Accessing help 1138
Writing VBA Code 1139
Looking at VBA syntax . 1141
Saving a VBA routine 1142
Loading a VBA routine . 1143
Running a VBA routine . 1143
Using the Visual Basic Editor 1143
Understanding variables 1145
Creating VBA statements 1147
Getting User Input 1148
Creating Dialog Boxes . 1151
Understanding the Toolbox toolbar 1152
Changing dialog-box properties 1152
Adding dialog-box controls . 1153
Modifying Objects 1158
Using constants . 1159
Using functions . 1160
Debugging and Trapping Errors 1160
Moving to Advanced Programming 1161
Summary . 1162
A Final Word . 1162
Part VIII: Appendixes 1163
Appendix A: Installing and Configuring AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT 1165
Installing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT . 1165
Preparing to install . 1165
Starting installation . 1166
Changing an installation 1169
Authorizing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT 1170
Configuring and Using Workspaces 1171
Creating and modifying a workspace . 1171
Switching between workspaces 1172
Configuring AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT 1173
Customizing the status bar . 1173
Configuring options . 1173
Starting AutoCAD Your Way 1189
Using command-line switches . 1189
Understanding configuration files . 1191
Creating multiple configurations . 1192
Configuring a Plotter 1193
Using the Plotter Manager . 1193
Editing a plotter configuration . 1193
Contents xli
Appendix B: AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Resources 1197
Discovering AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT . 1197
Using AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Help resources 1197
Learning from your dealer . 1197
Taking a course . 1198
Learning from other users . 1198
Reading magazines and newsletters . 1198
Accessing Technical Support . 1199
Autodesk User Groups . 1199
Internet Resources . 1200
Appendix C: What’s on the CD-ROM 1203
System Requirements . 1203
Using the CD-ROM with Microsoft Windows . 1204
What’s on the CD-ROM . 1204
Using the Drawings folder . 1204
Using the Results folder . 1205
Using the Links folder 1205
Using the Software folder 1205
Applications . 1207
Using the e-Book version of AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible . 1210
Troubleshooting . 1210
Customer Care 1211
Index . 1213