AutoCAD 2015 and AutoCAD LT 2015 Essentials: Autodesk Official Press

AutoCAD 2015 and AutoCAD LT 2015 Essentials: Autodesk Official Press

Released April 2014
Publisher(s): Sybex
ISBN: 9781118871249

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Book description

Step-by-step instructions for the AutoCAD fundamentals

AutoCAD 2015 Essentials contains 400 pages of full-color, comprehensive instruction on the world's top drafting and architecture software. This 2015 edition features architectural, manufacturing, and landscape architecture examples. And like previous editions, the detailed guide introduces core concepts using interactive tutorials and open-ended projects, which can be completed in any order, thanks to downloadable data sets (an especially useful feature for students and professionals studying for Autodesk AutoCAD certification).

Unlike many other guides, which are organized around conceptual themes or task categories, AutoCAD 2015 Essentials takes a start-to-finish approach that mirrors how you will work with the program in the real world. Starting with basic 2D drawing and progressing through organizing objects with groups and blocks, creating and editing text, and 3D modeling, the process you'll learn in this book is ready to take to work. Inside, each chapter follows an intuitive structure:

  • Quick discussions of concepts and learning goals

  • Hands-on drafting tutorials for active learning and confidence building

  • Open-ended projects to reinforce new drafting skills

  • Downloadable end files, so you can check your work

    • AutoCAD 2015 Essentials is great for professionals and students who need to quickly and effectively learn the most common features of 2D and 3D design. With over 12 years of experience teaching and writing about this formidable design program, Scott Onstott provides you with everything you'll need to leverage the full capabilities of AutoCAD.

    Table of contents

    1. Titlepage
    2. Credits
    3. Copyright
    4. Publisher's Note
    5. About the Author
    6. Acknowledgements
    7. Introduction
      1. Who Should Read This Book
      2. AutoCAD 2015 or AutoCAD LT 2015 System Requirements
      3. What Is Covered in This Book
      4. The Essentials Series
    8. Chapter 1: Getting Started
      1. Sign In to Autodesk 360 on the Dashboard
      2. Explore the AutoCAD 2015 for Windows User Interface
      3. Set Drawing Units
    9. Chapter 2: Basic Drawing Skills
      1. Navigate 2D Drawings
      2. Draw Lines and Rectangles
      3. Cancel, Erase, and Undo
      4. Use Coordinate Systems
      5. Draw Circles, Arcs, and Polygons
      6. Use Fillet and Chamfer
    10. Chapter 3: Using Drawing Aids
      1. Use Grid and Snap
      2. Employ Ortho and Polar Tracking
      3. Use PolarSnap
      4. Select Running Object Snaps
      5. Harness the From Snap
      6. Apply Object Snap Tracking
    11. Chapter 4: Editing Entities
      1. Create Selection Sets
      2. Move and Copy
      3. Rotate and Scale
      4. Work with Arrays
      5. Trim and Extend
      6. Lengthen and Stretch
      7. Offset and Mirror
      8. Edit with Grips
    12. Chapter 5: Shaping Curves
      1. Draw and Edit Curved Polylines
      2. Draw Ellipses
      3. Shape Splines
      4. Blend Between Objects with Splines
    13. Chapter 6: Controlling Object Visibility and Appearance
      1. Change Object Properties
      2. Set the Current Layer
      3. Alter the Layer Assignments of Objects
      4. Control Layer Visibility
      5. Apply Linetype
      6. Assign Properties by Object or by Layer
      7. Manage Layer Properties
      8. Isolate Objects
    14. Chapter 7: Organizing Objects
      1. Define Blocks
      2. Insert Blocks
      3. Edit Blocks
      4. Redefine Blocks
      5. Work with Groups
    15. Chapter 8: Hatching and Gradients
      1. Specify Hatch Areas
      2. Associate Hatches with Boundaries
      3. Hatch with Patterns
      4. Hatch with Gradients
    16. Chapter 9: Working with Blocks and Xrefs
      1. Work with Global Blocks
      2. Access Content Globally
      3. Store Content on Tool Palettes
      4. Reference External Drawings and Images
    17. Chapter 10: Creating and Editing Text
      1. Style Text
      2. Write Lines of Text
      3. Write and Format Paragraphs Using MTEXT
      4. Edit Text
    18. Chapter 11: Dimensioning
      1. Style Dimensions
      2. Add Dimensions
      3. Edit Dimensions
    19. Chapter 12: Keeping In Control with Constraints
      1. Work with Geometric Constraints
      2. Apply Dimensional Constraints
      3. Constrain Objects Simultaneously with Geometry and Dimensions
      4. Make Parametric Changes to Constrained Objects
    20. Chapter 13: Working with Layouts and Annotative Objects
      1. Create Annotative Styles and Objects
      2. Create Layouts
      3. Adjust Floating Viewports
      4. Override Layer Properties in Layout Viewports
      5. Draw on Layouts
    21. Chapter 14: Printing and Plotting
      1. Configure Output Devices
      2. Create Plot Style Tables
      3. Use Plot Style Tables
      4. Plot in Model Space
      5. Plot Layouts in Paper Space
      6. Export to an Electronic Format
    22. Chapter 15: Working with Data
      1. Geolocate Projects
      2. Import SketchUp Models
      3. Define Attributes and Blocks
      4. Insert Attributed Blocks
      5. Edit Table Styles and Create Tables
      6. Use Fields in Table Cells
      7. Edit Table Data
    23. Chapter 16: Navigating 3D Models
      1. Use Visual Styles
      2. Work with Tiled Viewports
      3. Navigate with the ViewCube
      4. Orbit in 3D
      5. Use Cameras
      6. Navigate with SteeringWheels
      7. Learn to Save Views
    24. Chapter 17: Modeling in 3D
      1. Create Surface Models
      2. Edit Surface Models
      3. Create Solid Models
      4. Edit Solid Models
      5. Smooth Mesh Models
    25. Chapter 18: Presenting and Documenting 3D Design
      1. Assign Materials
      2. Place and Adjust Lights
      3. Create Renderings
      4. Document Models with Drawings
    26. Appendix: Autodesk® AutoCAD 2015 Certification
    27. End-User License Agreement

    Product information

    • Title: AutoCAD 2015 and AutoCAD LT 2015 Essentials: Autodesk Official Press
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: April 2014
    • Publisher(s): Sybex
    • ISBN: 9781118871249