Reinventing drawing methods would have been a difficult approach to the development of CAD 60 years ago, when it all began. This traditional approach means that most techniques and tools remain the same, with the digital transition being the main source of confusion and anxiety for newcomers.
The basic principle is that drawing can be done on regular paper for 2D and just as easily as sculpture or similar for 3D. Here’s an introduction to the drawing tools found in AutoCAD, and possibly other CAD packages with a few tweaks.
Grids
The drawing grid is the first thing we need. The default setting for most CAD programs has been to have the drawing grid on. It’s an option that can be toggled on or off. It would not be turned on by default in the earliest versions of CAD.
Orthogonal Drawing Mode
This drawing mode can be used as an aid. It helps you to limit your drawing to vertical and horizontal lines. This will ensure that whatever you draw is aligned. You can also be certain of its straightness without needing to zoom in to view the anti-aliased edges. This option disables the grid and all snapping options. The command is “ORTHO”, with the shortcut key “F8”.
Polar Tracking
Polar tracking refers to the use of polar coordinate templates when creating lines. This mode is the most advanced orthogonal mode. It extends the range of the mode even further. There are two options for moving forward after you turn on polar tracking. You can either set the polar angle before you start drawing or you can draw horizontal or vertical lines and the line will change according to the angle.
Conclusion
AutoCAD’s tools and drawing aids are designed to allow the revit to simulate traditional and modern drawing techniques. Because of the virtual nature, some tools and aids are available that offer more flexibility than those that were used for paper-based drawings. These are just a few of the many tools and functions that can be used to simplify CADing. However, these are the foundations for all derived functions. These are the basics of AutoCAD. Keep practicing and looking for new features in AutoCAD.