AutoCAD Basic Setting for Drawings


1. Unit Settings:

To change the unit settings in AutoCAD, follow these steps:

  1. Open AutoCAD and load your drawing or start a new one.

  2. Type UNITS in the command line and press Enter.

  3. The Drawing Units dialog box will appear. In this box, you can adjust various unit settings:

    • Length Type: Choose from Decimal, Architectural, Engineering, Fractional, or Scientific.
    • Length Precision: Set the number of decimal places or fractions for the length units.
    • Angle Type: Choose from Decimal Degrees, Degrees/Minutes/Seconds, Gradians, Radians, or Surveyor’s Units.
    • Angle Precision: Set the number of decimal places for angular measurements.
    • Insertion Scale: Set the units for inserting blocks and other drawings, such as Inches, Millimeters, or Feet.

  4. After making the changes, click OK to apply them.

Now your units are set according to your preference, and future measurements or drawings will follow these settings.



2. Limits Settings:


In AutoCAD, the limits define the drawing area (the boundaries of the grid) where you want to work. To set the drawing limits, follow these steps:

Steps to Set Limits in AutoCAD:

  1. Open AutoCAD and load your drawing or start a new one.

  2. Type LIMITS in the command line and press Enter.

  3. You will be prompted to Specify the lower-left corner:

    • By default, this is usually 0,0. You can type 0,0 and press Enter, or specify a different point if needed.

  4. Next, you will be prompted to Specify the upper-right corner:

    • Type the coordinates for the upper-right corner of the drawing area you want to set. For example, for a space of 100 units by 100 units, you would type 100,100 and press Enter.

  5. After setting the limits, type Z (Zoom) and press Enter, then type A (All) and press Enter again. This will zoom the view to show the entire drawing area defined by the limits.Command: LIMITS

    Specify lower left corner or [ON/OFF] <0,0>: 0,0

    Specify upper right corner <420,297>: 100,100

    Command: Z

    Command: A

3 .Osnap Settings:

In AutoCAD, Object Snap (Osnap) helps you snap to precise points on objects such as endpoints, midpoints, intersections, and centers. You can control which snap points are active by configuring the Osnap settings.

To access and configure Osnap settings:

Method 1: Using the Command Line

  1. Type OSNAP in the command line and press Enter.

  2. The Drafting Settings window will appear, showing the Object Snap tab. Here, you can select which Osnap modes you want to enable by checking the boxes. Common snap points include:

    • Endpoint: Snaps to the endpoint of a line, arc, or polyline segment.
    • Midpoint: Snaps to the midpoint of a line or arc.
    • Center: Snaps to the center of a circle or arc.
    • Node: Snaps to a point object.
    • Quadrant: Snaps to the quadrant points of a circle, ellipse, or arc.
    • Intersection: Snaps to the intersection of two objects.
    • Perpendicular: Snaps to a point perpendicular to an object.
    • Tangent: Snaps to a tangent point on an arc, circle, or ellipse.

  3. After selecting your desired options, click OK to apply the changes.

Method 2: Using the Status Bar (Quicker Approach)

  1. Look at the Status Bar at the bottom of the AutoCAD window.

  2. Find the Object Snap (Osnap) button (represented by a magnet-like icon). Right-click on it and choose Settings from the context menu.

  3. The Drafting Settings window will appear, and you can configure the same options as mentioned above.

  4. After selecting your preferred Osnap modes, click OK.

  5. Alternatively, you can toggle Osnap on or off by clicking the Osnap button directly in the status bar.

Method 3: Using Function Keys

You can also toggle Osnap with the F3 key on your keyboard, which turns the Object Snap feature on or off.



Commonly Used Osnap Modes:

  • Endpoint (END)
  • Midpoint (MID)
  • Intersection (INT)
  • Center (CEN)
  • Perpendicular (PER)
  • Tangent (TAN)

By using the Osnap feature, you ensure precision in your drawings when selecting specific geometric points.

4. Dimension Style Manager Settings:

In AutoCAD, the Dimension Style Manager allows you to create, modify, and manage dimension styles, which control the appearance and behavior of dimensions in your drawing. Here’s how you can access and adjust the settings in the Dimension Style Manager.

Steps to Access Dimension Style Manager:

  1. Type DIMSTYLE in the command line and press Enter.

    • Alternatively, you can go to the Annotate tab on the ribbon, then click on Dimension Style in the Dimensions panel.

  2. The Dimension Style Manager window will open, showing a list of available dimension styles.

    • Standard is the default style.

  3. To modify an existing dimension style:

    • Select the dimension style from the list.
    • Click Modify.

  4. To create a new dimension style:

    • Click New, enter a name for your new style, and base it on an existing style if needed.

Key Settings in the Dimension Style Manager:

Once inside the Modify Dimension Style dialog, you can configure the following tabs:

1. Lines Tab:

  • Dimension Lines: Set the color, line type, and line weight for the dimension lines. You can also adjust the suppression of dimension lines.
  • Extension Lines: Set the appearance for extension lines (those lines that extend from the object to the dimension). You can adjust color, line type, line weight, and suppression for these lines.
  • Baseline Spacing: Adjust the spacing between baseline dimensions.

2. Symbols and Arrows Tab:

  • Arrowheads: Choose the type of arrowheads (e.g., closed filled, open, architectural ticks, etc.).
  • Arrow Size: Set the size of the arrowhead or symbol.
  • Center Marks: Control how center marks or centerlines are displayed in circular dimensions.
  • Arc Length Symbol: Set the symbol for arc length dimensions.

3. Text Tab:

  • Text Appearance: Set the text style, color, height, and placement. You can also control the background of the text (like adding a background mask).
  • Text Alignment: Choose whether the dimension text is aligned with the dimension line or is horizontal.
  • Text Placement: Control where the text is placed relative to the dimension line (e.g., above, below, or centered).

4. Fit Tab:

  • Fit Options: Determine how text and arrowheads fit when the available space is limited (e.g., use a text override or adjust the scale of the text and arrow).
  • Scale for Dimension Features: Set the overall scale factor for dimensions. This is particularly useful when working in layouts with different scales.
  • Text Placement: Set whether text should always be inside or outside the dimension lines.

5. Primary Units Tab:

  • Unit Format: Set the format for the dimension units (Decimal, Architectural, Engineering, etc.).
  • Precision: Control the number of decimal places displayed in the dimension.
  • Unit Suffix: Add a unit suffix (e.g., mm, inches) to the dimension text.
  • Measurement Scale: Apply a scale factor to the measured dimension values.

6. Alternate Units Tab:

  • Enable alternate units if you want to display two sets of units (e.g., inches and millimeters).
  • Configure the format, precision, and multiplier for alternate units.

7. Tolerances Tab:

  • Tolerance Method: Choose the type of tolerance (None, Symmetrical, Deviation, Limits).
  • Tolerance Precision: Set the number of decimal places for the tolerance.
  • Upper/Lower Limits: Define the upper and lower tolerance limits.

Applying a Dimension Style:

Once you have created or modified a dimension style, you can apply it by:

  1. Selecting the style in the Dimension Style Manager and clicking Set Current.
  2. Dimensions you create from this point will follow the selected style.

Command Overview:

  • DIMSTYLE: Opens the Dimension Style Manager.
  • DIMEDIT: Allows you to edit the properties of individual dimensions.

By using the Dimension Style Manager, you can ensure consistency and professionalism in the appearance of dimensions throughout your AutoCAD drawing.



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