Part 1
Module 1: AutoCAD’s User Interface
Learning Outcomes
When you have completed this module, you will be able to:
- Describe and configure AutoCAD’s interface including the Graphic window, crosshairs, Graphic cursor, pickbox, Status bar, Model and Layout tabs, Pull-down menu, Toolbar menus, Ribbon menus, dialogue boxes, windows, using of the mouse, Command Line window, and the Text window.
- List and describe the two basic AutoCAD menus systems; Toolbars and Ribbons.
AutoCAD’s Graphic Window
AutoCAD’s Graphic window is shown in Figure 1-1. The Graphic window is used most of the time when you are working in AutoCAD.
Crosshairs and Graphic Cursor
The crosshairs indicates your current location on the Graphic window or in 2D space. If you were drawing by hand, think of it as the point of your pencil. It is one of AutoCAD’s most important features and is used extensively when you are creating drawings. See Figure 1-1, and 1-3.
When you move the crosshairs onto a menu item, it will change its display to the Graphic cursor as shown in Figure 1-2. You use it to select menu items.
Pickbox
The pickbox is a small square located at the intersection of the crosshairs as shown in Figure 1-3. It is used to pick drawing objects.
Status Bar
The Status bar, Figure 1-4, is positioned across the bottom of the Graphic window and becomes a very important part of your day-to-day AutoCAD work.
The coordinate location or the XYZ coordinates of the current location of the crosshairs is displayed near the center of the Status bar. The coordinate location display can be enabled or disabled by clicking it with the left mouse button. Toggle buttons for AutoCAD’s features are located immediately to the right of the coordinate display. Many of these features will be taught in the AutoCAD 2D book.
Model and Layout Tabs
The Model and Layout tabs, Figure 1-5, are used to toggle the display of Model space or one of the layouts. This will be discussed in greater detail in Module 18.
AutoCAD’s Menu Systems
AutoCAD has two different menu systems that allows you to communicate with it. The two menu systems that you can choose from are the Toolbar menus and the Ribbon menus. See Figure 1-6. You can and should add the Pull-down menu to either the Toolbar or the Ribbon menu.
Pull-down Menus
The Pull-down menus are located across the top of the Graphic window. When you click one of the items on the menu, with the left mouse button, the menu will pull down as shown in Figure 1-7 and 1-8.
A Pull-down Menu Flyout
If an item on the Pull-down menu has a small solid triangle at the end, it has a Flyout menu associated with it. Place the Graphic cursor on the triangle to force the Flyout menu to display as shown in Figure 1-9.
See Figure 1-10. The display of each toolbar can be enabled or disabled at your discretion. If they were all displayed at the same time, they would virtually fill the Graphic window. Therefore, their display must be enabled or disabled, as required, by the current oper