Learn AutoCAD with our Free Tutorials
Welcome to CADTutor
CADTutor provides the best free tutorials and articles for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and associated applications along with a friendly community forum. If you need to learn AutoCAD, or you want to be more productive, you're in the right place. See our tip of the day to start learning right now!
Free Tutorials and More…
The Tutorials section provides over 100 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications. Michael’s Corner is an archive of productivity articles that brings you the best AutoCAD tips and tricks. Our Forum is a lively community where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Downloads area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free images.
Tutorials of the Moment
Recently viewed tutorials
-
AutoCAD to Photoshop
This tutorial demonstrates a number of workflows from quick and simple to high quality. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: less than one minute ago
-
Modifying Objects
Modification of objects is at the heart of 3D modelling. Once geometry has been created using the most appropriate method then the modeller will start the modification process. This comprehensive tutorial shows you how. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute ago
-
AutoCAD 2010: Extrude & Press/Pull
This tutorial introduces the AutoCAD extrusion tools, Extrude and Press/Pull. A good understanding of both tools is important for developing 3D modeling skills. Running time: 9min 53sec Format: Video
Last visited: 2 minutes ago
-
Navigation Techniques
Gaining the skill to navigate efficiently around a scene and around objects and parts of objects (sub-objects) efficiently and with ease is of paramount importance to good modelling. Most new users of MAX / VIZ need to get over this first hurdle before feeling comfortable in the 3D environment. Fear not, MAX / VIZ has a host of tools for the purpose. This tutorial descibes the most useful navigation techniques. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 3 minutes ago
-
Creating an Image Rollover
This tutorial demonstrates the best way to create image rollovers in Microsoft FrontPage. It also shows some variations on the basic technique along with some examples of how it could be used. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 3 minutes ago
-
Setting up a PostScript Plotter
How to set up a PostScript Plotter. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 4 minutes ago
CADTutor Tutorials
Our tutorials are comprehensive but straightforward introductions to AutoCAD and related software. They are designed to help beginners get to grips with design workflows as quickly as possible. There are over 100 to choose from, some text/image based and others in video format. Whatever stage you are at in your learning, you should find a tutorial to help.
Forum Latest
Currently Active Topics
LISP for Dimensioning from Multiple Points to Line
by comet712
6 replies
Last post: 1 hour ago
Minus value to set zero
by Dayananda
7 replies
Last post: 2 hours ago
Multileader justify paragraph doesn't work
by 3dwannab
3 replies
Last post: 3 hours ago
Align points
by bsimpson
5 replies
Last post: 4 hours ago
LISP for breaking multiple polyline at 'insertion point' of multiple Blocks (AUTOCAD 2026)
by xenru
6 replies
Last post: 16 hours ago
CREATE PERPENDICULAR DIMENSION BETWEEN TWO PARALLEL POLYLINES
by SCHNIPPLES
5 replies
Last post: 17 hours ago
This Week's Hot Topics
Repair Lisp to create superimpose acad
by karfung
22 replies
Viewed: 809 times
Perform hatch without superfluous requests
by Nikon
11 replies
Viewed: 517 times
Segments of polylines
by Artem
11 replies
Viewed: 390 times
Create lisp code for text above polyline
by karfung
10 replies
Viewed: 374 times
Minus value to set zero
by Dayananda
7 replies
Viewed: 141 times
LISP for breaking multiple polyline at 'insertion point' of multiple Blocks (AUTOCAD 2026)
by xenru
6 replies
Viewed: 266 times
CADTutor Forums
Our forum is a vibrant community of experts and beginners. The main focus is helping beginners get to grips with AutoCAD and to help more advanced users become more productive. The AutoLISP forum is one of the busiest out there, providing expert advice for busy professionals.
AutoCAD Productivity
Avoid Using ‘Standard’ in Text & Dimension Styles
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #141
Originally published: August 2015
In addition to Layer 0, every single drawing on the planet has a Text style called ‘Standard’, and a Dimension style called ‘Standard’. They're the defaults.
When developing company standards, it's best to not modify the Standard styles; leave 'em alone and make your own.
And here's why. Let's say you have text you added to Drawing A (using your modified ‘Standard’ text style to use the Trebuchet font), and you drag that text into Drawing B where the Standard text style uses the TXT.SHX font.
Since Drawing B already has a ‘Standard’ text style—see opening sentence, above—who do you think will "win" when it comes to how the text looks? The text in Drawing B will use the font which is already assigned to the Standard text style.

In the illustration, you see the result when I drag the text from Drawing A into Drawing B. Questions?
See all the articles published in August 2015
Michael's Corner
Between 2003 and 2016, Michael Beall (and one or two guests) wrote almost 600 articles for CADTutor. The focus of these articles is AutoCAD productivity, and although some of them are now more than a few years old, most remain relevant to current versions of AutoCAD. The article above is just one example. Check out Michael's Corner for a full listing.
Image of the Week
-
19th – 25th January 2026
This week's image is by Alex Moiceanu
Software used: SolidWorks 2011
-
Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by arjun_samar
Software used: 3ds Max with V-Ray and Photoshop
-
Two Weeks Ago
This image is by tutt
Software used: AutoCAD Architecture 2011
-
Three Weeks Ago
This image is by Alex Moiceanu
Software used: AutoCAD 2012
Gallery of Work
Over the years, our forum members have contributed hundreds of images, showcasing their amazing work. The images above are just a small selection that demonstrate the wide range of project types our community is involved with. Take a look at our gallery to see all the images published in the last 12 months.
Tip of the Day
Fillet solid objects
The Fillet command can be used to fillet solid objects as well as just the usual 2D stuff. Not only does the Fillet command fillet edges but it also correctly mitres the corners where two filleted edges meet.
Missed a Tip?
Did you miss yesterday's tip? Maybe you forgot to drop by or maybe you don't visit over the weekend. If so, you can now see all the tips published during the past week. Also, if you have a tip you'd like to share with us, you can post it on our forum and if we like it, we'll publish it here.