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 2010: Extrude & Press/Pull
Format: Video
Last visited: less than one minute ago
-
Creating Terrain Objects
Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute ago
-
Dimensioning
Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 3 minutes ago
-
Entering Survey Data using AutoCAD
Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 4 minutes ago
-
AutoCAD 2010: The User Interface - Part 2
Format: Video
Last visited: 4 minutes ago
-
Direct Distance Entry
Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 7 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
Mleader with block and attributes
by AlexS
10 replies
Last post: 24 minutes ago
Need Help with Lisp Routine for Setting Layer Properties
by CADChaser
39 replies
Last post: 39 minutes ago
DCL with the options to select what commands to string together
by rcb007
4 replies
Last post: 2 hours ago
Boundaries Multiple within Selection
by limfx
4 replies
Last post: 2 hours ago
Lisp to Divide a Dimension or Selection of Lines by a user provided length
by CAP
8 replies
Last post: 2 hours ago
Lower Elevation of 3p polyline
by mhy3sx
8 replies
Last post: 3 hours ago
This Week's Hot Topics
Offset or copy
by Jojo
10 replies
Viewed: 381 times
Mleader with block and attributes
by AlexS
10 replies
Viewed: 239 times
Spécial_selection
by thekiki
8 replies
Viewed: 420 times
Lisp to Divide a Dimension or Selection of Lines by a user provided length
by CAP
8 replies
Viewed: 381 times
Creating a Lisp Routine for Custom MText Input
by Tarz4n
8 replies
Viewed: 374 times
Draw a horizontal line with only midpoint and length available
by Sharper
8 replies
Viewed: 333 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
Drawing Information
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #137
Originally published: December 2014
For billing purposes, it's nice to know how long you have spent working in a drawing. To that end, the Time command may be a helpful resource, especially given the elapsed time feature that can be toggled ON and OFF, and can also be Reset.
Command: TIME Current time: Sunday, November 23, 2014 3:44:54:790 PM Times for this drawing: Created: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 2:42:44:984 PM Last updated: Sunday, November 23, 2014 9:59:28:105 AM Total editing time: 0 days 04:45:06:399 Elapsed timer (off): 0 days 04:44:32:866 Next automatic save in: 0 days 00:07:30:395 Enter option [Display/ON/OFF/Reset]:
To keep track of your time in the drawing, launch the Time command, then begin the elapsed timer with the ON option. When finished, use the OFF option to display the total editing time. The above information indicates that I was editing the drawing for a little more than 30 seconds - 04:44:32 to 04:45:06.
DWGPROPS [ ] Another useful tool for quick information may be the Dwgprops command found in the ‘scarlet letter’. It's nice to have the Location and Size information immediately available, rather than going out to Save As.
See all the articles published in December 2014
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
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
Absolute and Relative Coordinates
Coordinate | Interpretation |
---|---|
25,75 | depends on context |
@25,75 | relative |
#25,75 | absolute |
It used to be very simple. Enter a coordinate and AutoCAD interpreted it as an absolute coordinate. Enter a coordinate preceded by "@" (the at sign) and AutoCAD interpreted it as a relative coordinate. This simple rule changed when dynamic input was introduced and now the interpretation of coordinates is contextual. For example, when you draw a rectangle using RECTANG, the coordinate for the second point is interpreted as absolute with dynamic input turned off and as relative with dynamic input turned on. Really, try it and see.
Fortunately, there's a new coordinate prefix that forces an absolute coordinate, even when AutoCAD decides you want a relative one. Precede any coordinate with "#" (the hash sign) to force an absolute coordinate.
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.