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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
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AutoLISP Quick Start
This tutorial is designed to help AutoCAD users get to grips with AutoLISP quickly. It demonstartes how to create AutoLISP routines from a standing start. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: less than one minute ago
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Optimisation and Workflow
This tutorial discusses the various ways you can make your modelling work more efficient. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute ago
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The Material Editor
The Material Editor provides functions to create and edit materials and maps. This tutorial is a basic introduction to the options available. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 3 minutes ago
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Dimensioning
This tutorial describes the options and commands available for dimensioning drawings and how to use them. The correct use of AutoCADs dimension tools is the key to producing clear and concise measured drawings. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 4 minutes ago
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ISO Paper Sizes
There has alwas been some confusion over the size of standard ISO drawing sheets with AutoCAD.The stated sizes in the plot dialogue box are not the true ISO sizes. This tutorial explains why and how to plot to scale from Model Space. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 5 minutes ago
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Object Snap
A tutorial giving an overview of all the AutoCAD object snaps (osnaps) with some worked examples. The tutorial also covers the use of temporary tracking points and object snap tracking. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 6 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.
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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
Rotate with the Copy Option
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #135
Originally published: August 2014
Grips don't get a lot of respect, but they are really quite powerful [See ‘The Lost Art of Grips’ in Michael's Corner March 2005], and the introduction of multifunction grips a few versions ago [Covered in Michael's Corner in July 2011 & April 2012], really kicked 'em up a notch.
However, what I want to mention here, is the Copy option of the Rotate command (…which is a similar feature when using grips, if you were wondering about the relevance).
In the following exercise, the chair arrangement must be completed on all four sides.
How to Copy with Rotate
Launch the Rotate command, select the objects to rotate, then press [Enter].
To pick the middle of the conference table, Shift + Right-click and click Mid Between 2 Points, then click two diagonally opposed corners to specify the rotation basepoint between them.
Click the Copy option (or enter C if you have a version prior to AutoCAD 2013).
Turn on Ortho if necessary, then click to rotate—and copy—the selected objects!
See all the articles published in August 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
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21st – 27th April 2025
This week's image is by shift1313
Software used: SolidWorks 2009
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Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by Pocket
Software used: AutoCAD 2002
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Two Weeks Ago
This image is by fahim108
Software used: AutoCAD 2007
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Three Weeks Ago
This image is by Lazarus
Software used: AutoCAD 2008
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
Tab through commands
This tip works begining with AutoCAD 2006:
At the command line, type the first letter of the command you wish to start. Do not press the Enter key; instead, press the Tab key repeatedly and watch as AutoCAD runs through an alphabetical list of all commands, beginning with the letter you first typed. When the right command appears in the command line, press Enter to start it.
This isn't a very efficient way to invoke a command but it's a great way of finding commands you never knew existed; try it yourself and you will discover that AutoCAD has a lot of commands…
Also, you can press Shift+Tab to walk back through the list.
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.