2012
Table Of Contents
- Contents
- Get Information
- The User Interface
- Start and Save Drawings
- Control the Drawing Views
- Organize Drawings and Layouts
- Create and Modify Objects
- Control the Properties of Objects
- Use Precision Tools
- Work with the User Coordinate System (UCS)
- Enter Coordinates to Specify Points
- Use Dynamic Input
- Snap to Locations on Objects (Object Snaps)
- Restrict Cursor Movement
- Combine or Offset Points and Coordinates
- Specify Distances
- Extract Geometric Information from Objects
- Use a Calculator
- Create Objects
- Select and Modify Objects
- Select Objects
- Correct Mistakes
- Erase Objects
- Cut, Copy, and Paste with the Clipboard
- Modify Objects
- Add Constraints to Geometry
- Define and Reference Blocks
- Work with 3D Models
- Create 3D Models
- Overview of 3D Modeling
- Create Solids and Surfaces from Lines and Curves
- Create Solids
- Create Surfaces
- Create Meshes
- Create Wireframe Models
- Add 3D Thickness to Objects
- Modify 3D Models
- Create Sections and Drawings from 3D Models
- Create 3D Models
- Annotate Drawings
- Work with Annotations
- Overview of Annotations
- Scale Annotations
- Overview of Scaling Annotations
- Set Annotation Scale
- Create Annotative Objects
- Display Annotative Objects
- Add and Modify Scale Representations
- Set Orientation for Annotations
- Hatches, Fills, and Wipeouts
- Notes and Labels
- Tables
- Dimensions and Tolerances
- Understand Basic Concepts of Dimensioning
- Use Dimension Styles
- Set the Scale for Dimensions
- Create Dimensions
- Modify Existing Dimensions
- Add Geometric Tolerances
- Work with Annotations
- Plot and Publish Drawings
- Specify Settings for Plotting
- Save Plot Settings as Named Page Setups
- Reuse Named Page Setups
- Specify Page Setup Settings
- Select a Printer or Plotter for a Layout
- Select a Paper Size for a Layout
- Determine the Drawing Orientation of a Layout
- Set the Plot Area of a Layout
- Adjust the Plot Offset of a Layout
- Set the Plot Scale for a Layout
- Set the Lineweight Scale for a Layout
- Select a Plot Style Table for a Layout
- Set Shaded Viewport and Plot Options for a Layout
- Print or Plot Drawings
- Overview of Plotting
- Use a Page Setup to Specify Plot Settings
- Select a Printer or Plotter
- Specify the Area to Plot
- Set Paper Size
- Position the Drawing on the Paper
- Control How Objects Are Plotted
- Preview a Plot
- Plot Files to Other Formats
- Publish Drawings
- Specify Settings for Plotting
- Share Data Between Files
- Reference Other Drawing Files
- Work with Data in Other Formats
- Collaborate with Others
- Render Drawings
- Draw 2D Isometric Views
- Add Lighting to Your Model
- Materials and Textures
- Render 3D Objects for Realism
- Glossary
- Index
Interface Themes and Background Color
To change the color of the user interface between dark and light
1 On the menu bar, click AutoCAD 2012, and then Preferences.
2 In the Application Preferences dialog box, left column, click Look & Feel.
3 Under Interface Theme, click in the Themes box, and click either Dark
or Light.
4 Click OK.
To change the background color of the drawing area in Model space
1 On the menu bar, click AutoCAD 2012, and then Preferences.
2 In the Application Preferences dialog box, left column, click Look & Feel.
3 Under Interface Theme, click in the Model box, and then click a color,
or click Select Color.
The default dark gray background color has an RGB value of 33,40,48.
4 If you clicked Select Color, the Color Palette dialog box is displayed. At
the top of the dialog box, click either Index Color, True Color, or Color
Books, and then make your color selection. Click OK to exit the Color
Palette dialog box.
5 Click OK.
Cursors in the Drawing Area
In the drawing area, the appearance of the cursor changes depending on what
you are doing.
If you are prompted to specify a point location, the cursor appears as
crosshairs
If you are prompted to select an object, the cursor changes to a small square
called a pickbox
When you are not in a command, the cursor appears as a combination of
the crosshairs and pickbox cursors
If you are prompted to enter text, the cursor appears as a vertical bar
In the following illustrations, these cursors are displayed in order.
26 | Chapter 2 The User Interface