2004

566 | Chapter 21 Create Layouts
Overview of Layouts
The AutoCAD
®
window provides two parallel working environments
represented by the Model and layout tabs. Working on the Model tab, you
draw a model of your subject. On the layout tabs, you can arrange multiple
“snapshots” of the model. Each layout represents a drawing sheet that can
display one or more views of the model at various scales.
■ The Model tab accesses a limitless drawing area. In model space, you
draw at 1:1 scale, and you decide whether one unit represents one inch
(for a bracket) or one meter (for a bridge).
■ Layout tabs access virtual drawing sheets. When you set up a layout,
you tell AutoCAD the sheet size you want to use. The layout represents the
drawing sheet. This layout environment is called paper space.
In a layout, you can create and position viewports, and you can add dimen-
sions, a title block, or other geometry. Viewports display a drawing's model
space objects, that is, the objects you created on the Model tab. Each view-
port can display the model space objects at a specified scale.
You can create multiple layouts in a drawing; each layout can contain differ-
ent plot settings and paper sizes.
By default, a new drawing starts with two layout tabs, Layout1 and Layout2.
If you use a template drawing, the default layout configuration in your draw-
ing may be different.
You can create a new layout from scratch. Use the Create Layout wizard, or
import a layout from a template drawing. When you create a layout from
scratch, the first time you select the layout, you are prompted for page setup
information.
You can right-click a layout tab to display a shortcut menu with options to
■ Create a new layout
■ Import a layout from a template drawing
■ Delete a layout
■ Rename a layout
■ Change the order of the layout tabs
■ Create a new layout based on an existing layout
■ Select all layouts
■ Create a page setup for the current layout
■ Plot a layout