Datasheet

Tools Contains special tools for use while you’re working on the current draw-

ing, such as those for finding the length of a line or for running a special macro.

Draw Contains commands for creating new objects (such as lines or circles) on

the screen.

Dimension Contains commands for dimensioning and annotating a drawing.

Modify Contains commands for changing existing objects in the drawing.

Window Contains commands for displaying currently open drawing windows

and lists currently open drawing files.

Express Contains a library of productivity tools that cover a wide range of

AutoCAD functions. Express Tools are widely used but unsupported directly by

Autodesk. They might or might not be installed on your computer.

Using the Toolbars

Now look at the toolbars on your screen. You’ll have two to five toolbars in one

or two rows at the top and a couple more on the right and/or left sides of the

drawing area. Just below the drop-down menus is the most extensive of the tool-

bars—the Standard toolbar.

The icons on the AutoCAD toolbars look like flat images and don’t appear as

raised buttons until you point to them. The Standard toolbar has 25 icons, and

they are arranged into 7 logical groups. The icons on the left half of the Standard

toolbar are mostly for commands used in all Windows-compatible applications,

so you might be familiar with them. The icons on the right half of the Standard

toolbar are AutoCAD commands that you use during your regular drawing activ-

ities. You use these commands to take care of a number of tasks, including the

following:



Changing the view of the drawing on the screen



Changing the properties of an object, such as color or linetype



Borrowing parts of an unopened drawing to use in your current

drawing



Displaying a set of palettes that contain objects you can use in your

drawing

Chapter 1 • Getting to Know AutoCAD14



LT has only 23

Standard toolbar

buttons. It’s missing

the Sheet Set

Manager and Block

Editor buttons

because LT doesn’t

offer these features.

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