Datasheet

Part I: Introducing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Basics

Caution

I do not recommend creating a subfolder in the AutoCAD 2012 or AutoCAD LT 2012 folder. These folders con-

tain the files that make up the program. If you keep your drawings here, it is too easy to make a mistake and

delete necessary program files. Some people create a subfolder in the

My Documents or Documents folder.

STEPS: Creating a New Folder

1. Move the cursor to the Windows task bar at the bottom of your screen and right-click the

Start button.

2. Choose Explore.

3. On the left pane of Windows Explorer, click the drive where you want to create the new

folder. If you don’t know where to create the folder, choose the drive where AutoCAD or

AutoCAD LT is installed. If you’re on a network, choose the drive that represents your com-

puter. If you keep your work in subfolders of the

My Documents or Documents folder, click

that folder.

4. If you want to make a subfolder (a folder within a folder), choose the folder where you want

to create the subfolder.

5. From the Explorer menu, choose File ➪ New ➪ Folder. (In Windows Vista, click

Organize ➪ New Folder; in Windows 7, click New Folder.) A new, highlighted folder, named

New Folder, appears in the right pane. You may have to scroll down to see it.

6. Type AutoCAD Bible for the folder name and press Enter. (If you did the exercises from a

previous edition of this book, such as AutoCAD 2011 and AutoCAD LT 2011 Bible, and you

already have a folder named

AutoCAD Bible, first rename the original folder to something

such as

ACAD2011Bible.)

Save all drawings that you create for this book in your

AutoCAD Bible folder.

Caution

Creating a folder for your drawings as described in the previous steps is essential before you go on to exercises in

the rest of this book.

Using the Interface

If you did the Quick Start exercise, you had the experience of drawing a window, but I chose the sim-

plest method of completing each task because I had not yet described the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT

application window. In the following exercise, you draw some simple objects, but experiment with all

the features of the user interface to get a feel for how they work. (Chapter 3 explains in more detail

how to use commands.) As explained in the Preface, you type what appears in bold.

Tip

Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything you’re doing. It all becomes clear as you progress through this

book. If you haven’t read the Preface, now is a good time to go back and read the part that explains how to follow

the exercises.

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