Wiley AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible 978-1-1180-2221-4 Benutzerhandbuch

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978-1-1180-2221-4

CHAPTER

n this chapter, I explain the essentials that you need to start drawing.

After a little background, I discuss the basics of the screen that you see

when you open AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, and how to use it. If you’ve

never used AutoCAD before, do the “Quick Start: Drawing a Window”

chapter first.

AutoCAD and its younger sister, AutoCAD LT, are both created by Autodesk.

Together they are the most widely used technical drawing programs any-

where. AutoCAD alone has more than 6,000,000 registered users. According

to Autodesk, CAD stands for computer-aided design, but it can also stand for

computer-aided drafting or drawing.

The first version of AutoCAD, running under DOS, came out in 1982.

AutoCAD was the first significant CAD program to run on a desktop com-

puter. At the time, most other technical drawing programs ran on high-end

workstations or even mainframes. AutoCAD LT was introduced in 1993, as

a less expensive alternative to AutoCAD, for people who don’t need all of

AutoCAD’s advanced features.

Exploring AutoCAD’s Advantages

AutoCAD’s success has been attributed to its famous open architecture —

the flexibility that the end user has to customize the program by using

source code files in plain text (ASCII) format — and programming languages

(such as AutoLISP, VB.NET, C#, and C++).

As a result, AutoCAD is an extremely flexible drafting program, applicable to

all fields. AutoCAD’s support for languages other than English, including

those using other alphabets, is unparalleled, making AutoCAD highly popu-

lar abroad. As a result, AutoCAD is used in all disciplines and in more than

150 countries.

IN THIS CHAPTER

Getting acquainted with

AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT

Starting a new drawing

Exploring the AutoCAD and

AutoCAD LT interface

Storing your drawing

Closing a drawing and exiting

AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT

Starting to Draw

CHAPTER

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