AutoCAD Basic Graphics Setup

When using AutoCAD to create a graphics file, you usually need to make some basic graphics settings, such as drawing units, angles, areas, and so on. AutoCAD 2002 provides three ways for users to set up:

(1) Use model (Template)

(2) Using default settings (Start from Scratch)

(3) Using the wizard (Wizard)

The following examples illustrate the use of these three settings separately.

3.1.1 Using a boilerplate (Template) to create a graphics file

The process of creating a file using a boilerplate is already known in an instance of the previous chapter. The following describes the concept and role of the model. A boilerplate file (Template files) is a graphics file (with the extension "DWT") that contains a specific graphic setting, usually in a boilerplate file, including:

(1) Unit type and precision

(2) Graphic boundaries

(3) Capture, grid and orthogonal settings

(4) Layer organization

(5) title bar, border and logo

(6) Callout and text style

(7) Linear and line width

If you use a template to create a new graphic, the new graphic inherits all the settings in the template. This avoids a lot of repetitive setup work, and it also guarantees uniformity and standards for all graphics files in the same project. The new graphics file is relatively independent of the boilerplate file used, so modifications in the new graphic do not affect the boilerplate file.

AutoCAD provides users with a variety of styles of boilerplate files, these files are stored in the AutoCAD home folder in the "Template" subfolder. Users can use these boilerplate files in the Create Drawings tab in the AutoCAD 2002 today (AutoCAD 2002) window, as shown in Figure 3-1.

The recently used boilerplate is listed under the "recent Template (Recently used)" entry in the figure. The cursor refers to the entry "a (19)", indicating that the entry has 19 kinds of names with the letter "a" template file, the user can choose any one of them as a template for new graphics, Other entries have the same effect.

In addition to using the templates provided by AutoCAD, users can create custom boilerplate files, and any existing graphics can be used as templates. If the template file that the user wants to use is not stored in the Template folder, you can choose Browse ... (browse) Open the Select File dialog box to find the boilerplate file.

If a user creates a graphic using the default settings, the "ACAD.DWT" boilerplate file (in inches) or the "ACADISO.DWT" boilerplate (in millimeters) is typically used.