AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT All-In-One Desk Reference for Dummies - (For Dummies) by David Byrnes & Lee Ambrosius (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

AutoCAD is the leading software tool for creating technical and architectural drawings, but it definitely doesn't lead in the "easy to master" category. That's why there's AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies--the perfect way to break a complex topic into bite-size, easy-to-understand pieces.

Once you get the hang of using AutoCAD and its slightly less feature-rich cousin, AutoCAD LT, you discover that it offers wonderful advantages. AutoCAD allows you to

• Create precision to 14 significant digits
• Re-use portions of your drawings by copying and pasting
• Draw things full size and print your drawings in any scale
• Produce drawings that are easier to read when reduced
• Electronically share and distribute drawings
• Design in 2D or 3D

So obviously, the trick is to speed up that "getting the hang of it" process. That's where AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies comes in especially handy. Ten easy-to-follow minibooks cover every aspect of AutoCAD, including the latest features of AutoCAD 2007, so you can find just what you need to know quickly and easily. You'll get the scoop on

• AutoCAD basics, such as setting up drawings, finding your way around the interface, and using all the tools
• Drawing and modifying objects in 2D and annotating your drawings
• 3D modeling and viewing, working with solids and surfaces, and rendering
• Understanding how AutoCAD LT differs from AutoCAD and deciding which program you need
• Advanced drafting skills, including organizing drawings, working with blocks, and using AutoCAD utilities
• Setting up your drawings for plotting to paper and publishing
• Sharing your drawings online for collaboration
• Customizing and programming AutoCAD to make it work the way you want it to

In the familiar, friendly For Dummies fashion, AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies gives you plain-English explanations and step-by-step directions. Written by a pair of AutoDesk Authorized Authors, this handy guide will help make your relationship with AutoCAD a happy and productive one.

From the Back Cover

10 books in 1-- your key to AutoCAD success!

Your one-stop guide to all that's new in the leading CAD software

Here's a whole shelf of reference books in one handy cover! These convenient minibooks make it easy to find and figure out what you need to know, no matter how you use AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. From basic stuff like setting up drawings to 3D modeling, customization, and programming AutoCAD, you've got the goods all in one place.

Discover how to

• Set up drawings and files
• Draw and modify objects
• Work with text and dimensions
• Create 2D and 3D drawings
• Plot and publish your work
• Manage drawings for sharing

About the Author

Lee Ambrosius owns HyperPics, LLC, an AutoCAD consulting company.

David Byrnes teaches CAD and 3D modeling at Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design and British Columbia Institute of Technology. Both are AutoDesk Authorized Authors.