Need a tutorial setting rectangles

hello

I am using Autocad for fun and trying to teach to myself. Sometimes coming across a section in my book that doesn't go into greater explaination. Being stuck at a series of retangles one being on top of the other. The book reading the following.

Selecting Drawing units at Architechural.

Typing Limits at command prompt. At the specify lower left corner or..... pressing Enter. Pressing Enter again to accept default drawing origin for lower left hand coner.

Using Imperial measurements entering 528,408 at the next prompt. For the appropriate dimensions for an 81/2" x 11' drawing at 1/4" = 1'-0" scale.

Clicking All from the Zoom flyout. Lastly,

Drawing two rectangles. One 14' long by 24' wide and the other 14' long by 4' wide.

If possible can someone explain the proper serries of steps to create these two rectangles. Giving the proper coorindates and possible a step by step how too... arriving to the rectangles. Thanks for any help.

Haven't we covered this topic before? This thread seems very familiar.

The use of the RECTANGLE command is very straightforward even if the user is keying in the actual dimensions. Look:

Command: _rectang (the RECTANGLE command when picked from the Ribbon)

Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]:

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: D (for dimensions)

Specify length for rectangles : 14'

Specify width for rectangles : 24'

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: (make a pick)

Done.

What could be easier?

A rectangle started at 0,0 having the dimensions of 528x408.

Command: _rectang

Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: 0,0

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: d

Specify length for rectangles : 528

Specify width for rectangles : 408

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: (make a pick)

One can also draw a rectangle using absolute or relative coordinates.

Command: _rectang

Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: 0,0

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: 528,408

---OR---

Command: _rectang

Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: 0,0

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: @528,408

One can also draw a rectangle using absolute or relative coordinates.

 

Command: _rectang

Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: 0,0

 

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: 528,408

 

---OR---

 

Command: _rectang

Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: 0,0

 

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: @528,408

The program default for this behaviour is Relative, it used to be Absolute. Relative is in my opinion preferable, and a great time saver compared to Absolute. This setting can be found, for those who prefer changing it in the Polar Tracking tab of the drafting setting dialog box, as shown in the attachment.

Re:

Granted my this thread is very similar to another I have posted. With your first responce to the thread only speaking for myself I am not clear. I have tryed entering the rectangle command at command prompt as illustated like this, _rectang pressing enter. At command prompt I see Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: Where I press enter. Next I see:

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimension/Rotation]: Enter D (for dimensions) But at command prompt nor on the drawing area do I see Specify length for retangles: But I type in my coordinate 14'. Which covers the drawing area as large "L" shape. By that meaning a large line extending from top to bottom on the left side extending across to the far right side of the drawing area. But I press enter again.

Not seeing the next prompt specify width for rectangles : 24'. After puting in the coordinates 24'. All visable lines are earsed from the drawing area. Questions: should I be typing in limits at command prompt pressing enter twice before entering the rectangle command with the under score? I have attempted that also. At the command Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimension/Rotation]: make a pick. What is the defination of make a pick? Lastly a the beginning of the project I clicked new on the quick access toolbar choose acad.dwt template to open a new file. This most likely not making a difference.

After trying as many combinations of the above as possible I can't draw eighter rectangle. Not sure what to try? Please anymore ideas?

Re:

 

Granted my this thread is very similar to another I have posted. With your first responce to the thread only speaking for myself I am not clear. I have tryed entering the rectangle command at command prompt as illustated like this, _rectang pressing enter. At command prompt I see Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: Where I press enter. Next I see:

 

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimension/Rotation]: Enter D (for dimensions) But at command prompt nor on the drawing area do I see Specify length for retangles: But I type in my coordinate 14'. Which covers the drawing area as large "L" shape. By that meaning a large line extending from top to bottom on the left side extending across to the far right side of the drawing area. But I press enter again.

 

Not seeing the next prompt specify width for rectangles : 24'. After puting in the coordinates 24'. All visable lines are earsed from the drawing area. Questions: should I be typing in limits at command prompt pressing enter twice before entering the rectangle command with the under score? I have attempted that also. At the command Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimension/Rotation]: make a pick. What is the defination of make a pick? Lastly a the beginning of the project I clicked new on the quick access toolbar choose acad.dwt template to open a new file. This most likely not making a difference.

 

After trying as many combinations of the above as possible I can't draw eighter rectangle. Not sure what to try? Please anymore ideas?

ZOOM EXTENTS. The commands you are giving the program will draw a full size rectangle 14' x 24'. I would be very surprised if your monitor is capable of displaying that at 1:1. Step away from your drawing (ZOOM extents).

The lines are not being erased, rather they are swallowing you whole, and you are being drawn into the virtual vortex.

Start rectang command,

pick anywhere on screen

now type @14,10 enter (substitute my values for the size needed, X first then Y,)

The width option you are seeing is for the line width, not the width of the rectangle.

You are making this way more difficult than it should be.

Command: REC Type these three letters at the command prompt then press the ENTER key once.

RECTANG AutoCAD's initial reply followed by the line below.

Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: Pick anywhere on your screen. Anywhere, it doesn't matter at this point.

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: D This is "shorthand" for DIMENSIONS. You are telling AutoCAD you are about to give it the exact dimensions for drawing your rectangle. You must press the ENTER one time after typing the letter "D".

Specify length for rectangles : 14 Type a number then press the ENTER key one time.

Specify width for rectangles : 24 Type a number then press the ENTER key one time.

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: At this prompt left click anywhere on your screen. STOP!

Now we will execute a ZOOM > EXTENTS to see the rectangle we have drawn.

Command: Z This is "shorthand" for the ZOOM command. Press the ENTER key one time.

ZOOM AutoCAD telling you that it recognizes your input. It then displays the following:

Specify corner of window, enter a scale factor (nX or nXP), or

[All/Center/Dynamic/Extents/Previous/Scale/Window/Object] : E You are telling AutoCAD to zoom to the extents of the drawing. Type the letter "E" followed by pressing the ENTER key once.

Regenerating model. The display should regenerate and your rectangle, in its entirety, should now appear on your screen.

Are we going to have to go through this for the Polygon and Circle commands too?

For your consideration.

When in doubt first check your AutoCAD Help files. Do you know how to do this? Yes/No/What are Help files?

Go through the tutorials here at CADTutor. Start with the basics. Did you know there are tutorials here at CT? Yes/No/What are tutorials?

Buy a good after-market (i.e. - third party) book about the version of AutoCAD you are using. Trusted authors include, but are not limited to, O'Mura, Finkelstein, and Grabowski.

Consider signing up for a basic or beginner's AutoCAD class at a local community college or online (i.e. - distance learning).

When all else fails find a YouTube video. For example, you need help drawing a (what else?) rectangle! Type the following words INCLUDING the quotation marks AND the plus ( + ) signs EXACTLY as shown:

"autocad"+"rectangle"+"youtube"