Learn AutoCAD with our Free Tutorials
Welcome to CADTutor
CADTutor provides the best free tutorials and articles for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and associated applications along with a friendly community forum. If you need to learn AutoCAD, or you want to be more productive, you're in the right place. See our tip of the day to start learning right now!
Free Tutorials and More…
The Tutorials section provides over 100 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications. Michael’s Corner is an archive of productivity articles that brings you the best AutoCAD tips and tricks. Our Forum is a lively community where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Downloads area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free images.
Tutorials of the Moment
Recently viewed tutorials
-
Creating Custom Bitmap Materials
This tutorial demonstartes how to create your own bitmap based materials using Photoshop and AutoCAD. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: less than one minute ago
-
Stage 8: Assign Materials and Sky background
When surface and edge modelling has been completed and the lighting has been setup correctly, materials can then be assigned to surfaces and edges. This tutorial guides you through the process. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute ago
-
Navigation Techniques
Gaining the skill to navigate efficiently around a scene and around objects and parts of objects (sub-objects) efficiently and with ease is of paramount importance to good modelling. Most new users of MAX / VIZ need to get over this first hurdle before feeling comfortable in the 3D environment. Fear not, MAX / VIZ has a host of tools for the purpose. This tutorial descibes the most useful navigation techniques. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 5 minutes ago
-
Surfaces
The first and perhaps most crucial stage in creating a 3D landscape scene is the creation of accurate and seamless surfaces. This tutorial explores a number (not all) of techniques for creating quick and accurate surfaces from 2D lines and should give the user a feel for the range of tools available. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 6 minutes ago
-
Uploading Files with WS_FTP
This tutorial guides you through the process of uploading your website files to a web server using the WS_FTP client. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 8 minutes ago
-
Stage 10: Add Play Equipment, Vehicles and People
Finally, Quickscape Model Objects dialog is used to add play equipment, cars and vans and Quickscape Image Objects dialog is used to add people. This brings the scene to life and further adds to the sense of scale for the design. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 9 minutes ago
CADTutor Tutorials
Our tutorials are comprehensive but straightforward introductions to AutoCAD and related software. They are designed to help beginners get to grips with design workflows as quickly as possible. There are over 100 to choose from, some text/image based and others in video format. Whatever stage you are at in your learning, you should find a tutorial to help.
Forum Latest
Currently Active Topics
Autocad 3D planes
by Emboss 2014
2 replies
Last post: 25 minutes ago
3D AutoCAD welding
by Emboss 2014
0 replies
Last post: 59 minutes ago
Divide by custom property
by Nickvnlr
3 replies
Last post: 4 hours ago
Combining LiSP's
by VisDak
6 replies
Last post: 4 hours ago
Create a new polyline from two on a path of a Polyline
by mhy3sx
4 replies
Last post: 10 hours ago
Code for labeling swales
by CyberAngel
4 replies
Last post: 23 hours ago
This Week's Hot Topics
STRIPMTEXT doesn't remove all overrides
by ElAmigo
16 replies
Viewed: 496 times
copy/edit text
by masterfal
11 replies
Viewed: 594 times
MAKE NOT VIZIBLE/ERASE THE FIRST OR LAST OBJECT FROM AN ARRAYPATH
by socacidan
11 replies
Viewed: 354 times
Autocad drawing in dwg convert to lsp file
by Danial
10 replies
Viewed: 417 times
why my code doesn't work ?
by Petar_Grozni
8 replies
Viewed: 346 times
entmod doesn't change spline?
by vanowm
7 replies
Viewed: 352 times
CADTutor Forums
Our forum is a vibrant community of experts and beginners. The main focus is helping beginners get to grips with AutoCAD and to help more advanced users become more productive. The AutoLISP forum is one of the busiest out there, providing expert advice for busy professionals.
AutoCAD Productivity
Update the Source File Block Edits on the Tool Palette
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #139
Originally published: April 2015
Throughout the archives of Michael's Corner you will find dozens of references to tool palettes, including the key component of blocks on a tool palette: the Source File. [Coverage of the Block Source file was originally presented in March 2006.]
Scenario: You add this armless chair to the source file and put several chairs in a drawing… then you update the chair in the source file with arms.
Problem: The chair on the palette now displays arms, but the chairs in the drawing have no arms, soooo…
How to Update Drawing Blocks from the Source File
After modifying the block in the Source File, right-click on the related block on the tool palette, then click Update tool image.Now, in the drawing containing the blocks that were in the former armless state, go to the tool palette, right-click on the updated block image, then click Redefine… and all those chairs now have the updated condition with arms!
See all the articles published in April 2015
Michael's Corner
Between 2003 and 2016, Michael Beall (and one or two guests) wrote almost 600 articles for CADTutor. The focus of these articles is AutoCAD productivity, and although some of them are now more than a few years old, most remain relevant to current versions of AutoCAD. The article above is just one example. Check out Michael's Corner for a full listing.
Image of the Week
-
22nd – 28th April 2024
This week's image is by kayaan
Software used: AutoCAD 2010
-
Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by medhet
Software used: AutoCAD 2012
-
Two Weeks Ago
This image is by Lazer
Software used: Inventor
-
Three Weeks Ago
This image is by boofredlay
Software used: Modeled with SketchUp and rendered with Thea
Gallery of Work
Over the years, our forum members have contributed hundreds of images, showcasing their amazing work. The images above are just a small selection that demonstrate the wide range of project types our community is involved with. Take a look at our gallery to see all the images published in the last 12 months.
Tip of the Day
Copy and Move without commands
You can copy or move objects without using any commands!
To move an object select it once, then click and drag it (not the grips) to move it to wherever you want. Release the mouse button to drop it.
To copy an object, select it once, then right-click and drag it. When you release the mouse button, you are presented with a menu, allowing you to Move, Copy or Paste as Block.
Missed a Tip?
Did you miss yesterday's tip? Maybe you forgot to drop by or maybe you don't visit over the weekend. If so, you can now see all the tips published during the past week. Also, if you have a tip you'd like to share with us, you can post it on our forum and if we like it, we'll publish it here.