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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!
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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
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Object Selection
This tutorial shows you the many ways AutoCAD objects can be selected. Covers the building of selection sets with implied windowing, fences etc. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: less than one minute ago
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Adding Sunlight to your Drawings
This tutorial takes you through the steps required to add realistic sunlight effects to your 3D model. Format: Text/Image
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Perspectives, Slides and Scripts
AutoCAD can be used to create a simple "walk through" of any 3D model. This tutorial shows you how. Format: Text/Image
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AutoCAD to Photoshop
This tutorial demonstrates a number of workflows from quick and simple to high quality. Format: Text/Image
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Basic 3D and Surface Modelling
Although AutoCAD has a number of commands for creating special 3D objects, a lot can be achieved by changing the properties of basic 2D objects like polylines. This tutorial provides a basic introduction to creating and viewing 3D objects. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 2 minutes ago
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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: 3 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.
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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
UCSICON Options
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #146
Originally published: June 2016
Every five years or so I address the UCS icon, so here's your next installment.
General Insights
There is a UCSICON command with these options:
Right-click on the UCS icon to display a shortcut menu with a Properties option where you can dress it up a bit.
When you are in the 2D Wireframe visual style, the UCS icon looks like a stick figure. In any other visual style, the icon is a bit more colorful and 3D looking.Horses can only breath through their nose. [Just checking to see if you're paying attention.]
Click on the UCS icon and you see a square grip at 0,0,0 and round grips at the ends of the axes.To disable the ability to select/click on the UCS icon, set the variable UCSSELECTMODE to <0>.
Note: There's an article on how to dimension 3D objects in Michael's Corner, January 2013. You will find more information on manipulating the UCS icon in that review, too.
See all the articles published in June 2016
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
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22nd – 28th April 2024
This week's image is by kayaan
Software used: AutoCAD 2010
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Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by medhet
Software used: AutoCAD 2012
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Three Weeks Ago
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Software used: Modeled with SketchUp and rendered with Thea
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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
AutoCAD's Spell Checker
You can spell check one or more blocks of text using AutoCAD's in-built spell checker. Select from the pull-down menu or just type SPELL at the command line. When prompted, select as many blocks of text as you like and then hit the Enter key. What you get is the Check Spelling dialogue box, which works in exactly the same way as the spell checker in Microsoft Word.
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