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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!
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
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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: 1 minute ago
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AutoCAD to Photoshop
This tutorial demonstrates a number of workflows from quick and simple to high quality. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute ago
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AutoLISP Quick Start
This tutorial is designed to help AutoCAD users get to grips with AutoLISP quickly. It demonstartes how to create AutoLISP routines from a standing start. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 2 minutes ago
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User Co-ordinate Systems
This tutorial describes what UCSs are, why we need them and how to use them. The correct use of UCSs with AutoCAD is the key to producing good 3D models and they can also help with 2D work. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 3 minutes ago
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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: 6 minutes ago
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Creating an Image Rollover
This tutorial demonstrates the best way to create image rollovers in Microsoft FrontPage. It also shows some variations on the basic technique along with some examples of how it could be used. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 7 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
Dual Dimensions in a Dimension Style
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #147
Originally published: August 2016
‘Alternate Units’ doesn't always mean Metric.
To follow along, set the current Dimension style to one you like. The following exercise begins with a Dimension Style with the Unit format set to Architectural on the Primary Units tab.
How to Display Ft′-In″ as well as Inches
Launch the Dimension Style dialog box [Alias: D], click New and enter a name, then click Continue.
Click the Alternate Units tab.
In the upper left corner, put a check in the box for Display Alternate Units.
Set the Unit Format to Fractional.
Note: I would suggest you set the values for the Precision and the Round off to the same values as those on the Primary Units tab.
Set the Multiplier for Alt Units to 1.00.
In the Suffix edit box, put the inch marks ( ″ ).
The last setting you may want to make is to set the Placement feature radio button (under the preview) to Below Primary Value.
Click OK, Close the Dimension Style dialog box, then check out your new dimension!
See all the articles published in August 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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21st – 27th September 2026
This week's image is by Dorian
Software used: AutoCAD 2008
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Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by helraiser81
Software used: 3ds Max and V-Ray
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Two Weeks Ago
This image is by papagyi
Software used: 3ds Max and V-Ray
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Three Weeks Ago
This image is by CADken
Software used: SketchUp and AutoCAD 2010
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
Tab through commands
This tip works begining with AutoCAD 2006:
At the command line, type the first letter of the command you wish to start. Do not press the Enter key; instead, press the Tab key repeatedly and watch as AutoCAD runs through an alphabetical list of all commands, beginning with the letter you first typed. When the right command appears in the command line, press Enter to start it.
This isn't a very efficient way to invoke a command but it's a great way of finding commands you never knew existed; try it yourself and you will discover that AutoCAD has a lot of commands…
Also, you can press Shift+Tab to walk back through the list.
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.