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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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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: less than one minute ago
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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
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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: 1 minute ago
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Entering Survey Data using AutoCAD
These techniques apply to basic CAD programs such as AutoCAD, IntelliCAD, etc. If you have a civil/survey program or add-on, such as Land Desktop, SurvCADD, Eagle Point, etc., then there are built-in tools for entering lines and curves. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 2 minutes ago
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Multi/Sub-Object materials
A Multi/Sub-Object material is a container for a number of sub-materials. This type of material is used when you need to assign different materials to different parts of an object and is used in infrastructure and environment projects mainly for objects such as benches, tables, lamposts, buildings etc. This tutorial works through a number of examples. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 2 minutes ago
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Scene Setup
Before attempting to create a scene it is important to understand global settings pertaining to any scene that will make modelling more efficient together with settings that pertain to individual scenes and stages in scene development. This tutorial explains Viewport Configuration options, Scene Settings and basic MAX / VIZ Configuration. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 2 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
[Free LISP] Auto-mark revision clouds for design changes — compare two regions in same DWG
by Beastt1992
0 replies
Last post: 2 hours ago
MLEADER WITH FIELDS FOR COORDINATES
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1 reply
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Add to the code the ability to create layouts for non-standard formats
by Nikon
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Last post: 6 hours ago
Hello everyone! Please take a look at this.
by sd2006
3 replies
Last post: 11 hours ago
[LISP] BPDF - Batch export Model Space title block frames to individual PDFs
by Beastt1992
11 replies
Last post: 12 hours ago
[SHARE] SyncBlock - Synchronize specific layers across multiple blocks with precise alignment
by Beastt1992
2 replies
Last post: 15 hours ago
This Week's Hot Topics
[LISP] BPDF - Batch export Model Space title block frames to individual PDFs
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How to copy an object to a specified distance
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Hello everyone! Please take a look at this.
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Error in Drawing file
by rahul0007
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[SHARE] SyncBlock - Synchronize specific layers across multiple blocks with precise alignment
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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
User Increment Angles for Polar (new in 2015)
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #138
Originally published: February 2015
The Polar tracking feature [F10] comes with several preset increments. But what if you want your own increment, like, 12? This is now available for the first time in AutoCAD 2015 where you can specify an increment value, and AutoCAD will snap to all instances of that increment!
How to Add Additional Polar Angles
Click the drop-down arrow beside Polar Tracking, then click Tracking Settings.
Check the box for Additional Angles, then click New and enter a new angle. Click OK to close the Drafting Settings dialog box.
Click the dropdown arrow beside Polar Tracking, then click your new angle increments.

See all the articles published in February 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
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23rd – 29th March 2026
This week's image is by shift1313
Software used: SolidWorks 2009
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Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by f700es
Software used: SketchUp
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Two Weeks Ago
This image is by H_3dmax
Software used: 3ds Max 2008
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Three Weeks Ago
This image is by Lazer
Software used: Inventor and Solid Edge
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
Who is using that file?
If you are unable to open a drawing for editing (read-only) because it is in use, and want to find out who has it open, start a new drawing, or go to a drawing you have open and type WHOHAS at the command line. Browse to the drawing file using the file dialog box and double-click the filename (or select the file and click the Open button). A small message box will appear, showing who is using the file, the name of their PC and when it was opened.
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.