Discover the steps to configure your drawing template file in AutoCAD, with a focus on setting up units, creating an opening view, and working on drawing layouts. Learn how to adjust precision, set the UCS icon, use keyboard shortcuts, and save your work efficiently to streamline your AutoCAD experience.
Key Insights
- The article provides detailed instructions on adjusting the configuration of a drawing template file in AutoCAD, starting with setting the units to architectural and adjusting precision to 1 over 256.
- The author takes the reader through the process of creating an opening view in AutoCAD, with steps including drawing a line, setting coordinates, zooming extents, and saving the file.
- In addition to setting units and creating an opening view, the article also discusses working on drawing layouts, using the Design Center, and creating a new layout with a specific name, demonstrating the practical implementation of these steps in AutoCAD.
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Let's continue with the configuration of our drawing template file. If I go to Format > Units, you'll see that the shipping version of AutoCAD has its units set to decimal. So I'll go ahead and change them to Architectural Units.
I'll set the precision to 1/256. Degrees, minutes, and seconds are set to zero degrees, zero minutes, and zero seconds.
Units are in inches. I'll click OK and press CTRL+S to save. So I've now updated my drawing template file.
I've set my units. What I'd like to work on next is my opening view. I'll draw a line.
I'll start at 0,0 and enter coordinates 60 feet, 60 feet. Use Zoom Extents, then Zoom Real Time.
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Save the file. I now have what I'll call my opening view. You can see that my UCS icon is right down here.
The UCS icon is displayed by keyboard shortcut. I want to set it to 'origin at lower-left, ' which places the UCS icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
Press CTRL+S to save. Next, I'd like to work on the drawing layouts. Instead of creating them from scratch, I'll go to the Insert tab and open the Design Center.
Here in my Design Center drawing, I have layouts. I have two VDCI layouts.
I will select and drag them. They are now added at the bottom tab bar. I'll close the Design Center, right-click on this layout, and delete it.
Right-click on this layout and delete it as well. Then I will move the remaining layout to the left in the tab order and return to Model Space.
Press CTRL+S to save. If I want to create another layout, for example sized 22x34, I can click the expand button here to create a new layout.
Right-click and rename it. I will name it VDCI 22x34.
