Book Image

Practical Autodesk AutoCAD 2021 and AutoCAD LT 2021

By : Yasser Shoukry, Jaiprakash Pandey
Book Image

Practical Autodesk AutoCAD 2021 and AutoCAD LT 2021

By: Yasser Shoukry, Jaiprakash Pandey

Overview of this book

AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT are one of the most versatile software applications for architectural and engineering designs and the most popular computer-aided design (CAD) platform for 2D drafting and 3D modeling. This hands-on guide will take you through everything you need to know to make the most out of this powerful tool, starting from a simple tour of the user interface through to using advanced tools. Starting with basic drawing shapes and functions, you'll get to grips with the fundamentals of CAD designs. You’ll then learn about effective drawing management using layers, dynamic blocks, and groups and discover how to add annotations and plot like professionals. The book delves into 3D modeling and helps you convert your 2D drawings into 3D models and shapes. As you progress, you’ll cover advanced tools and features such as isometric drawings, drawing utilities for managing and recovering complex files, quantity surveying, and multidisciplinary drawing files using xRefs, and you'll learn how to implement them with the help of practical exercises at the end of each chapter. Finally, you’ll get to grips with rendering and visualizing your designs in AutoCAD. By the end of the book, you’ll have developed a solid understanding of CAD principles and be able to work with AutoCAD software confidently to build impressive 2D and 3D drawings.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)

Importing and exporting 3D files

It is common during the 3D modeling process, especially when working on big multi-disciplinary projects, to import 3D models created by other software to your project. AutoCAD can import a variety of different 3D model file types. Simply click on the Application Menu button, select Import, and then click on Other formats. This will open the Import File window, where you can browse to the desired file location and open it. There are a variety of different 3D file types that can be imported to AutoCAD, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 16.48: Importing external files

The opposite scenario can also occur, where you have to export your 3D model to a different file format. This can be done also by clicking on the Application Menu, selecting Export, and then clicking on Other Formats. This will open the Export Data window, as shown in the...