Book Image

Practical Autodesk AutoCAD 2023 and AutoCAD LT 2023 - Second Edition

By : Jaiprakash Pandey, Yasser Shoukry
Book Image

Practical Autodesk AutoCAD 2023 and AutoCAD LT 2023 - Second Edition

By: Jaiprakash Pandey, Yasser Shoukry

Overview of this book

AutoCAD is 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 2nd edition guide will take you through everything you need to know to make the most out of this powerful tool, from a simple tour of the user interface 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 plots like a professional. As you progress, the book will show you how to convert your 2D drawings into 3D models and shapes. You’ll also discover advanced features, such as isometric drawings, drawing utilities for managing and recovering complex files, quantity surveying, and multidisciplinary drawing files using xRefs. Finally, you’ll focus on rendering and visualizing your designs in AutoCAD. By the end of this 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 creations.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
1
Part 1: Introduction and 2D Drafting
6
Part 2: Customization, Collaboration, and Using Reusable Content
12
Part 3: 3D Modeling

Adjusting visual styles

3D objects can be displayed in various ways or styles in AutoCAD with varying degrees of details and complexity, ranging from simple outline edges up to shaded surfaces with realistic materials. Several preset visual styles are available to choose from, as well as the ability to tweak different aspects of each visual style or even create a new one.

Preset visual styles

Several preset visual styles are available to choose from. You can access this list of visual styles by clicking on the visual style button located in the Layers & View panel in the Home tab, or the Visual Styles panel in the Visualize tab in the 3D Basics workspace, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 10.17: Location of the preset visual styles list in the 3D Basics workspace

If you are using the 3D Modeling workspace, you can find the visual style button in the View panel in the Home tab, or the Visual Styles panel in the Visualize tab, as shown in...