Autodesk AutoCAD 2010: Basic 2D Concepts Tutorials
Drawing in Modelspace / ARC Command
Visitors to VTC.com will be able to view all introductory videos for each training course.
Free Trial Members will gain access to first three chapters for each training course.
Full Access Members have full access to VTC.com�s entire library of video tutorials.
Learn More
Subtitles of the Movie (Autodesk AutoCAD 2010: Basic 2D Concepts / Drawing in Modelspace / ARC Command)
OK. We're going to have a look now at the ARC Command in AutoCAD 2010. Now you'll notice one slight difference in the drawing this time round. The Arc that formed part of the door swing here has gone. It's been deliberately removed so that we can utilize the ARC Command to generate that door swing for that particular office. So, let's have a look at that. Now, two things we need to do. First thing we're going to do is we're going to zoom in so that we can see what we're doing, just roll in on the wheel mouse there or use one of your Zoom Commands from the Navigate Panel on the View tab, perhaps. We also need to make sure that we're on the right Layer, so Layers Panel on the Home tab there, click on the pull-down menu, make sure we're utilizing the Doors Layer. OK. There are two methods of drawing this door swing. There is the Shortcut Menu way, and there is the Icon driven way. So, let's have a look at the Shortcut Menu way first of all. What I do here is I'm on the right Layer so I can go straight up to the Draw Panel and I'm going to select this Icon here, OK? Now, what you'll find is you can select any type of Arc there on the pull-down menu. Now the default is the 3-point Arc here, so you'll find the 3-point, that Icon there, is the default if you haven't already selected an Arc. So, I'm just going to select the default 3-point Arc like that. Prompts me for the Start Point of my Arc. Now, what you've got to remember here is when we set up our Units, ages ago now it seems, we set it up so that angles followed the counterclockwise rule, so all angles were measured in a counterclockwise, or anticlockwise, direction. Arcs follow that same rule, so if you're drawing an Arc the Startpoint of your Arc, if we're doing the swing here from the Midpoint here down to here, this has to be the Startpoint here, the Midpoint here, so that we follow that counterclockwise rule. So, I left-click on the Midpoint Snap and that's the Startpoint of my Arc. Now I'm going to utilize the Shortcut Menu and right-click now, and I'm going now to select End. I want the End of my Arc, so I click on Ends now on the Shortcut Menu and it prompts me for the Endpoint of the Arc there, which is here, this Endpoint here of the pink line forming the door. So, I left-click on the Endpoint Snap. Then, AutoCAD automatically knows that I've specified a Start and an End, so it automatically knows that the third point has to be the Centerpoint of the Arc, and that's going to be this Endpoint here on the pink line that forms the door. It's also the Midpoint there on that wall end, so I left-click again; after the third click my Arc has been formed and my door swing is sitting there nice and neatly, ready to be utilized by the person using this office. Now, there's another way of doing this that is much quicker. I'm going to delete, or erase, whichever way you want to put it, so I'm going to Erase that Arc. If I go back to my ARC Command on the Draw Panel now and click on this down arrow here, the fly-out menu, you would have noticed earlier lots of different types of Arc. All different shapes and sizes for all different incidences of Arcs. And you'll notice the second one down from the 3-point is Start, Center, End. So, if I click on Start, Center, End now, I get prompted straight away for Start, Center, End. I don't have to use the Shortcut Menu, so it's Start, left-click; Center, left-click; End, left-click. As long as I get them in the right order, obviously it was slightly different when I used the Shortcut Menu, but if I use Start, Center, End and do them in that order it's easy, isn't it? Start, Center, End. Much quicker than using the Shortcut Menu. So always, when you're using Arcs, try and find the one that fits what you need to use it for. I could have gone Center, Start, End if I wanted to, or Start, Center, Angle; that obviously goes through 90 degrees counterclockwise, so the angle will be positive. So, the ARC Command is extremely versatile, and we've used it for a very simple exercise here, a door swing. It can be used for much more complicated drafting exercises.
Tutorial Information
| Course: | Autodesk AutoCAD 2010: Basic 2D Concepts |
| Author: | Shaun Bryant |
| SKU: | 34013 |
| ISBN: | 1-935320-56-4 |
| Release Date: | 2009-07-03 |
| Duration: | 7.5 hrs / 107 lessons |
| Work Files: |
Yes |
| Captions: | No |
| Compatibility: |
Vista/XP/2000, OS X, Linux QuickTime 7, Flash 8 |
VTC Sign up & Benefits
- Unlimited Access
- 81,350 Video Tutorials (14,200 free)
- Video Available as Flash or QuickTime
- Over 715 Courses
- $30 for One Month Access
- Multi-User Discounts Available
