Autocad 3D

AutoCAD 3D Tutorial

3D Tutorials
AutoCAD 2009

Written by Kristen Kurland
Copyright © 2008

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial

AutoCAD 3D – Chapter 1
3D Interface

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.1 Launching AutoCAD 3D
1.

Choose

Start from the Windows program manager.

2.

Choose

Programs, Autodesk ,AutoCAD 2009.

Workspaces
AutoCAD workspaces are sets of menus, toolbarsand dockable windows
(such as the Properties palette, DesignCenter, and the Tool palettes
window) that are grouped and organized so that you can work in a
custom, task-oriented drawing environment.

1.

Click

the Workspace Switching icon.

2.

Click

3D Modeling and OK.

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.2 3D Interface
AutoCAD’s 3D Interface consists of three main areas
PanelsAnchored palettes
A 3D workspace

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.3 3D Dashboard
The dashboard consists of a set of control panels organized by function.
For example, the top control panel contains commands that create and
modify 3D solids; the second control panel contains commands and
controls used to navigate 3D models.

1.

Click on one of the panels to expand the display to show aslide-out
panel that has additional controls.

Click to
expand
dashboard
panel

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.4 Viewports
1.

Choose View, Viewports, 4 Viewports.
or

2.

Type -VPORTS at the command prompt.
Command: -VPORTS
Enter an option [Save/Restore/Delete/Join/SIngle/?/2/3/4] 4: enter
Enter a configuration option [Horizontal/Vertical/Above/
Below/Left/Right] : enter

Yourscreen will look something like the figure below with four views in one
AutoCAD drawing.

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.5 Preset 3D Viewports
1.

Choose View, Viewports, New Viewports

2.

Click the dropdown option for Setup and click 3D.

3.

Choose Four: Right as the viewport option.

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.6 Named Views
1.

Choose View, Named Views…

2.

Click theplus (+) sign beside Preset Views.

3.

Click NE Isometric, Set Current, Apply,and OK.

Tip:
You can also choose View, 3D Views, and any of the preset 3D views.

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.7 Steering Wheel
SteeringWheels are menus that track the cursor over the drawing
window, and provide access to 2D and 3D navigation tools from a
single interface.
SteeringWheels, or “wheels,”are divided into wedges; each
wedge contains a single navigation tool. You can start a
navigation tool by clicking a wedge or by clicking and dragging the
cursor over a wedge..
2D Navigation Wheel (Zoom & Pan)

View Object Wheel – Center a model and define the pivot
point to use with the Orbit tool. Zoom and orbit a model.
Center

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
Orbit

Look

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Walk/Up/ Down

Rewind

Shortcuts

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
Steering Wheel Settings

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.8 VPOINT Command (Tripod)
Displays a compass and tripod for defining a view rotation. The
compass represents a two dimensional globe.
1.

Choose

View, 3D Views, point

or
2.

Type VPOINT at the command
prompt.
Command: vpoint

3.Click

Rotate/:
(enter)
a point on the compass to define the viewing angle.

Point in the center
of the compass is
the north pole
Middle ring of the
compass is the
equator

Entire outer ring
is the south pole

Tripod

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.9 VPOINT Command (Rotate)
Enters a rotation angle at the viewpoint prompt.
1.

Type VPOINT at the command prompt.
Command:vpoint
Rotate/ : R (enter)
Enter angle in XY plane from X axis : 225 (enter)
Enter angle from XY plane : 15 (enter)

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AutoCAD 3D Tutorial
1.10

DDVPOINT
1.

Choose View, 3D Views, Viewpoint Preset.
or

2.

Type DDVPOINT at the command prompt.
Command: ddvpoint

3.

Set a viewing angle by typing the From X axis and XY Plane angle.
or

4.

Pick a viewing angle in...