BASIC DRAWING COMMANDS FOR AUTOCAD

Measuring Commands

           GRID:              Displays a grid of dots at a desired spacing on the screen.

                                     Command:  GRID (enter)

                                     On/Off/Tick spacing(x)/Aspect:  (enter value) (enter)

           SNAP:              Specifies a "round off" interval so that points entered with the mouse can be locked into                                        alignment with the grid spacing.

                                     Command:  SNAP (enter)

                                     On/Off/Value/Aspect/Rotate/Style:  (enter value) (enter)

Basic Draw Commands

           CIRCLE:         Draws circles of any size.

                                     Command:  Circle (enter)

                                     3P/2P/TTR/<center point>:  (pick a center point)

                                     Diameter or <Radius>:  (Pick a point on the circle)

          

           LINE:               Draws straight lines between two points

                                     Command:  LINE (enter)

                                     From Point:  (pick a point using the mouse)

                                     To Point:  (Pick a point using the mouse)

                                     To Point:  (Press return to end the command)

          ARC:                 Draws an arc (any part of a circle or curve) through three known points.

                                     Command:  ARC (enter)

                                     Center/ < Start point > :  (pick the first point on the arc)

                                     Center/End/ < Second point > :  C

                                     Center:  (pick the arc's center point)

                                     Angle/Length of chord/ <End point > :  (pick the arc endpoint)

Display Commands

           LIMITS:          Sets the size of the drawing paper.  For size "A" drawing paper the limits should be set for                                            10.5 x 8.

                                     Command:  LIMITS (enter)

                                     On/Off/Lower left corner <0.0000> (enter)

                                     Upper right corner: 10.5,8 (enter)

           ZOOM:            Enlarges or reduces the display of a drawing.

                                     Command:  ZOOM (enter)

                                     All/Center/Dynamic/Extents/Left/Previous/Vmax/Window/<Scale(x/XP)>:

                           (pick a point to define one corner of a rectangular viewing window then pick a point to define   the second point to define the opposite diagonal corner of the viewing window)

Note:  To return the picture to its original viewing size enter ALL and press the enter key when prompted instead of defining a window.

PAN:                 Allows you to move your view point around the drawing without changing the magnification     factor.

                           Command:  PAN (enter)

Editing Commands

           CHANGE:       Alters properties of selected objects

                                     Command:  CHANGE (enter)

                                     Select objects or window or Last (select objects to be changed)

                                     Properties/<Change point>:  (type P)                        

                                     Change what property (Color/Elev/LAyer/LType/Thickness)?  (type Layer)

                                     New Layer:  (enter new layer name and press enter)

           ERASE:           Erases entities from the drawing.

                                     Command:  ERASE (enter)

                                     Select objects or Window or Last: (Select objects to be erased and press enter when finished)

          

           EXTEND:       Lengthens a line to end precisely at a boundary edge.

                                     Command:  Extend (enter)

                                     Select boundary edge(s)...

                                     Select Objects  (pick the line which represents the boundary edge which lines will be extended                                    to)

                                     (press enter when finished selecting cutting edges)

                                     <Select object to extend>/Undo:  (pick the line(s) that need to be extended

           TRIM:              Trims a line to end precisely at a cutting edge.

                                     Command:  Trim (enter)

                                     Select cutting edge(s)...

                                     Select Objects  (pick the line which represents the cutting edge of line in which objects will be                                                       trimmed to)

                                     (press enter when finished selecting cutting edges)

                                     <Select object to trim>/Undo:  (pick the line(s) that need to be trimmed)

Grips

You can edit selected objects by manipulating grips that appear at defining points on the object.  Grips is not a command.  To activate grips simply pick the object.  Small squares will appear at various entity-specific positions.  By selecting an end grip you can stretch the entity to change its size.  By selecting the center grip you can move the entity to a new location.  To remove grips press CTL-C twice.  You can perform the following using grips: Copy, Multiple Copy, Stretch, Move, Rotate, Scale, and Mirror.

Creating Layers

           LAYER:          Creates named drawing layers and assigns color and linetype properties to those layers.

                                     Command:  LAYER (enter)

A Layer & Linetype Properties dialog box will be displayed.  To add a new layer, pick the New button.  A new layer listing appears, using a default name of Layer1.  the layer name can be changed by highlighting the layer name.  Colors and Linetypes can be assigned to each new layer by picking the color box to assign a color and picking the linetype box to assign a line type.

                                     Standard AutoCAD colors

                                     1 = Red                          2 = Yellow                     3 = Green         4 = Cyan

                                     5 = Blue                         6 = Magenta                 7 = White

                                     Standard AutoCAD linetypes

                                     Hidden2 = hidden lines

                                     Center2 = center lines

                                     Phantom2 = phantom or cutting-plane lines

Construction Commands

           ARRAY:          Makes multiple copies of selected objects in a rectangular or circular pattern

                                     Command:  ARRAY (enter)

                                     Select objects or Window or Last:  (select object to array)

                                     Rectangular or Polar array (R/P) <current>: (P)

                                     Center point of array:  (pick the point around which to form the array)

                                     Angle to fill (+=CCW, -=Cw) <360>:  (enter)

          

           COPY:             Draws a copy of selected objects.

                                     Command:  COPY (enter)

                                     Select objects or Window or Last: (select objects to be copied)

                                     Base point or displacement:  (pick a point on the object to be use as a reference point)

                                     Second point of displacement:  (pick a point which represents the new location of the copied

                                     object)

           MIRROR:       Makes mirror images of existing objects.

                                     Command:  MIRROR (enter)

                                     Select objects or Window or Last: (select objects to be mirrored)

                                     First point of mirror line:  (pick a point on top of the mirror line)

                                     Second point:  (pick a point  on the bottom of the mirror line)

                                     Delete old objects? <N> y or n  (enter)

           MOVE:            Moves designated entities to another location.

                                     Command:  MOVE (enter)

                                     Select objects or Window or Last: (select objects to move)

                                     Base point or displacement:  (pick a point on the object to be use as a reference point)

                                     Second point of displacement:  (pick a point which represents the new location of the object)

           OFFSET:        Constructs an entity parallel to another entity at a specified distance.  Offset can be used with                                   lines, circles, arcs, and polylines.

                                     Command:  OFFSET (enter)                            

                                     Offset distance or Through <last>:  (enter a distance value)

                                     Select object to offset:  (select object to offset)

                                     Side to offset:  (Pick any point on the side of the object you wish to offset)

           FILLET:         Changes any corner to a rounded corner.

                                     Command:  FILLET 

                                     Polyline/Radius/Angle/Trim/Method/ <Select first line > :  (pick the first line)

                                     Select second line:  (pick the second line)

           CHAMFER:   Changes any corner to an angled corner.

                                     Command:  CHAMFER

                                     Polyline/Distance/Angle/Trim/Method/ < Select first line > :  (pick the first line)

                                     Select second line:  (pick the second line)

           OSNAP

Instantly locates exact points relative to existing objects (points).

Object Snap Modes:  Endpoint, Midpoint, Center, Quadrant, Intersection, Insertion, Perpendicular, Tangent,

Nearest, Node, and None.

Placing lettering on a drawing

           TEXT:             Draws text characters of any size.

                                     Command:  TEXT (enter)

                                     Justify/Style/<Start point>:  (pick a starting point or enter a justification letter)

                                     Height (0)  (enter the height of the lettering)

                                     Rotation Angle (0)  (enter)

                                     Text:  (enter the desired lettering) (enter)

                                     Summary of Options

                                     <Start Point>               Left-Justifies text along its baseline

                                     Justify                           Justifies text according to the alignment options

                                     Style                               Enters a new text style

                                     Null reply                     Enters a new line of text below the previous text.

                                                                             (space or Enter key will give a Null reply)

                                     Text Alignment Options

                                     Alignment                     Abbreviation                           Orientation

                                     Aligned                          A                                                Aligns text between two points.  Text                                                                                                                                              height will adjust automatically      

                                     Fit                                   F                                                Fits text between two points.  Text height                                                                                                                                       will not change

                                     Centered                        C                                                Centers text at the baseline of a specified                                                                                                                                      point

                                     Middle                           M                                               Centers text horizontally and vertically at                                                                                                                                     the baseline of a specified point

                                     Right                              R                                                Right Justify text at the baseline of a                                                                                                                                              specified point

                                     Alignment                     Abbreviation                           Orientation

                           Top Left                        TL                                             Left Justifies text at the top of text

                           Top Center                    TC                                             Centers text at the top of text

                           Top Right                      TR                                             Right justifies text at the top to text

                           Middle Left                   ML                                            Left justifies text at the middle of text

                           Middle Center              MC                                            Centers text both horizontally and vertically                                                                                                    at the middle of the text

                           Middle Right                 MR                                            Right justifies text at the middle of text

                           Bottom Left                 BL                                             Left justifies text at the bottom of text

                           Bottom Center             BC                                             Centers text a the bottom of text

                           Bottom Right               BR                                             Right justifies text at the bottom of text

The SPELL command will check the spelling of a group of text.

Crosshatching a drawing

           BHATCH:       Allows the user to crosshatch areas of a section view.

Command:  BHATCH (enter)

The Boundary Hatch dialogue Box will be displayed.  Select the Hatch Options box.

The Hatch Options box will be displayed.  Select the Patterns box.

The Choose Hatch Pattern box will be displayed.  Select the desired hatch pattern.

The Hatch Options box will be displayed again.  You can select a scale and rotation angle for the crosshatch pattern.  Select the OK box when finished.

The Boundary Hatch dialogue box will be displayed again.  Select the Pick Points box.  When prompted select the internal point of the are to be crosshatched.  Press the enter key when finished.

The Boundary Hatch dialog box will be displayed again. Select the Apply box to add the crosshatching to the drawing.

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Stocks chill in hot summer

May 26, 2012:  

Investors wilting under the searing summer heat wave were further tormented by a steep petrol price hike last week. But this hike helped rein in the unfettered fall in the rupee. The India currency was threatening to spin below 56 against the dollar. Stock prices also recovered after the fuel price hike though the Sensex continued its jig around the 16,000 mark, keeping investors edgy.

Euro zone and its troubles continued to affect global financial markets. Worries over the health of Spanish banks and Greece' possible exit from the euro zone kept stock prices on a leash. Euro zone's PMI declining to 45.9 in May, down from 46.7 in April further roiled the sentiment in this region.

Cash volumes were very low last week. Action in derivatives picked up towards the weekend. FIIs were selling small quantities through the week. But the net FII outflow in May is at a very low level of $97 million. Open interest moved slightly higher above 1,30,000 crore. But low put-call ratio implies that the market is getting oversold at these levels.

The rupee's rout appears to have halted and that can provide temporary relief to stock prices next week. Expiry on May contracts can usher in some volatility. It would be good to bid adieu to May, a month that is known for its negative effect on the stock markets.

It could be good time to bring out your shopping list since the Sensex is approaching its long-term base around 15,000. Cherry picking is advised only when market is at its gloomiest best.

Oscillators in the daily chart reflect the change in the downward momentum. Rate of change oscillator in the daily chart is reversing higher from bearish zone. It is on the verge of moving in to the positive territory. Daily relative strength index is also attempting to move up from the oversold zone. Momentum indicators in weekly chart dipped in to bearish zone but they are moving sideways instead of moving any deeper in this territory.

The Sensex (16,217.8) is displaying resilience above the critical 16,000 level. We stay with the targets of 16,016 and then 15,080 for the current decline from 18,523 peak. As explained earlier, the index could form a higher bottom around 16,000. But if this level is breached, the index could form a low around 15,000. Many wave targets and supports also converge at this level making it a good point from where the Sensex can rebound.

Short-term resistances for the Sensex would be at 16,466, 16,670 or 16,872. Short-term view will turn positive only on a close above 16,872.

The presence of the 200-day moving average in that region makes it a very significant hurdle.

The halt last week appears to be a temporary pause. If rallies next week have trouble moving past 16,500 it will mean that there can be another decline to 15,725, 15,329 or 14873 before the index stabilises.

Nifty (4,921.4)

The Nifty did not slide further last week but there was no rebound either. The wave sequence that began from the 5,630 peak could still be evolving. Key hurdles for the Nifty next week would be at 5,000, 5,093 and 5,130.

Short-term traders can initiate fresh shorts if the index is unable to move beyond 5,000. That would mean that the index will decline to 4,757, 4,634 or 4,493 in the near term. Short-term view will turn positive only on a close above 5,130. The 200-day moving average positioned at 5,080 will also pose strong obstacle in the upcoming weeks.

Medium-term trend in the Nifty remains down and we stay with the medium-term targets of 4,884 and 4,600. Since the index is close to the first target, short sellers should watch out for sudden rebound from these levels.

Global Cues

Global markets halted their steep slide and etched minor gains last week. Greece continued to cast its shadow on the global market and cappedany significant up-move. CBOE volatility index declined slightly to end the week at 21.7, indicating that investor trepidation did not rise any further.

The Dow recovered from the intra-week low at 12,311. We stay with the view that the medium-term uptrend in the index will be threatened only on a strong close below 12,000. The key support from a long-term perspective is at 10,500. If the Dow manages to move beyond 12,700, it will denote that the index can move beyond 13,300 again in the upcoming weeks.

The dollar index gained against all major currencies including the euro. This resulted in the dollar index shooting higher to 82.6 last week. Key medium-term resistance for this index is, just above at 82.7.

If this level is crossed, the greenback can shoot higher against most other currencies, causing further deterioration in rupee value. Strength in dollar is resulting in gold moving lower. Comex gold has come close to its key support at $1,566. This level has supported gold in September 2011 and again in December 2011. Key long-term support for this metal is at $1,446.