CADTutor: The best free help for AutoCAD on the web

The AutoCAD Resource

CADTutor delivers the best free tutorials and articles for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and associated applications along with a friendly AutoCAD forum and an AutoCAD FAQ. If you need to learn AutoCAD, you're in the right place. Visit the AutoCAD tutorials page for more information or see our tip of the day to start learning right now!

Free Tutorials and More

The Tutorials section provides over 80 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications such as Photoshop and Bryce. Michael’s Corner is a monthly article that brings you the best up-to-date AutoCAD tips and tricks. The CADTutor Forum is a lively bulletin board where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Download area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free digital images.

Image of the Week

18th to 24th August 2008

This week's image is by fahim108
Software used: AutoCAD 2007

See all Images of the Week published in the last month.

Site News

Michael’s Corner - August 2008

Tables Revisited Circa 2009

Our hero returns - Michael Beall is back with a bang this month. He's put together a special edition of the Corner dedicated to Tables in AutoCAD 2009. Over the last few years, AutoCAD tables have become very powerful and Michael has taken this opportunity to look at the state of play and provide plenty on tutorials, tips and insights. Wonderful stuff!

Image of the Week - 12th May 2008

Image of the Week is a new feature that showcases some of the best work from our forum members. Each week, a new image will be displayed here on the homepage. If you'd like to see your work displayed here, why not join the forum and submit your best images.

New FAQ Section - 1st February 2008

I am very pleased to announce the launch of the CADTutor AutoCAD FAQ. The idea is to provide model answers to the most frequently asked questions about AutoCAD. It's a fantastic new resource that will continue to grow in the future. I hope you find it useful. The FAQ has been developed with the help of some of our most gifted forum members and I am very grateful to them. Do let us know what you think of our latest endeavour.

Tutorials of the Moment

The most recently viewed tutorials

Drawing Objects

Drawing Objects | AutoCADGetting to grips with AutoCAD's basic drawing tools. This is an ideal start for the AutoCAD beginner.

 

AutoCAD to Bryce

AutoCAD to Bryce | BryceThis tutorial takes a step-by-step approach to moving your AutoCAD 3D models into Bryce, applying materials and creating a setting.

Last visited: 2 minutes ago

 

Last visited: 4 minutes ago

ISO Paper Sizes

ISO Paper Sizes | AutoCADThere has alwas been some confusion over the size of standard ISO drawing sheets with AutoCAD.The stated sizes in the plot dialogue box are not the true ISO sizes. This tutorial explains why and how to plot to scale from Model Space.

 

Transforming Objects

Transforming Objects | 3ds MaxTransforming objects means changing the position, size or number of an object without altering the integrity of the geometry itself. MAX offers a host of transformation tools to do these tasks. This tutorial gets you started.

Last visited: 4 minutes ago

 

Last visited: 5 minutes ago

Forum Latest

Currently Active Threads

Assembly

by h0wi33 replies
Last post: 18 minutes ago

Love to know where people are from

by hay1230 replies
Last post: 24 minutes ago

block attribute

by amounjid1 reply
Last post: 1 hour ago

Electrical Drafting Book

by noochstyle3 replies
Last post: 1 hour ago

Moved Clipboard drawing over now i c…

by ajvieni2 replies
Last post: 1 hour ago

This Week’s Hot Threads

DESPERATELY Need Pen Plotter Help

by ATKOgirl16 replies
Viewed: 117 times

xref without any text and dimensions

by lulumara12 replies
Viewed: 314 times

Direct Input Polar Coordinates

by GE1357912 replies
Viewed: 151 times

can I make one object 2d wire frame…

by b.muqlueen12 replies
Viewed: 102 times

xref trouble

by Scotle10 replies
Viewed: 143 times

Tip of the Day

Moving vertically in 3D

Moving vertically

Moving objects vertically always used to be a bit of a chore with AutoCAD, usually involving some relative coordinate entry for the Z direction or maybe the .XY filter. Fortunately, AutoCAD 2007 introduced a new command that makes moving objects vertically a snap.

3D Move ButtonYou'll find the 3D Move button on the Dashboard or Modify3D Operations3D Move from the pull-down menu.

As with the normal Move command, you're first prompted to select objects. Once a selection is made, the cursor changes to the move grip tool. Now, pick any point on the base plane to fix the move grip tool at that elevation. Next, hover your cursor over the blue axis handle (Z axis) until it changes to a gold colour and left-click. This has the effect of constraining movement in the z direction. All you need do now is enter the distance you want the object to be moved or use the mouse to pick a distance.

Today's tip is by David Watson

Missed a Tip?

Did you miss yesterday's tip? Maybe you forgot to drop by or maybe you don't visit over the weekend. If so, you can now see all the tips published during the past week. Also, if you have a tip you'd like to share with us, you can post it on our forum and if we like it, we'll publish it here.

Local Navigation

Tutorials

Helping you to learn more of the skills you need, for free.

Featured Tutorial:

Setting up a PostScript Plotter

Setting up a PostScript Plotter | AutoCAD

CADTutor tutorials are comprehensive lessons, designed to give you a deeper understanding.

Total tutorials: 89

Michael’s Corner

Michael Beall shows you how to work smarter and faster.

Michael Beall

Each month, Michael’s Corner presents a series of useful articles that help you use AutoCAD more efficiently.

Total articles: 263

CADTutor Forum

Need help? Ask a question and get an answer fast.

Forum

A world-wide membership means that there’s always someone online.

Total threads: 25,320

Workcircle jobs

Accessibility statement

Valid XHTML 1.0!Valid CSS!Creative Commons Licence