Includes index.

Introduction -- Benefits of computer-aided drafting -- CAD applications -- Architecture -- Engineering -- Interior design -- Manufacturing -- Facilities management -- Mapping -- Entertainment -- Online applications -- Other benefits -- AutoCAD overview -- Terminology -- Coordinates -- Drawing files -- What's new in AutoCAD 2011 -- User interface -- 2d Drafting -- Parametrics -- 3d Modeling -- Using this book -- Conventions -- Keys -- Control and alternate keys -- Flip screen -- Command nomenclature -- Companion files -- Online companion -- We want to hear from you! -- Acknowledgments -- About the author -- Unit 1: Setting Up Drawings -- 1: Quick tour of AutoCAD 2011 -- Starting AutoCAD -- Tutorial: Starting AutoCAD -- Commands in AutoCAD -- Command bar -- Text window -- Dynamic input -- Mouse -- Ribbon -- Tutorial: Executing commands with the ribbon -- Tutorial: Accessing flyouts -- Tutorial: Accessing droplists -- Quick access toolbar -- Accessing the application menu -- Recent drawings -- Open documents -- Displaying the menu bar -- Changing workspaces -- AutoCAD classic workspace -- Toolbars -- Exiting AutoCAD -- 2D Tutorial -- Setting up new drawings -- Drawing the base plate -- Drawing the shaft -- Drawing holes -- Copying circles -- Saving the drawing -- Plotting the drawing -- 3D Tutorial -- Modeling the shaft -- Modeling holes -- Copying cylinders -- Subtracting cylinders to create holes -- Exercises -- Chapter review -- 2: Understanding CAD Concepts -- AutoCAD user interface -- User interface changes in AutoCAD 2011 -- Touring the user interface -- Title bar -- Info center -- Window controls -- Ribbon, menu bar, and toolbars -- Drawing area -- Cursors -- Cursor icons -- View cube -- Navigation bar -- UCS icon -- Other screen markings -- Highlights and grips -- Rollover tooltips -- Selection cycling -- Dynamic input -- Grid -- Tracking lines -- Layout tabs and scroll bars -- Scroll bars -- Status bar -- X, Y coordinates and elevation -- Mode indicators -- Layouts -- Annotation scaling -- Workspaces -- Tray -- Tray options -- Cleanscreen and resize window -- Entering commands -- Using the keyboard -- Command input considerations -- Repeating commands -- Recent input -- Dynamic input -- Entering commands -- Entering coordinates -- Selecting options -- Dynamic dimensions -- Selecting a default value -- Dynamic angles -- Error messages and warnings -- Modifying dynamic input -- Keyboard shortcuts -- AutoComplete -- Function keys -- Aliases -- Other keys -- Using mouse buttons -- Using dialog boxes -- Hyphen prefix -- System variables -- FileDia -- Expert -- AttDia -- Alternate commands -- Draft-edit-plot cycle -- Drafting -- Constructing objects -- Blocks and templates -- Editing -- Plotting -- ePlots -- Protecting drawings -- Screen pointing -- Showing points by window corners -- Coordinate systems -- AutoCAD coordinates -- Cartesian coordinates -- Polar coordinates -- Cylindrical coordinates -- Spherical coordinates -- Relative coordinates -- User-defined coordinate systems -- Entering coordinates -- Screen picks -- Keyboard coordinates -- Snaps, etc -- Point filters -- Snap spacing -- Direct distance entry -- Tracking -- Object snaps -- Exercises -- Chapter review --

3: Setting Up Drawings -- New drawings -- Tutorial: Starting new drawings -- About templates -- Qnew -- Tutorial: Starting new drawings with templates -- Startup dialog box -- Starting from scratch -- Using templates -- Using wizards -- Tutorial: Using the advanced wizard -- Open -- Tutorial: Opening drawings -- Files list -- Preview -- Files of type -- Read-only -- Partial open -- Select initial view -- Making dialog boxes bigger -- Standard folders sidebar -- Tools -- Finding files -- Changing screen colors -- Default background colors -- Tutorial: Changing colors -- Units -- Tutorial: Setting units -- Setting scale factors -- Scale-dependent objects -- Annotation scaling -- Save and saveas -- Tutorial: Saving drawings by other names -- Saving drawings: additional methods -- My network places -- Tutorial: Saving drawings on other computers -- FTP -- Tutorial: Sending drawings by FTP -- Files of type -- Tutorial: Saving drawings in other formats -- Options -- Qsave -- Tutorial: Saving drawings -- Automatic backups -- Tutorial: Making backup copies -- Making backups: additional methods -- SaveFilePath -- Accessing backup files -- Quit -- Tutorial: Quitting AutoCAD -- Exercises -- Chapter review.

From the Publisher: Thoroughly updated to AutoCAD 2011 this easy-to-understand essentials edition covers all aspects of AutoCAD fundamentals, from an introduction to computer hardware and AutoCAD software to learning to draw with objects, direct editing of objects, and plotting. Industry veteran Ralph Grabowski uses his step-by-step tutorials which speeds the process of learning the commands required for 2D drafting of single drawings. Using AutoCAD 2011 leads users quickly to proficiency utilizing the most current design capabilities of the software.