AutoCAD Terms and Commands

Listed below is a basic list of AutoCAD terms and commands. If you're new to AutoCAD, this will give you a very overview of definitions.

Please send me a note at Kevin@ArchBlocks.com if you have any questions.

Arc Draws an arc of any size

 

Area Calculates the area of a polygon, pline, circle, or defined points along a boundary

 

Array Copies selected objects in a circular, or rectangular pattern

 

Autodesk Software company that manufactures and sells AutoCAD

 

Bhatch Fills a defined boundary with a hatch pattern

 

Blipmode Turns blip markers on and off

 

Block Makes a single unit object from selected individual objects

 

Block Definition All the individual objects that make up a named block

 

Block Reference An image of a block definition that is inserted into a drawing

 

Bmake Uses a dialog box to define a block

 

Boundary Creates a polyline of a closed area

 

CAD Computer Aided Design

 

Chamfer Creates a chamfered corner at the intersection of two selected lines

 

Circle Draws a circle of any size

 

Copy Makes one or more copies of selected objects

 

Copyclip Copies selected objects to the Windows clipboard

 

“DD” The DD before a command stand for “Dynamic Dialog” box

 

Ddatte Edits attributes via a dialog box

 

Ddedit (Edit) Edit text and attributes via a dialog box

 

Ddgrips (Grips) Allows you to enable grips and edit properties of objects

 

Ddim (Dim) Dialog that controls dimension settings

 

Ddinsert  (Insert) Places blocks in the drawing via a dialog box

 

Ddunits (Units)  Sets the drawing units for measurement

 

Dimstyle  Creates named dimension styles to control the settings and looks of dimensions

 

Dist Determines the distance and angle between two points

 

Divide  Places markers along selected objects dividing them into equal parts

 

Dtext Enters single line text

 

Erase Deletes objects from the drawing

 

Explode Changes a block or a polyline back to individual objects

 

Extend Extends a line or arc to meet another object

 

Fillet Constructs an arc between to lines

 

Grid Displays a grid of dots that can be used to snap to and design with

 

Id Displays the coordinates of a point selected on the drawing

 

Isoplane Changes the direction of the isometric crosshairs, Left, Top, Right

 

Layer Creates drawing layers for colors and linetypes

 

Lengthen Lengthens or shortens an object

 

Limits Defines the lower left corner and the upper right corner of a drawing area

 

Line Draws straight lines of any length

 

Linetype Defines, loads, and sets the linetype

 

List Provides database information of selected objects

 

Ltscale Linetype Scale, controls linetype sizes within a drawing

 

Mirror Creates a symmetrical reflected object from the original selected objects

 

Move Moves selected objects to another location in the drawing

 

Mtext Creates paragraph text

 

Mview  Creates paperspace viewports

 

Offset  Creates parallel copies of lines, arcs, and circles

 

Oops  Recalls the last set of objects that were erased

 

Open Opens an existing drawing

 

Ortho  Restricts the cursor to horizontal, or vertical use

 

Osnap Allows for selection of precise points on selected objects

 

‘Pan Moves the display window

 

Pedit Permits editing of 2D polylines

 

Pline Draws 2D polylines

 

Polygon Creates regular polygons with a specified number of sides (3 to 1024)

 

Preferences Customizes the AutoCAD settings

 

Purge Removes unused items from a drawing

 

Qsave Saves the drawing without requesting the file name

 

Recover Attempts to recover damaged, or corrupted drawings

 

Rectang Draws a rectangular polyline

 

Redo Reverses the previous command if it was an undo

 

Redraw Refreshes the screen pixels in the drawing window

 

Regen Regenerates the current viewport

 

Redo Reverses the previous undo command

 

Rotate Rotates selected objects to angle specified

 

Save Saves the current drawing to hard drive

 

Saveas Allows you to save the current drawing under a new name

 

Scale Changes the size of objects to the selected scale factor

 

Scale Factor The scaling up or down of an AutoCAD drawing to fit a certain size paper when plotted

 

Snap Allows you to snap to precise points along a grid

 

Spell Checks the spelling in a drawing

 

Style Names and formats text for font, size, obliquing, etc

 

Toolbar Customizes, hides and displays toolbars

 

Transparent Allows display and settings commands to be executed without canceling the current command. If a command is preceded by an apostrophe ( ‘ ) the command will done transparently

 

Trim Deletes portions of selected objects that cross a selected cutting edge

 

U Reverses the effect of the previous command

 

Undo Same as the U command but with more options

 

UCS Defines or modifies the current User Coordinate System

 

Ucsicon Controls the visibility and placement of the ucsicon

 

Wblock Creates a separate new drawing from selected blocks or objects

 

Windows Temporary memory where objects can Clipboard be copied to, so they may pasted into another file (copying from one file to another)

 

Xref External Reference, allows you to work with other AutoCAD drawings without adding them permanently to your current drawing

 

‘Zoom Enlarges or reduces the display area of a drawing