AutoCAD has more options in more categories than any engineer will ever need in their lifetime. Out of all the options available, it is crucial to know a select few. After completing this section it is recommended to move directly into _the drawing template_ so your preferences may be saved.

Viewports: Open AutoCAD and click the large BEGIN DRAWING button. The window now displays MODEL view. There are two primary views: MODEL and LAYOUT. The tabs to switch between them are located at the bottom left of the viewport.

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MODEL view is the home of all drawings. It is a 2D or 3D space where all drafting is performed. LAYOUT is the view used for printing and publishing. Here, the model is displayed within a specified window. The two views are connected, meaning any changes in MODEL are automatically updated to LAYOUT.

Units: When first started, AutoCAD drawings are unitless. This is changed by going to File>Drawing Utilities>Units.

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Most tutorials on this site will be made in Engineering format with Imperial units to three decimal places. Use the drop-down menus to arrive at these settings. Now when you begin drawing, dimensions will be entered in feet or inches.

Toolbar: Along the bottom right of the screen rests the settings toolbar. These options are all related to drawing and geometry. Place your cursor over each one to learn its function and click to enable/disable it. Perhaps the most crucial setting on the toolbar is the “snap cursor to 2D reference points” option. Click the arrow next to the icon to show its sub-menu. From here you may choose where a line will snap to when drawn near another line. The importance of this setting will be obvious in the tutorials.