AutoCAD handles two main file types. The first, .dwg, is used to save drawings. The second, .dwt, pertains to templates.

Templates are used as a starting point when options are shared across multiple drawings. A .dwt file retains units, layers, and even whatever is drawn before being saved. Rather than opening an existing drawing, deleting its comments, and drawing in its place, you may use a template as that starting point and create separate drawing files from its base. In this tutorial, we will set up a template to be used for the rest of the tutorials.

  • Open AutoCAD and navigate to File > Drawing Utilities > Units
  • Set units to Engineering and Imperial (feet and inches).
  • Apply changes and close the window.
  • Go to the toolbar and open the 2D snap menu. Deselect all options except for endpoint, midpoint, center, perpendicular, and intersection.
  • Click on the arrow next to the two grid buttons and open the snap settings menu. Change grid spacing to 1 in both the x and y direction. Click OK to close the window.
  • Also, if not already the case, press F7 to display the drawing grid.

Now that you have chosen all the appropriate settings, you may save as a template.

  • Type SAVEAS to open the command line and hit enter.
  • Save the template to the default location along with the built-in AutoCAD templates.
  • Give the template a name such as “CSCTEMPLATE”.
  • Change the file type to AutoCAD Drawing Template (*.dwt).
  • Save the file. Another window will open with some template options. Just click OK to continue.

The template has been created! Now, by typing NEW into the command line, you will be prompted to select a template. Open using csctemplate.dwt and when you later go to save the file, it will create a new .dwg.