Example Of Drawing Practice with Layers In AutoCAD

So as soon as I open AutoCAD, I have 2 panels here. one is layers and the other one is properties. We learned what changes we can do with layers and properties. We learned how to add different layers and modify them as well as about the properties in the last video.

Suppose this panel is not available or visible on your screen, then you can right-click anywhere near this space and click on panels and you can see that here there is a tick mark on layers and properties. If I click on it it will turn off which means it will hide from the panel. So to bring it back I will right-click and then panels and click on layer again, here the layer panel is back. Okay.

So we will prepare a drawing here with some objects such as walls, centerline, windows, doors, etc. as I mentioned earlier, we will prepare this drawing with the use of some specific layers and then we will customize our drawing with layers so that when we take a printout or get a layout or export the drawing, at that time we will make some changes in the layers and by doing that we can easily take a print out or export the drawing in PDF according to our requirement. In the last video, I taught you how to add a layer either by clicking here or just typing L A Y E R and selecting this. (pause 10 seconds)

So here we have a window where if I want to add a layer, we will click here on a new layer. Here you can see a layer is added that is layer 1. Now we can rename this layer by right-clicking on it or simply clicking on the name. we will rename this layer by zero one wall.

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Then I will change the color of the walls to this or let's select a dark color so that it is easily visible. Then click ok. Then I will let the line type as continuous only. And the line weight as default. I can change it if I require.

Then we will add one more layer here. I can click on the new layer here or just press alter N on my keyboard. We will rename the second layer by zero two centerline and then press enter. I will change the color of the centerline to green. Then click ok. I want the line type as dotted or centerline, for that, I will click on load here and all the options that are available in AutoCAD will be shown here. Okay. Right now I want a centerline so I will double click on this option here, then select it and click ok. So this is set here.

Then we will add the third layer and rename it to zero three windows and press enter. Then the color of the window will be yellow and ok. Then I will change the line type to continuous and ok. Line weight will be default only, so ok.

Then I will add one more layer here and rename it by zero four-door and press enter. I want the door also in yellow color, the line type should also be continuous and the line weight as default.

Then we will add one more layer and rename it by zero five that is chajja and enter. Then for chajja, we will change it to some different color so that it is differentiated easily. So here I am choosing the magenta color.

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Then for line type, I want a dotted line, so again I will click on load and I want a dotted line, here there are many options, for now, let's select this dashed line. Then I will click here and ok. So it is set here. and the line weight will be default only as I require that. So here are walls, centerline, windows, doors, and chhajja.

Then we have a different element of furniture, so we will add a new layer and rename it by zero-six furniture and enter. (typing)

 Now I will select this color for furniture and ok. Then I want a continuous line and ok. So in this way, I have prepared 6 layers for you. So you can add or remove any layer according to your requirement. Okay.

Now I want to draw a line and if I don’t have this layer available, I can double click on this layer to turn it On. Okay. So as I double click here, there is a tick mark here and you can also see here in the layer panel that the settings have changed according to the layer we prepared. So here red color, then it is unlocked and not hidden or freezed. These options are shown. So here you can see all these options. And when you check out the properties, you can notice the color is displayed as we set it and the line weight and line type too. If I make any changes in the panel it won't be applied in the layer window here, because the changes that we make here in the panel will be temporary. So in case you want to make any changes, you will have to change it from this drop-down menu. Okay. So now I will hide this as I want to draw a wall here. For now, we will prepare a small drawing and practice it.

So I will start from here with the line command. (7 seconds gap).

I want a straight line so I have turned on the ortho mode. So here I will enter 20 and enter.

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Then how much on downside? 30, and enter. Then again this side 20, and enter. And towards the top 30 and enter. So we have prepared a box here with the line command. Why? So that I can easily make any modifications with an individual line. Well if you don’t want to make any changes, you can also use the rectangle command here. Suppose here I will click on the rectangle command and select and how much do I want this side? I want 20, so 20 comma and downside I want 30, so minus 30 and enter. As you can see we have the same box here where all the lines are connected. So I can prepare this drawing according to my requirements.

Now I want to draw the walls here. I will go to offset, as we all know, to offset we all know we will insert O and enter and then press the space key. Then we will specify the offset distance as 1 and enter. As you can see the walls are prepared. Okay. Let us have one more look. The offset that we took was smaller, so now we will take an offset as 2. For that again O, enter, then 2, enter. So with offset, we can draw all these lines here. Then I want to trim the extra lines, but before that, we will draw a centerline here. so I can set the centerline from this line by using offset or I can directly select the centerline layer from here and draw a line. So observe carefully how I am preparing this drawing.

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So now I will turn on the centerline from here and you can see here that the changes are also applied in the properties here where line weight is by layer and the line type is dotted that I selected before. Okay. So now I have to offset or we can draw a line. For that, I will have to draw a small line here, so L, enter, and as i will do L enter, the line command is on. So here you can see I am easily able to draw this line with the midpoint. So now we have one more option. I can either offset this line or use mirror. So I am selecting this line, then click on the mirror tool and I want to mirror from here to here. you can see the line but I did not press enter, so the line has disappeared. So again now as I press enter here, the line is available. Then I will rotate and copy this line. So click on rotate, then select this basepoint and I want to copy as well so C, enter. Then I will select this point to rotate. Okay. Let's do it again. (10 seconds gap) I will copy this line first, so C O, enter. Then we will rotate this, ( 12 seconds gap) and you can see the line is available here. Now I want to place this line exactly at the center, so I will draw a small line here so that the center point is visible. Now I will move this line, so this is the basepoint and I will move from here to here. you can see that the line is available to us. Now we will trim this line. So to trim, I will insert TR and press enter twice. (20 seconds gap) So I will remove all the extra lines from here, then extend and join the centerline. (10 seconds gap) Okay. We can use an extended command to do this. I will use a lot of commands here so look closely at how to use them. So here we will do E X , enter. So I will extend it here and enter. Then I want to extend this, so I will click here and press enter. It is extended. Let's do the same thing on this side. So E X, enter, then till here, and enter. Then select this line and press enter again. So in this way, we can use this command. Okay. Then I will mirror this line again from till where? center to center.

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So this is the center, but the center is in reference to this line, so we will trim these lines first. So TR and enter twice. Now we will click on mirror. So here to here and enter, the line is visible. Now I will drag this line on both sides then E X, enter, then I want to extend till here, and enter. Now we will trim with this line and this line so TR, enter, and enter. So we will trip all the extra parts from here. Okay. (12 seconds gap)

As you can see we have prepared a room here, but haven’t provided any openings yet. So for opening, I will draw a line here. you can notice that we have used the centerline command here, but I want to draw in doors and windows. What we will do is continue working with this command only and later on I will show you how we can change it into different commands. So here I have drawn a line because I want to provide a door. For the door, I will offset this. So offset then, 2 and enter. So I have drawn it on both sides. Then TR and 2 times space, then we will remove this, and this also and this as well. Okay.

So here you can see a plan Is ready where I have only used 2 layers right now. Okay. So now I want to change the layer of these 2 lines. It happens many times that we prepare a whole drawing with the same layer but when we are needed to prepare an element with a different layer, and if we have that layer we can use that. But if not, then we can create a new layer from the drop menu, and then I will select all the elements that I want to change into the new layer. So here as we have selected 2 lines and I want to change them to walls, I will select a wall here and you can see it has changed. Okay. So in this way, I can easily change any drawing from one layer to another layer.

(12 seconds gap) (20:30)

Now I want to add some windows here. For windows you already know, We already have a layer for windows where the color is yellow and I have already fixed the line type and line weight. So, I will click on the line command again and draw a line something like this here so that when I add an offset here…, It gets applied on both sides. So, for that I will insert O and enter, then 3, enter. So here to here and then here to here. Then again, I will use the trim command, so TR and double space and remove all the extra lines from here. then for this, I want to draw a line from the center, then again enter for line command. I have explained all these topics in the previous videos where if you want to use a command more than once, you can press enter again or right-click and select repeat line. Now I want to use offset, so O, enter and how much? 0.5, enter. Then I will offset this also to both sides. And now we will remove this line. These lines are also extra, so TR double space, and I will trim all this. You can see that the window is prepared here. if I want to make a group of this window with this drawing, I will insert G and enter.

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Now when I click here, all the lines are selected that we used to make a window. I have not grouped this side, so when I select here, individual lines are selected. Okay. We have explored this too in the last few videos. Now if I want to copy this and I click on it, the whole window will be selected as it is grouped. So I will copy this from this basepoint to here. now we will rotate this. So we rotated how much? exactly 90 degrees. Now we will move it with this center point, so click on move, then select a basepoint or a center point, I am selecting this point and I am turning off the ortho mode so that I can incline it if I need to…. Here it shows, I can place this because the object snap is on and due to this when we draw something, the cursor will automatically show the center point, midpoint, endpoint, tangent line, etc. when we move it around the line. We can move this if we want to, so I will turn on the ortho command and move it here. Then I will insert TR, double space, and trim this line. So here I have 3 windows, 1 center line and the walls.

Now we will prepare a door. To make a door, I will draw a circle from here till here.

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then I will draw a line like this. Then again line command and this. Now we will trim, so TR, space, space, and these lines…. Now we will offset this. So O, enter, 0.2, and enter. Okay. So you can see here that I have prepared a door also in this manner. I can customize this too as I require. So from these layers, we have already prepared walls, centerline, windows, and doors.

Now we will prepare a chhajja. For chajja, We all know there are bearings near the window. Bearings mean the distance from the window to chhajja. So we will draw some lines which are 1 meter apart from this line for chhajja. So we will select the line command. Let us offset this first. So we will select this line and insert O and enter then 1, enter. So we will click on this side. Now I will have to offset on this side too as chhajja is extended on both sides. So O, enter, 1, enter. I can select this chhajja layer from here or I can work with the current layer and change it later. Okay. So I will draw a line here. Then distance is 1, enter and till here and here. then we will delete these 2 lines. Right now this layer is of the window, we already have a layer for chhajja. So I will select here and click on the chhajja layer. It has changed. So now when I click here, all the properties that I have set for this layer are visible here, such as line type and line weight. Now I want to mirror this, so I will select this and click on mirror, and select the source from center to center.

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 You can see that it is visible on this side. So in this way, we can use a lot of commands in AutoCAD with the help of which my drawing will be prepared without wasting any time. Ok? Let us have one more look. So we will draw a line here and I want to offset, so O, enter, 1, and enter. So a line this side. Now I want the offset again but on this side, so we can draw a line or mirror this line. Let's see how? So select this line and click on the mirror, then here to here and enter. Okay. Then if I offset this line to 1 meter, so O, enter 1, enter. Here you can notice that I have used 2 layers, one is walls and the other one is windows, but my object is chhajja, let's see how we can change that. So TR double space,(12 seconds gap) I have deleted the extra lines. Now if I select this chhajja, the layer won't show here because we have used multiple layers here that is walls and windows. So for this, I will click here and then click on chhajja. Now, this is visible. Now we will mirror this again. So click on the mirror tool and select from center to center, chhajja is visible here. well, there are many drawings where there is a single room or a small house and the door also has chhajja there, so if there is any such requirement we can prepare that too. Okay.

Now we will check the dimensions. So we will go on linear. From here to here and you can see we have the dimensions in 2 different units here that are meters and foot or inches. How is this available? So for that, I will type D and press enter. Here I have already selected the color and line types and other options according to my requirement. So I have set the arrow size and text height as 2. Then the primary unit is meter, so I have inserted M in the suffix which is shown here. okay.

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Then the alternate units where I have selected one more unit that should be visible with meters. This is optional and we can use it when I want to show the units in meter and foot in my output. So here I have selected engineering then the precision is in inches and feet. I have not inserted any suffix as the symbol is by default. Okay and then the tolerance and we will look into this later. So I clicked on ok after all the changes and clicked on set current and close. Let's have one more look. So dimension, linear, here to here. The digits are shown outside here because there are too many. The name is large, that is why it is showing such a way.So I will insert D, enter again, then modify. Then in the primary unit, the precision is 0.000, I will change it to a single digit 0. And click ok. Set current and close. You can notice that the digits after the decimal are not visible. I can customize it as I require. Then if you want the internal units, so again linear and then I can select this from here to here and place it. As you can the digit has taken up the whole room, but for now, it is okay so we will place it here only. (10 seconds gap)So dimension, linear then this point and this point. So this is available. Let's move this a bit. Now I will delete the dimension placed inside. Again dimension, linear and now I want the dimension for this side. So this is also available. In this way, I can add the dimensions.

Now I want to add some text here. so I will type TEXT. And select from this point till this point. so I will type ‘room 1’. I can use single text as well. But for now, we will be using the multiple text that is the double line text. So I will click on the text here and click on multi-line text. Then here to specify the first corner and second corner.

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As soon as I press enter, here I will type room 1. And then click outside the drawing. So it is available here. Now when I double click on this, you can see I have a lot of options here. so here I will change the height of the text to 5 and enter. The size is still big…. So here we will change it to 0.5 and enter. This is fine. So we can move this if we want like this. ortho is on here, so it is only moving in the vertical or horizontal direction. Now if I want to write for windows, I can copy this text and place it here. then I can double click and edit the text to W 1. So this is available here. Let's move this a bit. Then we will copy this and where to copy it? place it here and move this so that it is clearly visible. I will select this again and copy it from this point and place here.

Then this is a door. So I will copy from this point and place it here and then we will rename it to D 1. Okay. So you can observe here that the text is in yellow right now. This means that I worked with these commands in the window layer. Now here I need 2 more layers. One for dimension and one for text. So I can add it from here or I can simply click there. Now I will click on a new layer and one more layer will be added and I will rename it to zero seven T E X T and press enter. I will select white color for text and click ok.

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Then I will add one more layer that will be…. zero eight D I M which is a short form for dimension and press enter. I will change the color to cyan blue which is a light color and click ok. Now we will hide this. You can see here in the panel that those 2 layers are added. Now I will select this dimension and then right-click and click on select similar. As soon as I click on it, all the dimensions are selected. Let's have one more look. So I am selecting the dimension, and then right-click on it and click on select similar, and all the dimensions are selected. So whatever changes I make will be applied to all the selected areas. So here I will select this dimension layer and you can see that the properties like the color have changed, then type and weight too as I modified. Okay. Now I will do the same for text, so I will select this, then right-click, select similar. Now here all the texts are selected but I do not want to select the dimensions. So I will select the texts individually here (6 seconds gap) then I already have a layer for text, so accordingly it will change to white. Okay. So here you can see when I click on text, the modifications like color, type, and weight are shown accordingly. In this way, I can make many modifications to my drawing and provide the output that we want.

Now let's have a look at the advantages of preparing a drawing in layers. This means that there are many advancement tools in layers that we can use…. Suppose I don’t want to show the walls in my drawing, so when I click here, it will turn off. And if I click again, it turns on. Then if I don’t want the texts or dimensions…. So you can see here that I can hide or unhide any layer that I want. That will be available here.

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Okay. I have not prepared any furniture yet so this won't work. then the next is freeze and I already explained this in the last video. So when I freeze any layer, it won't be visible in the layout and will be removed from the memory as well which means the size of the drawing will get compressed or small. So in this way, I can freeze or unfreeze any object in my drawing from here.

Then next is lock. Suppose I lock the doors and windows from here, and now I select the whole drawing and delete it, you can see the doors and windows are still available and not deleted. Why? Because we turned on the lock command for that particular layer. So this means if we lock any layer, we cannot make any changes or modifications or use any command in that locked layer. So it can't move or delete or extend. Okay. Then the next is the plot. This means if I plot any layer for example if turn off the plot for dimension and if I select plot from here and select drawing to PDF here…, then over here I can select the size of the page that I want amongst all these options so you can select accordingly, I will select A4 size here and press enter then I will click on window here and select this whole drawing and now I will click on preview. So here you can see, the dimensions are not visible.

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 Why? Because I turned off the plot option for dimension. So apart from dimension, all the layers are available here. okay.

Let's have a look once again. So here I will turn on the plot for dimension and click on the plot here and then select the same options again…. such as A4 size for the image, then window, then select the object and click on preview. This time the dimensions are available. So if I want to take a printout of my drawing and there are some layers that I want to hide, then with the help of the plot we can manage that easily. Okay. So if there are many elements in your drawings such as furniture, sanitary, dimension line, text, etc. but if you want to customize any layer suppose you want to prepare a drawing where only the plan is visible, then another drawing with plan and furniture both and one drawing with plans and dimension, you can easily manage all the settings with turning the plot on or off….

Now we will have a look at transparency. This means If I want to get a layout or a print and change the transparency of certain layers in this drawing, the brightness can be changed from dim to full or full to dim. For example, the transparency of the walls is zero right now. So if I change it to 60 here, and click on ok. The walls are available but the brightness has dimmed. So in this way, we can change the transparency as well. Then click ok. Then we will check with the centerline. So the transparency of the centerline is zero right now, if I change it to 80 and click ok, then you can see that centerline is still available but again the brightness has dimmed. We will change it back to zero and ok.

Then the next is the new VP. You can see at the bottom here there are layout 1 and layout 2 whereas we still have to understand this topic yet but the use of VP is if we export this drawing or set it in any other layout. So to set it or export it, if I turn on or off the VP for any layers, it will not be available in the other layout. This is a bit similar to plotting. Okay. So these are all the options we have in layers. Okay.

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So today we learned about some of the commands and elements that we can prepare and use with layers. This means we can group certain elements and objects and this grouping is considered as layers. So if we modify any group or layer, all the layers will be modified that are prepared with the same one. Okay.

So we can prepare a very attractive and appealing drawing in very little time with the help of layers. So according to your requirement or the clients requirement, you can easily modify and prepare a layout. Okay. If I want to insert these layers that I have prepared, in a new drawing, it will not be available to us which means we can use the layers of one drawing Into another or a new one. This is a limitation with layers. If I want to use these layers in a new drawing, I will have to export the layers from layers state manager and click on new, then right now it is layer set 1 so I will click here on export and save it on the desktop. So now when I go to drawing 2, and I want to access those layers, I will click here and then click on import. So to import the file type is dot L A S. So we will select this layer set 1 and click on open and ok. As you can see, all the layers are available here. So if I have a drawing with many layers and I want to use it again. I can export and save it so that I do not have to waste any time preparing the same layers again as that will be a very time-consuming process. So When we make a new drawing, we can import that layers and easily prepare a drawing. Okay. So here we also learned how to import and export.

I hope you all will practice this with a drawing and prepare different layers there and explore the customizations. During your practice,If you have any queries or comments, click the discussion button below the video and post there. This way, you will be able to connect to fellow learners and discuss the course. Also, Our Team will try to solve your query.

Thank you.