Chapter 7 Computer-Aided Drafting and Design
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The Save as command is similar to the Save
command, but it allows the user to save the
current fi le under a different fi le name. In effect,
this saves a “copy” of the fi le and preserves the
original fi le. The Save as command can also
variety of ways to manage projects from design
to completion. The following sections discuss
the basic features, tools, and commands used
to generate CAD drawings.
File Management Functions
As is the case with most computer software
programs, CAD programs include fi le
management commands for common tasks.
Commands such as New, Open, Save, and Plot
provide basic functions for creating, opening,
saving, and plotting fi les. Other commands are
available for similar fi le management tasks.
The New command allows the user to create
a new fi le, such as a drawing (DWG) fi le. The
Open command is used to open an existing
fi le. The Close command is used to close the
currently active fi le. The Save command allows
the user to save the latest changes in the fi le
from RAM storage to a more permanent
location, such as the hard drive or a portable
media device. When fi rst saving a fi le with the
Save command, the user is prompted for a fi le
name and location.
Ribbon tabs
Ribbon
Coordinate display
Command line
Coordinate axes
Toolbar
Palette
Drawing area
Autodesk, Inc.
Figure 7-4. A typical CAD program drawing display. Commands can be accessed in a variety of ways to suit the
user’s needs.
Hewlett-Packard Company
Figure 7-5. Plotters produce hard copy from CAD
drawing files.
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.