Templates
Sacramento City College
Engineering Design Technology
Templates
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Objectives
 After
completing this chapter, you will be able
to do the following:
 Start
a new drawing.
 Save a drawing under a different name.
 Specify how often your work is automatically
saved.
 Save AutoCAD drawings for older releases.
 Open a saved drawing.
 Search for AutoCAD files.
 Manage drawings in the Multiple Design
Environment (MDE).
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Objectives
 Use
the CLOSE and EXIT commands.
 Adjust grid and snap settings.
 Select linear and angular units and precision.
 Set the model space drawing limits.
 Create a template drawing.
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Templates
 New
drawings are typically created using
templates.
 Templates
 allow
you to start a new drawing with preset
drawing aids and objects.
 Store settings and graphics content
 Many
templates are provided with AutoCAD,
and you can also create custom templates.
 Templates can be incredible productivity
boosters.
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Starting A New Drawing
 AutoCAD
 comes
with standard template files that meet
industry standards.
 Custom templates allow you to use an
existing drawing as a starting point for any
new drawing.
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Starting A New Drawing
 This
capability is extremely valuable for
ensuring that everyone in a department,
class, school, or company uses the same
standards within their drawings.
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Starting A New Drawing
 Templates
usually have values for the
following drawing elements:
 Standard
layouts with a border and title block.
 Grid and snap settings.
 Units and angle values.
 Text standards and general notes.
 Dimensioning styles.
 Layer definitions.
 Plot styles.
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Starting a New Drawing
 To
start a drawing, select
 New...
from the File pull-down menu,
 enter NEW at the Command: prompt, or
 use the [Ctrl]+[N] key combination.
 This displays the Select template dialog box,
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Starting a New Drawing
 The
Select template dialog box
 lists
the templates found in the default
template folder.
 A variety of templates conforming to accepted
industry standards are included with
AutoCAD.
 Templates have a .dwt extension, which
stands for drawing template.
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Starting a New Drawing

If you just want to open a blank file, use
 the
acad.dwt template for English settings or
 the acadiso.dwt template for metric settings.
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Templates
 Drawing
templates
 Store
standard drawing settings and objects.
 All settings and contents of the template are
included in the new drawing.
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Templates
 Templates
 Can
be an incredible productivity booster.
 New templates can easily be created.
 Any
custom template can use an existing
drawing as a starting point for a new drawing.
 Templates
allow everyone to use the same
standards within their drawings.
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Templates
 Starting
a drawing with a template
 File
 New
 Select
template
 AutoCAD
comes with many templates
 Templates
have a .dwt file extension
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Creating Templates
 In
most companies
 Standard
borders and title blocks are used in
all drawings.
 The use of templates, saves drawing setup
time.
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Creating Templates
 When
a template is used
 All
drawing settings in the template are
applied to your new drawing.
 It is easy to add additional items and settings
to your own custom template.
 Layers,
logos, plot styles, dimension styles, etc.
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Drawing Sheet Sizes
 Sheet
sizes are standardized.
 ANSI
 American National Standards Institute
 ASME
 American
 have
Society of Mechanical Engineers
established the standard sheet sizes.
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Standard Drawing Sheet Sizes
 8.5
A
B
C
D
E
x 11 series
8.5 x 11
11 x 17
17 x 22
22 x 34
34 x 44
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Standard Drawing Sheet Sizes
9
x 12 series
A
B
C
D
E
9 x 12
12 x 18
18 x 24
24 x 36 (most common arch size)
36 x 48
 Sheet
sizes are based on the smallest size.
 Subsequent sizes are derived by “keeping the
large dimension and doubling the small
dimension.”
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Standard Drawing Sheet Sizes
 Metric
sizes
 A0
 A1
 A2
 A3
 A4
841 x 1189
594 x 841
420 x 594
297 x 420
297 x 210
 Sheet
sizes are based on the largest size.
 Subsequent sizes are derived by “cutting the
previous sheet in 1/2.”
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Creating Your Own Template
 Use
a drawing template when
 Multiple
drawings need the same setup.
 When
template settings are complete, use the
SAVEAS command to save the drawing
template.
 Select Template for the File type.
 Select
folder location.
 Specify English or Metric measurements.
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Creating Your Own Templates
 Drawing
Units
 Decimal
 Inches
or millimeters
 Normally used on mechanical drawings for
manufacturing.
 Engineering
 Often

used in Civil Engineering
Maps, plot plans, dams, bridge construction and topography
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Creating Your Own Templates
 Drawing
Units
 Architectural
 Measurements
in feet, inches and fractional
inches.
 Fractional
 Any
fractional part of any common unit of measure.
 Scientific
 Very
large, or very small units
 Chemical engineering, or astronomy
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Creating Your Own Templates
 Angular
settings
 Degrees
 Degrees/Minutes
 Gradients
 Radians
 Surveyor’s
Units
Templates
45o
45o0’0”
50.000g
0.785r
N 45d E
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Creating Your Own Templates
 SNAP
and GRID settings
 DSETTINGS
 DS
 SE
 Right-click
GRID or SNAP buttons
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Creating Your Own Templates
 GRID/SNAP
settings
 Most
effective setting.
 An equal X Y setting
 Set equal to the lowest or near lowest
increment of the majority of the dimensions.
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Sheet Sets
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Sheet Sets
A
sheet set is a collection of drawing
sheets for a project.
 The
term sheet refers to a drawing produced
for the project.
 In AutoCAD, sheets are created on layout
tabs in a drawing file.
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Sheet Sets
 All
of the sheets in a sheet set can use a
single template.
 The template can contain a title block with
attributes containing fields.
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Sheet Sets
 The
field values may include items such as
 project
name and sheet number.
 If the project name changes during the course
of the project, the field can be modified in the
template, and
 the change is automatically applied to all
sheets within the set.
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Sheet Sets
 If
a new sheet is inserted into a sheet set, the
sheet numbers and all sheet references
update automatically.
 This automation can save a great deal of time
and improve the accuracy of the set of
drawings.
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Sheet Sets
 Once
the sheet set is complete, you can
easily print, publish, and archive the entire
set in a single operation.
 This is very efficient.
 For
example, it is far easier to plot a sheet set
containing twenty sheets than to open and
plot twenty separate drawings.
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Sheet Sets
 Sheet
sets are created, organized, and
accessed using the Sheet Set Manager.
 To open the Sheet Set Manager
 pick
the Sheet Set Manager button on the
Standard Annotation toolbar,
 select Tools >Palettes >Sheet Set Manager,
 type SSM or SHEETSET, or
 use the [Ctrl]+[4] key combination.
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Sheet Sets
 The
window is divided into three tabs:
 Sheet
List
 Sheet Views
 Model Views.
 The Sheet Set Control drop-down list at the top of
the Sheet Set Manager is used to open and create
sheet sets.
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Sheet Set Manager
 The
buttons next to the drop-down list control and
manage the items listed in the Sheet Set Manager
window.
 These buttons vary depending on the currently
selected tab.
 The area at the bottom of the window (labeled
Details or Preview) shows a text description or
preview image of a selected sheet or view.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 Sheet
sets are created with the Create
Sheet Set wizard.
 This
wizard can be accessed
 from
within the Sheet Set Manager by picking New
Sheet Set... from the Sheet Set Control drop-down
list.
 The Create Sheet Set wizard can also be
accessed by selecting File > New Sheet Set... from
the pull-down menu.
 Sheet
sets can be created from an example
sheet set or from existing drawing files.
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Creating a Sheet Set from an
Example Sheet Set
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Creating Sheet Sets
 When
you create a new sheet using an
example sheet set, you
 select
an existing sheet set as a model, and
 then modify it as needed to fit the needs of
the new sheet set.
 AutoCAD
provides several example sheet
sets based on different drafting
disciplines.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 You
are not limited to the examples
provided—you can use any existing sheet
set as an example sheet set.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 To
create a new sheet set from an
example sheet set,
 open
the Sheet Set Manager
 select New Sheet Set... from the Sheet Set
Control drop-down list
 This opens the Create Sheet Set wizard.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 This
wizard steps you through the process of
creating a sheet set.
 The Begin page of the Create Sheet Set
wizard provides two options.
 An
example sheet set
 Existing drawings
 Pick
 to
the Next button
display the Sheet Set Example page.
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Creating Sheet Sets
Sheet set information is saved in a DST file
(sheet set data file).
 The list box on the Sheet Set Example page

 lists
all DST files in the default Template folder.
 Pick one of these sheet sets
 or
 Pick
the Browse to another sheet set to use as an
example radio button and
 then select the ellipsis (...) button and
 use the dialog box to locate a DST file in another
folder.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 Select
the DST file for the example sheet set,
 Pick the Next button
 Displays the Sheet Set Details page.
 This page allows you to
 modify
the existing sheet set data and
 create settings for your new project.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 Enter
the name, or title, of the sheet set
 typically
the project number or a short
description of the project.
 A description for the sheet set can be entered
in the Description area.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 Picking
the Sheet Set Properties button opens
the Sheet Set Properties dialog box.
 The main settings for the sheet set are
specified in this dialog box.
 There are four sections:
 Sheet
Set
 Project Control
 Sheet Creation, and
 Sheet Set Custom Properties.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 The
settings in the Sheet Set section are:
 Name.

Contains the sheet set name entered in the Name of new sheet
set text box of the Sheet Set Details page.
 Sheet
set data file.
 Shows
the location of the DST file, specified in the
Store sheet set data file (.dst) here text box of the
Sheet Set Details page.
 Description.
 Contains
the description of the sheet set entered in
the Description area of the Sheet Set Details page.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 Model
view.
 Specifies
the folder(s) containing drawing files that
are used for the sheet set.
 Label
block for views.
 Specifies
 Callout
blocks.
 Specifies
 Page
the block used to label views.
blocks available for use as callout blocks.
setup overrides file.
 Specifies
the location of an AutoCAD template file
(DWT file) containing a page setup to be used to
override the existing sheet layout settings.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 All
of these settings except Sheet set data
file can be changed by picking in the
textbox to activate it.
 When file locations are required, the
ellipsis (...) button appears. Picking this
button allows you to navigate to the
location you want to specify.
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Creating Sheet Sets
 The
properties in the Project Control
section allow you to store and update
information based on the current project.
The properties in the Sheet Creation
section determine the location for the
drawing files for new sheets and the
template used to create them.
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 When
a new sheet is added to a sheet set,
AutoCAD creates a new drawing file based
on the template and layout specified in
the Sheet creation template setting. The
folder path in the Sheet storage location
field determines where the new file is
saved. It is important to specify the
correct location so you know where the
files are being saved.
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 When
selecting the Sheet creation
template value, you must specify both a
template file and a layout. To modify this
setting, pick in the text box and then pick
the ellipsis (...) button. This displays the
Select Layout as Sheet Template dialog
box.
 All layouts in the selected template are
displayed in the list box. Select the layout
and then pick OK.
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 If
the value in the Prompt for template
field is set to No, the template layout
specified in the Sheet creation template
field is automatically used when a new
sheet is created. This is the default
setting. If the field value is set to Yes, you
can select a different layout when creating
a new sheet.
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 Information
specific to the project can be
set up in the Sheet Set Custom Properties
 section. This topic is described later in this
chapter.
 Once all the values in the Sheet Set
Properties dialog box are set, pick OK.
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 This
returns you to the Sheet Set Details
page. Pick the Next button to continue
creating the new sheet set.
 The Sheet Set Preview area on the
Confirm page displays all of the
information associated with the sheet set.
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 See
Figure 29-7. In the example shown, a
 sheet set named Building Project has been
created. This sheet set contains a number
of subsets related to the project, such as
General and Architectural. After the sheet
set is created, sheets can be added to
each subset.
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 After
reviewing the information on the
Confirm page, pick the Finish button to
 create the sheet set. If a setting needs to
be changed, use the Back button.
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 Professional
Tip:
 The information in the Sheet Set Preview area
can be copied to a word processing program
to be saved or printed. To do this, high light all
of the text and then use the [Ctrl]+[C] key
combination. Open a new document in the
word processing program and then use the
[Ctrl]+[V] key combination to paste the text
into the document.
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 When
you pick the Finish button, the
sheet set data file is saved to the specified
location. The sheet set can then be
opened in the Sheet Set Manager. Since a
sheet set is not associated with a
particular drawing file, any sheet set can
be opened, regardless of the open
drawing file.
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 Creating
a Sheet Set from Existing
Drawing Files
 You can use existing drawings to create a
sheet set. Layouts are imported from
 the drawingfiles to create the sheets. Each
layout in the drawings becomes a
separate
 sheet.
 Whencreating a sheet set in this manner,
organize all files used
in the projectin 63
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 boxes
next to Furniture.dwg and its
layouts have been unchecked, so they will
not be
 included in the sheet set. Unchecking a
drawing file automatically unchecks all of
 the layouts within it. If the folder is
unchecked, all of the layouts in the
drawing files
 are unchecked. More folders can be added
to the Choose Layouts page by using the
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