AutoCAD 2008 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) [Paperback]

David Byrnes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0470116501 | ISBN-13: 978-0470116500

• A gentle, humorous introduction to this fearsomely complex software that helps new users start creating 2D and 3D technical drawings right away
• Covers the new features and enhancements in the latest AutoCAD version and provides coverage of AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD's lower-cost sibling
• Topics covered include creating a basic layout, using AutoCAD DesignCenter, drawing and editing, working with dimensions, plotting, using blocks, adding text to drawings, and drawing on the Internet
• AutoCAD is the leading CAD software for architects, engineers, and draftspeople who need to create detailed 2D and 3D technical drawings; there are more than 5 million registered AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT users

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Discover precision techniques that increase accuracy and save time!

Explore the essentials, improve your geometry, and share your stuff

AutoCAD sets the standard for creating architectural and mechanical drawings, and it's a complex package. Well, that's where this book comes in! It takes you one step at a time through properly setting up AutoCAD® and AutoCAD LT®, drawing and editing, zooming and panning, plotting and printing, working online, and other essentials.

• Harness the text and annotation upgrades

• Set up basic drawings

• Use the drawing commands

• Zoom and pan

• Explore 3D models

• Edit hatch objects

About the Author

David Byrnes is one of those grizzled old-timers you’ll find mentioned every so often in AutoCAD 2008 For Dummies. He began his drafting career on the boards in 1979 and discovered computer-assisted doodling (you always wondered what CAD stood for, didn’t you?) shortly thereafter. He first learned AutoCAD with version 1.4, around the time when personal computers switched from steam to diesel power. Dave is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and has been an AutoCAD consultant and trainer for 15 years, in which time he has been a contributing author to ten books on AutoCAD. He teaches AutoCAD and other computer graphics applications at Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design and British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver. Dave was the technical editor for four AutoCAD For Dummies and two AutoCAD LT For Dummies titles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (April 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470116501
• ISBN-13: 978-0470116500
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #89 in Books > Computers & Technology > Graphic Design > CAD

More About the Author

David Byrnes is one of those grizzled old-timers you'll find mentioned every so often in AutoCAD 2009 For Dummies. He began his drafting career on the boards in 1979 and discovered computer-assisted doodling (you always wondered what CAD stood for, didn't you?) shortly thereafter. He first learned AutoCAD with version 1.4, around the time when personal computers switched from steam to diesel power. Dave is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and has been an AutoCAD consultant and trainer since 1988, since which he has been a contributing author to ten books on AutoCAD. He teaches AutoCAD and other computer graphics applications at Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design and British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver. Dave has been with the AutoCAD For Dummies series for longer than he cares to remember. He was technical editor for four AutoCAD For Dummies and two AutoCAD LT For Dummies titles and then coauthor of two more AutoCAD For Dummies editions. AutoCAD 2009 For Dummies is his second outing as a solo act.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended, October 16, 2007

By 

Martinez (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: AutoCAD 2008 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) (Paperback)

Since deciding to become a CAD goddess, I've found reviews for 2008 CAD books in short supply so here you go ...

CAD For Dummies is in all truth a book for beginners, more experienced users may be able to profit by the tidbits that refer to new features in this year's release and tricks but since I'm a beginner and I've found it all easy enough to understand, I don't expect it will be much more that a pleasure read for CAD veterans.

With this book you can expect to become familiar with AutoCAD 2008. You will get comfortable with it, you'll know what the buttons are for, what the tools do and what the program's overall capabilities are. In other words, you'll be proficient. Not a grasshopper anymore but not quite a master. It prepares you to tackle more specialized books in whatever field (architectural, electrical, mechanical, 3d, etc) you're interested in with a great set of honed skills and a reasonable amount of confidence. It's an excellent foundation on which to build.

A couple of other things I'd like to mention are the awesome icons that can be found throughout the book, they serve to point out crucial information that you shouldn't forget, useful techie stuff, tips to make your AutoCAD life easier and how to avoid horrible-pull-your-hair-out-in-desperation-mistakes. Lastly, there are really no exercises, I'm a hands on kind of chick, I wanted to be drawing right away. So my solution to this was to buy another book to supplement this deficency and I'm happy to say that AutoCAD 2008: No Experience Required is as well in the awesome side. I'll be reviewing it soon.

Now, CAD For Dummies is not a CAD Bible (thank goodness), it doesn't tell you everything and at times it refers you to AutoCAD's Help features (very convenient). In my experience "Bible" books are more in the nature of a very overwhelming, unreadable, unliftable reference tool. And they don't tell you what you need to know as a beginner, they are manuals to a program.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Autocad 2008 for Dummies, January 17, 2008

By 

Donald G. Legradi (Pa.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: AutoCAD 2008 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) (Paperback)

Much better than help in Autocad.It doesn't give you 1000 options then, lead you nowhere like help. Easy reading. Straight to the point.

This is the 3rd one I have read. I had Autocad 14 & 2000 also.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AutoCAD 2008 for dummies, July 9, 2010

By 

Dave - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: AutoCAD 2008 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) (Paperback)

I wanted to learn AutoCAD 2008 quickly for using at work. This book provides an excellent source of easy to understand instructions on how to effectively use AutoCAD 2008. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn how to use AutoCAD 2008.