AutoCAD 14: No Experience Required (Paperback)

by David Frey (Author) "Your introduction to AutoCAD begins with a tour of the features of the AutoCAD screen..." (more)
Key Phrases: Paper Space, Endpoint Osnap, Object Snap (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The novice AutoCAD user can peruse these pages to learn the product's essential functionality by following a step-by-step project from start to finish. The direct tutorial style allows the reader instant gratification, because in no time at all, a small cabin design is started and completed. The reader will even figure out how much wood to buy! .

From the Back Cover
AutoCAD 14: No Experience Required is an introduction to the basic features and commands of AutoCAD as they are used in computer-aided architectural drafting. The essential fourteen skills are presented as an on-going tutorial in which the reader is guided through the steps necessary to create a floor plan, elevations, and other drawings that illustrate a small cabin. As you move from skill to skill, you develop this set of drawings and learn, eventually, how to dimension, place text in a drawing, link external references and print from Paper Space. An introduction to the concepts and techniques for drawing in 3D is presented in the appendix.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 660 pages
• Publisher: Sybex (February 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0782121993
• ISBN-13: 978-0782121995
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #436,985 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written, easy to follow guide for architectual Autocad., November 6, 1999

By A Customer

This reference is easy to follow for architectual drafting. If you are drawing simple box type structures this is the book for you. If you need a mechanical drafting Autocad learning reference dont buy this book. You will be disappointed. For example 12 pages are devoted to "laying out the kitchen". I suggest the author and the publisher do two things; 1) change the title of the reviewed book to Architectual-Autocad 14 and 2) write another book titled Mechanical-Autocad 14.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Architectural CAD from 0 to WOW in four weeks..., May 4, 2001

By	Patrick R. Thrush (Lexington, KY) - See all my reviews

For many years I have wanted to learn AutoCAD, but the complexity of earlier programs, and the instructional materials available made the task far too time consuming and difficult. In this book, David Frey presents a simple project which by continuing development of it cover to cover, takes an individual from the basic functions of AutoCAD R14 through 3 dimensional modeling.

Starting with a personal CAD knowledge base of zero, following Frey's lessons, I was able after about 8 hours with the book to create from scratch a basic architectural floorplan. Within four weeks, I had completed this book and was able to produce full, architectural quality construction drawings. Individual ability to create such sets will depend upon prior architectural training. But, one will most certainly be able to create simple plans, and make modifications to much more complex ones. As way of comparison, the easy to read and understand material presented here amounted to what is taught in a much more intense three month college introductory level CAD course. I give this book an A+.

A word of note. This book is written for those who are needing to aquire AutoCAD skills for architectural design, construction, or structure documentation purposes. In this respect, Frey delivers. It is not a book for mechanical engineering, or civil engineering CAD skills.

In conclusion, this work quickly provided me a comprehensive set of skills needed to assume a leadership role in historic preservation project management, cutting many months off what is normally a steep learning curve. I recommend it to anyone who needs to learn how to create or modify architectural drawings, without reserve.

Following this book, I recommend George Omura's "Mastering AutoCAD Release 14". Purchase these two together, and one will have a high quality architectural CAD training package and reference source.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction for beginners ..., March 18, 2000

By	Abu Amr "Nizzo" (Nablus- Palestine) - See all my reviews

But be aware it is for you only if you are an Arcitecht... if you use autocad for other reasons I think you should consider another one..