Creating a Personalized Titleblock – Landscape Metric A4 (letter size)

Purpose

• The purpose of a prototype drawing is to minimize the need to establish settings each time you begin a new drawing and to have a personalized Titleblock.

• When starting any new drawing we need to setup the type of UNITS (metric, imperial, architectural, etc.) together with the precision of the units, the LIMITS of the drawing (how big it will be), the GRID and SNAP settings, and the LAYERS you will need.

Starting the Drawing         Back to top

1. Load AutoCad 2016.  

Setting up the type of UNITS for the drawing and the Precision

2. From the AutoCad Application menu  select Drawing Utilities then Units: 

Setting up size LIMITS for the Drawing         Back to top

3. Limits are no longer absolutely necessary but will make it easier when zooming out.
4. Note: Without Limits you will need to Regenerate (RE) the drawing to zoom out further.

• In the Command line type Limits

Follow the command prompts at the bottom of the screen and enter the Lower Left x,y coordinates as 0,0 (no spaces) and the Upper Right coordinates as 300, 230.  

Note:  Notice the brackets  “<0.00,0.00>” if you hit enter you will enter 0,0 without having to type it in.

• To adjust your screen to the new limits type Z (for zoom) then hit Enter, and type A (for all) then hit Enter

• Note: You will not see any change.

Setting up the GRID and SNAP

5. Select either the Snap or Grid toggle button at the bottom of the screen and select Settings.

6. In the DRAFTING SETTINGS

• Turn on the GRID (√) and set it to 10.
• Turn on the SNAP and set it to 5.
• Note: You can toggle on and off both the grid and snap by select the appropriate toggle button.

Setting up the LAYERS needed for your drawing         Back to top

7. The next step is to establish layers.  

• From the Layers toolbar select Layer Properties. 

• Note: You may notice that there is the “O” layer already created and you may notice later on that a “Defpoints” layer is automatically created: 
• The “0” and the “Defpoints” layer are special layers that you normally do not draw on.  
• Note: The 0 (zero) layer is a special layer that is usually used to draw blocks (items that are used over and over such as a light switch symbol in architectural drawings).  When you bring a block in that has been created on the “0” layer it will take on the properties of the layer you are currently working on (the current layer).  All drawings have a “0” layer and it can not be renamed or deleted.
• Note: The Defpoint layer is created automatically the first time a dimension is created in a drawing.

• To create new layers click NEW , then type in BORDER.  

• Do the same for CENTER, DIMENSIONS, HIDDEN, OBJECT, TEXT, and VIEWPORT.  

8. While still in the Layer Properties window select each layer individually and set the COLOR and the LINETYPE as above.  

• COLOR

• Note: You will have to use only the named colors

• LINETYPE 

• Note: You will have to LOAD...  some linetypes (hidden and center).

NOTE: Use the specified colours and linetypes only!!!

NOTE: The layer Defpoints may of appeared in the layer list – this layer is automatically created if certain commands are used.

9. Go to the Application Menu .

• Select SAVEAS.
• Navigate to the drafting_a and Term_1 folder.
• Then save as: TITLEBLOCK-Metric-A4.  

10. Save often if you do not wish to redo work!

Creating Your Titleblock         Back to top

1. Now it is time to draw the cut-line for an A4 size (METRIC LETTER SIZE) drawing sheet.  From Layers click on the BORDER layer to set it to the current layer.  

2. Select the F12 key if needed to turn off the Dynamic Input.

3. From the Draw toolbar pick Line .  At the command prompt, using the absolute coordinate entry method, type the following to draw a continuous line:

• NOTE: Hit the F12 key to turn off Dynamic Input if input boxes such as  appear while drawing lines.

4. This time choose Polyline  from the Draw toolbar to draw a border line 10 units inside the cut lines, but:

                 Specify first point:         10,10

                                Specify next point:        250,10

                                Specify next point:        250,190

                                Specify next point:        10,190

                                Specify next point:        C (to close the rectangle) ← Must use C to close

5. In order to give the border a thickness of 1.5 units, type in PEDIT (for polyline edit) then select the polyline and choose Width (Type W) and enter the thickness of 1.5 units.

11. Create a personalized Title Block with lines to separate your LOGO and TITLE:, NAME:, DATE:, ASSIGNMENT:, SCALE: and BLOCK: sections as follows:  

• Draw lines  as follows (see the pictures below):

• With the GRID and SNAP  on (toggle buttons at the bottom of the screen) the cursor will snap every 5mm.  
• Snap up 15mm from the left bottom side of the polyline and draw the 15mm long horizontal line to complete the left logo box.
• Draw the right logo box.
• Draw the horizontal line up 10mm between the boxes.
• Then draw the horizontal lines to complete the title block sections.

12. You may wish to  FILLET (round) the corners (see Modify toolbar).  After selecting Fillet type R to input the Radius and then try 10 or similar size.

• Note: To use the Fillet you must click on each of the 2 lines separately that want to have the end filleted (such as the Top & Left side or Top & Right Side).

13. Go to the FILE pull-down then SAVE.  Save often if you do not wish to redo work!

Creating Your Titles and Text         Back to top

14. Type in the titles for each section (TITLE:, NAME:, ASSIGNMENT:, COMPANY, DATE, SCALE:, and BLOCK:) as follows:

• Change to the TEXT layer.

• Under the Annotation toolbar select the down arrow  of the Multiline Text button and then select Single Line.

• Click on the top left line in each section and type in the proper Heading text with a height of 1.5

• Note: You need to hit enter twice when finished typing in your text each time.

• Select all of the Headings and move them down and over as shown below.

• Note: You will need to turn off the toggle buttons at the bottom
• Note: Your text should not touch the titleblock lines.

• Use the same method for the for the filled in information but give it a height of 2.5.  

• Use the same method for your Company Name but give it a height of 5.

• Note: YOUR COMPANY NAME should be replaced with your own Designer, Architect, Interior Designer, Engineer or Drafter company name – be creative and appropriate.

• See the Text Style section below to create your own text style for your company name.

Creating Your Own Text Style         Back to top

1. To change the font of text entered – go to the Annotation toolbar and select the down arrow , select .

2. Select New style with what Style Name you want.

• With the new style highlighted make changes to the Font etc. but Note: Leave the Height at 0.0000, so when you use this style it will ask for you to input the height.

3. To change existing text to the new font style or change the size, width, etc.:

• Select the text.
• Then select the Properties arrow

• Which opens the Properties window.

• In the Properties window you can change the Style, Height, Width, etc.:

• Under Style – you can change to the new style you created.
• Under Height – you can change the text height
• Under Width Factor – you can change how wide the text (0.75 is 75% of the height)
• Note: The Date in your Titleblock will not fit therefore change your Width Factor to 0.70 for all the Filled in Information so it will be only 70% of the original width.

Creating Your Own Logo         Back to top

1. Design and draw a logo of your own design in the drawing area of you titleblock that will identify you as a Designer, Architect, Interior Designer, Engineer or Drafter.  

• Logo must show effort, and yours must be drawn using AutoCad!!!
• Logos tend to be related to a product or organization.
• Keep your Logo simple as the fine details will be lost in the small printing / plotting of your drawings.
• Refer to the phone book, magazines, and Internet for examples.
• Try playing with your initials and geometric shapes – avoid creating detailed pictures.
• Sample Logos – Note: Yours must be drawn using AutoCad!!!

2. Copy your logo to the other box or create a different logo for the 2nd box.

3. SAVE  your drawing to save the settings.  Save often if you do not wish to redo work!

Moving Your Titleblock to Layout View (Paper Space)         Back to top

Creating a Block

1. Under the Block toolbar select Create Block.

• Note: Making a block stores all the information for your group of objects as one object.
• Give your block the name: your First Intial Lastname – such as ksmith for Kelly Smith).
• Click the Select Objects button and make a crosses box to select all of your titleblock.
• By default the Base Point will be at 0,0 – which is the bottom left corner of the titleblock.

3. SAVE  your drawing to save the settings.  Save often if you do not wish to redo work!

Inserting the Block of Your Titleblock         Back to top

1. Left click on the Layout1 tab (Paper Space).

2. Right click on the Layout1 tab and select Rename and change the name to Letter-Metric

3. Right click on this Letter-Metric tab and select Page Setup Manager then select Modify.

• On the Page Setup window select the correct printer.
• Change from Inches to MM (Millimeters).
• Leave paper size at “Letter” and make sure Scale is at “1:1”
• NOTE: Re-check all data entered before selecting OK because data will change depending on the order that you change the settings.

4. Now you can Insert the Block you made of your titleblock that you called your First Intial Lastname – such as ksmith for Kelly Smith) into the Layout View (Paper Space).

• Go to the Block toolbar and select Insert.

• Select More Options, not the block that is visible, so you have access to the Insert settings.

• Your LOGIN NAME will most likely already be in the Name field if not use the down arrow to select it.
• Uncheck the Specify On-screen box
• Change the X: from 0.00 to 5.00.
• Check the Explode box to have the Titleblock returned to separate objects.

5. Now it is time to create a new Viewport box:

• Change to the Viewport Layer.

• At the Command line type in Mview (for make view) and hit Enter.

• Click outside the top corner of the page edge then the opposite bottom corner to create the Viewport.

• You should now see 2 Titleblocks

• Change to Model Space and delete the titleblock here.

• Change back to Letter-Metric Layout (or Paper Space) and you should now only have 1 Titleblock

6. SAVE  your drawing to save the settings.  Save often if you do not wish to redo work!

Setting Up Dimensioning         Back to top

1. Change to Model Space.

2. Left click on the Annotation toolbar and select the Dimension Style icon (you may need to double click).

3. Select the MODIFY icon.

4. Setup the dimensioning as indicated below; notice the many variations possible for later use.

5. Select OK when finished all the modifications, then select Set Current and Close.

6. SAVE  your drawing to save the settings.  Save often if you do not wish to redo work!

Setting Up Dimensioning – Multi Leader Style         Back to top

7. Now left click on the Annotation toolbar and select the Multi Leader Style icon (you may need to double click).

8. Select the MODIFY button.

9. Setup the dimensioning as indicated below; notice the many variations possible for later use.

10. Select OK when finished all the modifications, then select Set Current and Close.

11. SAVE  your drawing to save the settings.  Save often if you do not wish to redo work!

Printing / Plotting Your Drawing         Back to top

1. Switch to Letter-Metric Layout tab (Paper Space).

2. Select the AutoCad Application menu , then select Print.

3. Select the correct Printer or Plotter.

• Setup the following settings:

• Paper Size – Letter
• Plot Scale

• Scale 1:1
• mm 

• Plot Area – Layout 
• Note: Always select Preview to see if that is what you want to print / plot.
• If the preview is correct then right click and select plot, if not select exit and check the settings.

4. SAVE  your drawing to save the print / plot settings.

5. Hand in your drawing to the instructor for marking.

Back to top

Congratulations you now have a personalized drawing sheet you can use over and over.

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