It takes some practice to get handy with AutoCAD. It doesn't hurt to have a good guide at your side to get you through the rough spots when you're practicing. AutoCAD For Dummies is an ideal companion to have when you're learning the basics of AutoCAD. It's also helpful for experienced AutoCAD users who need quick answers to their questions. Written by a former engineer and AutoCAD teacher, the book walks you through the basics of setting up projects and making simple drawings all the way up to creating 3D models. The contents include:

* Getting Started with AutoCAD - an overview of the AutoCAD interface, drawing tools, and ways to adjust your view of your work.
* Let There Be Lines - the basics of drawing with AutoCAD from using straight and curved lines to managing properties, object selection, and creating layouts
* If Drawings Could Talk - covers next step designing using text, dimensions, and plotting
* Advancing with AutoCAD - steps for using advanced AutoCAD tools including Blocks, Arrays, Xrefs, and Parametrics
* On a 3D Spree - moving your work into the world of 3D modeling
* The Part of Tens - quick tips on learning resources and system variables that simplify things