For all of you perfectionists, who want to add something extra to your AutoCAD designs, there is a solution: Photoshop. In this two part tutorial, I will demonstrate how easy it is to setup AutoCAD plotter and then import your drawings into Photoshop.


The first thing to do is to type Options in the command line. A pop up menu will appear. We then select Plot and Publish tab. From there we have to click on Add or Configure Plotters.

Figure 1 - Options Menu

We will be transferred to a new file window as shown below. 

Figure 2 - Plotter Wizard

From there we have to choose Add a plotter wizard. Click next twice.

Figure 3 - Plotter Model

Select Raster File Formats in the Manufacturers list and then select the Portable Network Graphics PNG (LZH Compression) option in the Models list as shown in Figure 3.

For the next step you have to click next twice.

In the next window select Plot to File (Figure 4) and then next.

Figure 4 - Ports

In the next step you may change the name of the plotter.

Figure 5 - Plotter Name

In the last step click finish in order to complete the process.

A very important part of any drawing is placing dimension lines, but this process must be done in a proper way. There are certain rules that has to be followed in order to highlight all the needed details to produce correct and easy to understand designs ready to be constructed. So, I am going to show you several common mistakes that are made in various situations and ways to avoid them.




5) Dimenstion lines should be placed in such a way to avoid confusion.

 7) Every dimension have to be displayed once at the best possible location.



8) When a hatch is applied, dimension lines should be placed outside the object. However, we can put the dimension line inside the hatched object but the hatch lines have to be interrupted around the number.

Figure 1 - Annotate Menu

Figure 2 - Text style menu

• Height of the text is set to 0.3
• Font style is changed to Bold.
• Apply, Set current.

Figure 3 - Selecting Single Line Text

Figure 4 - Adding Text

Figure 5 - Mission Accomplished

Figure 1 - Quick Selection icon

Figure 2 - Ground Floor

Figure 3 - Quick selection's pop up menu

Figure 4 - Selection of trees

Figure 5 - Moving trees to the proper layer

• Zoom Extents is used to zoom to all objects.
• Zoom Window is used to specify a rectangle. By specifying two opposite corners, whatever is inside the rectangle will look larger.
• Zoom all will zoom to the limits boundary.
• Zoom Previous is used to restore the previous view, up to the last ten views.
• Zoom Realtime is done by clicking the left button on the mouse and holding it. If you move forward, you are zooming in; if you move backward, you are zooming out.
• Zoom Dynamic is used with the Zoom Window first. You will see the whole drawing and your current place (shown as a dotted green line), go to the new location, and press [Enter].
• Zoom Scale is used to input a scale factor. If you type in a number less than 1, you will see the drawing smaller. If the scale factor you type in is greater than 1, you will see the drawing larger. If you put the letter x after the number (e.g., 2x) the scale will be relative to the current view.
• Zoom Centre is used to specify a new centre point for the zooming, along with a new height.
• Zoom Object is used to zoom to certain selected objects. AutoCAD will ask you to select objects and the selected objects will fill the screen.
• Zoom In is not really a zoom option, but rather a programmed option equal to the Zoom Scale with a scale factor of 2x.
• Zoom Out is just like Zoom In, but with a zoom factor of 0.5x.

2D Line

Polar System

3D Lines