Totally New User - 1 Very Basic Question

[aduetto]

I just d/l DS. I'm lost! FYI, I'm a hobbyist coming from a 1998 version of Vellum, which does not run on 32+ bit machines. The couple of tutorials I've looked at seem to entail drawing something sort of free form, then going over many commands. But they don't really show me how to draw a part to dimension.

I'm looking for something that would teach/show me how to draw a part to specific measurements. I understand I can specify a dimension for a line, good. But suppose I have a rectangle representing a shaft. How would I draw an internal part a specific distance from 2 sides? My old software had a quick way to place temporary "construction" lines that made it easy to place a part.

Sorry for being wordy, with such a basic question. If you have a BASIC tutorial to recommend I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

 

[MikeHalloran]

I'd suggest starting with an old copy of "Inside AutoCAD" or similar tutorial.
Draftsight works sort of like AutoCAD, which does not work much like Vellum.

Draftsight does have construction lines, which I never really figured out,
and fairly intelligent 'object snaps' (that's the AC term), which I use extensively.
I do my own construction lines in a yellow layer called 'const', that's set to not print.
I do most of my object construction in the same layer, then use the properties box to change the object lines to a printable layer.

ISTR DS has a 'rectangle' command, which accepts a mouse click as a starting point, then you can specify the other corner as '@+x,+y', in AutoCAD grammar. The rectangle then has 'grips' if you click on it, so you can stretch it, just like in AC.

DS also has a few undocumented 3D primitives like 'extrude', but no 3D Booleans, so clearly there's a 3D core in there somewhere, but it's crippled so as not to compete with Solidworks.






Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[aduetto]

Thanks for the suggestion Mike, I'll look for the book.

 

[felix7502]

What about using OFFSET?

 

[aduetto]

I haven't gotten to that command yet. I was hoping that my limited background with Vellum would let me get a simple drawing going, but it seems not. I'm starting to look at the DS Youtube tutorials and did find, and ordered, an old copy of the book Mike suggested. Looks like I just have to invest time to get a basic understanding and build on that.

Thanks all!

 

[felix7502]

Also,

http://www.3ds.com/fileadmin/PRODUCTS/DRAFT_SIGHT/PDF/GETTING-STARTED-GUIDE.pdf

Sylvia

 

[DiegoLGraves]

http://www.computeraideddesignguide.com/getting-started-with-draftsight/

or other online tutorials.

My old AutoCAD 2000 book was helpful for commands too.

 

[aduetto]

Thanks for the help folks. I did get a copy of the Autocad book Mike suggested and it is helping.

I started playing with the OFFSET command, and it does do something similar to a technique I use with the old program..

Now I have to go back to DS's Help Instruction to clarify how to set up the initial page/screen dimensions. This is new to me. With Vellum I could just start my drawing on the screen and have fun. It is a slow learning road when you have used a package for 20 years and change. Although many commands are very similar there are a couple of work methods that I have to relearn.

O well ... . I still have a laptop that my old 16 bit program runs on, but I'm trying to prepare for the day it dies.