Welcome to CADVANTAGE’s No Nonsense, Quick Start, Click by Click tutorial for Architectural Desktop (ADT).

This tutorial is part of the CAD-CAM @ Home scheme currently available in the city of Aurangabad in India.

Two Goodwill Gesture lessons are provided in this document.

Lesson 1 : Introduction to Program Interface and Viewing Commands.
Lesson 2 : 3D Modeling with ADT.

The intention of this tutorial is not to teach ADT but to help crack the ice, aid new users get familiar and Up and Running with ADT.
For Remaining lessons as listed in the detailed syllabus below, you may enroll for the
CAD++ [ CAD @ Home ] program at :

CADVANTAGE ( where AutoCAD is taught FREE )
C 2 - 6, N 7, CIDCO,
Opp. Onkar Gas, Behind Swamikripa STD,
Aurangabad 431003
India
Ph : 0240 - 480767
Email : CadGuruCool@yahoo.com
Webpage : www.geocities.com/CadGuruCool


Index


1. ADT Detailed Syllabus
2. Introduction to Program Interface and Viewing Commands
3. 3D Modeling with ADT


Detailed Course Contents
Achitectural Desktop

Introduction to Architectural Desktop
Creating Floor Plans
Advanced Wall Features
Placing Doors and Windows
Creating Roofs
Stairs and Railings
Using and Creating Symbols
Annotating the Drawing
Creating Elevations and Sections
Creating Mass Models
Creating Complex Models
Creating Spaces and Boundaries
Drawing Commercial Structures

FREE - 1034 pages Autodesk Press book on ADT by William Wyatt


Tutorial 1 : Introduction to Software Interface and Viewing Commands

Step 1

Observe the ADT interface shown besides which is all AutoCAD (+ four new menus).

ADT works entirely within the AutoCAD environment.

It is strongly recommended that you complete the AutoCAD tutorial first.

Download the AutoCAD tutorial from
www.geocities.com/CadGuruCool/Tutorial.htm

Step 2


To start using the viewing commands, open the ADTtut.dwg file found in the zip archieve that contained this document.
In case of unavailability of the file, either download it from
www.geocities.com/CadGuruCool/Tutorial.htm
or skip this tutorial entirely, complete Tutorial 2 where you learn how to create an ADT model and come back and complete this tutorial.

Step 3


Click the 3D Orbit tool on the Standard toolbar.

a large green circle with four small circles appear.

Click inside the small green circle at 1 or 2 as shown in figure, and press & drag. The model will orbit about its center in a horizontal direction (about an imaginary vertical axis).

Similarly, click inside the small green circle at 3 and 4 as shown in figure and press & drag. The model will orbit about its center in a vertical direction (about an imaginary horizontal axis).

Try clicking anywhere inside the big circle but away from the smaller circles, the model will orbit about both axes.

Step 4


Issue the command View > 3D Views > Top. The top view of the house will be displayed.

Issue the command View > Shade > 2D Wireframe

2D sketch plan of the house will be displayed, as opposed to just the top view of the 3D objects as in AutoCAD 3D.

Here lies the basic difference between AutoCAD 3D and ADT.

More such astounding differences are to follow in this and the next tutorial.

So, keep reading on...

Tutorial 2 : 3D Modeling with ADT

Step 1

We want to design a house as shown on the right.
Step 2

AutoCAD allows you to draw shapes and extrude them. Extrusion is like squeezing a toothpaste tube. The end of the toothpaste tube is round, so the toothpaste comes out as a round cylinder.
Similarly, you can create circles, rectangles, etc. and extrude them to create solid ojects.

But ADT allows you to draw walls directly and create doors and windows in them without resorting to extrusion and boolean operations like union or subtract.
Step 3

To begin, create the shape similar to the one shown in figure with a line or a polyline.

Dimensions are not important.
Step 4

Issue the command Design > Walls > Convert to Walls...

Select all the lines and press Enter.

At the next prompt, press Enter to accept Y.

The Wall Properties dialog box appears.

Click OK

The lines (or polylines) are converted to walls

Your drawing should now appear similar to the one shown in the figure besides.
Step 5

Issue the command Design > Doors > Add Doors...

Cliclk at point 1 and point 2 as shown in figure.

Press Enter when you are done.

Doors appear.
Step 6

Issue the command Design > Windows > Add Windows...

Cliclk at point 3 and point 4 as shown in figure.

Press Enter when you are done.

Windows appear.
Step 4

Your drawing should now appear similar to the one shown in the figure besides.
Step 5

Using the AutoCAD Move command, try moving one of the doors or windows with Ortho - ON. When the door shifts to the new place, a new cavity is created and the void in the earlier position is automatically filled up.
Step 6

Using the Design > Roofs > Add Roofs... click at points 1 to 6 to create a roof.
Step 7

Using the AutoCAD Offset command, offset walls as shown in the figure.
Step 8

Using the AutoCAD Trim command, trim walls as shown in the figure.
Step 9

Using the AutoCAD Extend command, extend walls as shown in the figure.
Step 10

Note that layers with names A-Door, A-Roof, A-Wall, etc are automatically created when creating the corresponding object types and also objetcs are placed on the appropriate layers.
Step 11

Want to dig deeper into
ADT ?

Call CADVANTAGE Now !!! Ph : 0240 - 480767 in Aurangabad.

FREE - 1034 pages Autodesk Press book on ADT by William Wyatt.

FREE - Basic course on AutoCAD