Autodesk 00308-011408-9F30A User Guide - Page 22

You are probably familiar with "paint" and "draw" programs that are common on personal computers. A paint program creates an image by assigning colors to each dot in a rectangular array of dots. A draw program creates an image by defining objects mathematically. A line, for example, is a specific pattern of dots in a paint program. In a draw program, a line may have properties such as color, width, style, and so on, but in its simplest form, it has a startpoint and an endpoint. AutoSketch is similar to an ordinary draw program, but it goes a few steps further. It allows you to work with the actual (world) sizes of the objects you draw whether those objects are miles, millimeters, or microns across. It also allows you to zoom in or out of your drawing almost without limit. And during all of this, it keeps track of the scale of your drawing, showing you exactly how it will appear when printed. But there is more to a AutoSketch drawing than the way it looks. Underlying each drawing is a database-a series of predefined and user-defined properties that you can use as a basis for selecting entities, generating reports, and exporting information to other Windows applications. For example, by assigning properties to a line, you can record the fact that it represents a halfinch cold water pipe located under the master bedroom. The ability to store and recall database information makes AutoSketch a powerful tool for organizing graphic and textual information. In this brief chapter, you will learn about the special concepts on which AutoSketch is based. Reading it helps you understand how AutoSketch works and makes it easier for you to become productive. 12 | Chapter 2 Important Concepts