Following is the list of most frequently asked AutoCAD interview questions and their best
possible answers.
1) What is AutoCAD?
AutoCAD is a software program used to design, form, and shape the 2-D and 3-D images
using a computer. AutoCAD provides a set of tools that we can use to complete a detailed
design of the product. It also provides an option to create a detailed design layout, which
can be automatically drawn using a source model. Autodesk developed this software and
first released it in 1982.
2) What are the basic requirements to run AutoCAD software?
To run AutoCAD software, the operating system of your computer should support graphic
controllers. It is free to use and can be downloaded from its official site. The AutoCAD
software is mainly used by Architects, mechanical engineers, mechanical engineering
students, etc., across the globe to design the complex infrastructure and identifies flaws
before implementing it so that they can save time and resources.
3) What are the primary uses of AutoCAD?
Architects and professionals mainly use AutoCAD to visualize the imaginary view of the
product on a computer system. In AutoCAD, you can easily use the drafter to make the
changes in the product before it gets finalized for design. It also facilitates professionals
to implement their various ideas and provide various suppliers or clients.
4) Which file format is used in the AutoCAD design?
In AutoCAD, the ".dwg" file format is used for design which provides an interchangeable
format. It is one of the most popular computer-assisted design (CAD) packages. AutoDesk
maintains the .dwg format. It is a compact binary format that stores and
describes 2D and 3D design data and metadata content.
5) In which fields you see the maximum use of AutoCAD software?
The AutoCAD software is mainly used by architects, professionals, mechanical engineers,
and builders for developing their machinery and building layouts.
6) How can you create a user interface in AutoCAD?
We can create a user interface in AutoCAD using the command prompts to draw the plots
and dialog boxes. To display the dialog boxes, use the PLOT command and the external
database commands (ASE). The setting of CMDDIA to 1 facilitates the dialog boxes to run
the command. The user interface creation also requires the command line to display the
entire file so that you can edit and customize it easily.
7) What do you understand by grips?
Grips facilitates us to edit the AutoCAD drawings in an entirely new way. You can stretch,
move, copy, rotate, scale, and mirror entities without entering any edit commands by
using grips.
8) What is the difference between CAD and CADD?
Difference between CAD and CADD:
CAD CADD
CAD is an abbreviation that stands for CADD is an abbreviation that stands for
Computer-Aided Design. Computer-Aided Design and Drafting.
CAD is software used to design 2D and 3D CADD is a subfield of engineering in
images and 3D models to examine the which we have to deal with designing and
product before implementation into reality. drafting an object.
In CAD software, we have to deal with and CADD provides an additional feature of
carry out the drafting properties manually. automated drafting property for your
design which saves time from manual
drafting.
9) What is an angular dimension?
A dimension that measures the angle between two lines or the angle inscribed by an arc
segment is called the angular dimension.
10) What is the function of vertical integration?
In AutoCAD, a vertical integration program is used to enhance the architectural design of
a 3D object. The 3D objects can consist of walls and other things associated with the data
having information and simple objects such as lines and circles. The data is programmed
in such a way that it can specify only the architectural products and the extracted files. It
can also be modified according to the requirement.
11) What do you understand by polar coordinates?
The value locating a point in space that describes its location relative to the last point is
described as polar coordinates.
12) What do you understand by aligned dimension?
The aligned dimension is a linear dimension measuring the distance between two points.
The dimension line for an aligned dimension is parallel to a line between points.
13) What is the use of variants in AutoCAD?
Uses of variants in AutoCAD:
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o AutoCAD uses a lot of variants and releases that provide capabilities to build an
application.
o AutoCAD provides 3D capability that gives fewer rises to the releases of the
applications.
o Variants are also used to increase the variations present in the application or the
package used in a particular program.
o The AutoCAD's variants also help create, visualize, and render the 3D models that
provide the 3D printing.
o Variants facilitate us to use different functionalities of the function in the
application and execute it according to the needs.
14) What are the measures that allow the drag and drop
functionality in AutoCAD?
In AutoCAD, the usage of "NOUN" and "VERB" in a dialog box allows to drag and drop
the elements. It makes the element pass from one point to another. By using the "MOVE
and ERASE," we can execute the remove or editing function.
15) How can you remove the aberration of empty layers?
There are several ways to remove the aberration of empty layers. For example, you can
remove it by using all the objects concurrently in a single place. You can also obliterate
the references to the layers or even freeze their layers. After deleting the empty layer, the
result will be created in the DXF file.
16) Apart from empty layers, is there any way to hide the specific
layers while plotting?
Yes, there are several ways to hide the specific layers while plotting. Some of them are
following:
o You can freeze the layer.
o You can turn off the layers for plotting or set up individual layers on the viewport.
o You can freeze the different layers on the viewport to hide them from the other
layers.
17) How can you draw a line more than one time and save it
automatically?
When we need to draw a new line, we have to open up a new file in a new session to write
the file. AutoCAD allows us to save multiple drawings for each session. We can save these
files by using the file extension ".dwg" and modify them using the browser.
18) Which filename extension is used to indicate a compiled text
front?
In AutoCAD, the TXT filename extension is used to indicate a compiled text front. Like
other file formats, the TXT file extension is an elementary one against the backdrop of the
design application.
19) Is AutoCAD mobile app free?
Yes, you can get the AutoCAD mobile app free version to download and use. You can
enjoy a free 7-day trial with unrestricted access to all the premium drawing, drafting, and
editing tools. For unlimited premium features, you can buy the AutoCAD mobile app
premium version by paying a fee annually from its official
website: https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad-mobile/overview?term=1-YEAR
20) Is there any free version of AutoCAD for students?
Autodesk offers a free educational version for students and teachers. This version runs on
up to two personal devices for three years, absolutely free. Let's see how you can access
the free educational version of AutoCAD.
For Educational Version
o First, go to the Autodesk Education
Community: https://www.autodesk.com/education/edu-
software/overview?sorting=featured&page=1
o Now, choose AutoCAD from the list of software.
o Create an Autodesk account. If you already have an account, sign in to your existing
Autodesk account. A prompt will appear and ask you to set up your Education
profile.
o Click the "DOWNLOAD NOW" button.
o Select your required version, your operating system, and your preferred language.
o You will get a serial number and a product key at your email address. Now, click
BROWSER DOWNLOAD.
o Now, install the free version.
o While installing the CAD software, you have to enter the serial number and product
key to unlock it.
o Activate the license when you start the program for the first time.
For Full Version
o AutoCAD offers a 30-day free trial. go to official Autodesk's website to see
this: https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad/free-trial
o Click the "Download free trial" button.
o Select your required version and then click the NEXT button.
o Read the system requirements notice and click the NEXT button.
o Choose the type of user that best fits you from the drop-down menu. Next, select
your language and then click the NEXT button.
o Enter your personal information to create an Autodesk account. If you already have
an account, sign in to your existing Autodesk account.
o Provide details of your business information, and then click the NEXT button.
o Read the Trial Notice and click the "Begin download" button.
o Install, and start using the full software free trial.
21) What are the features corrected by AutoCAD?
AutoCAD detects the difficulty and corrects it by resolving the problems with the
illustration parts. With the available option of adding extra vertices, it also adds vertices
to the poly-lines. Therefore, we can correct or neglect the errors by finding out the exact
location of the poly-line with zero vertices. Furthermore, we can delete or remove the
objects if there is no use for them later in the system.
22) How can you set up a default drawing directory in AutoCAD?
In AutoCAD, the default drawing directory has sub-directories containing the windows
commands. The applications, which will be used, are highlighted, and we can use drag
and drop features to place those applications in the default directory. We have to select
the properties for the application from the menu and display the dialog boxes on the
front.
23) What are the steps used to replace the buttons on the Toolbars
with Smiley?
AutoCAD has button icons in the toolbar and toolboxes that can be replaced with the
smiley. It provides the buttons for the template files that you can edit after customizing
the toolbars. The template files provide the changes that can cause the menu resources
and create files according to the requirements.
Follow the steps given below to use smiley instead of the buttons:
o First, open the AutoCAD menu and edit the button file using the bitmap file saved
in the support path.
o Now, move or copy the icon files that are used for different menus toolbars.
o Open the icon files according to the menus chosen.
o You will see the button properties and get an editor dialog box according to the
save as button.
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24) How can you copy a closed drawing in AutoCAD?
We can copy a closed drawing by using the designer center in AutoCAD's toolbar. We can
also use the tree view option to copy the closed drawing easily. To make any modification
in the drawing, we can use a graphical interface.
25) What do you understand by a cross-hair cursor?
A cross-hair cursor is a form of the cursor that contains a horizontal line and a vertical line
intersecting at their midpoints. It is generally used in a charting tool that allows us to
locate exact points on a chart. For example, you can use it to find the precise point on a
line chart or a Point & Figure chart and view data corresponding to that point.
26) What is the use of the MIRROR command?
The MIRROR command is used to make a copy of a selected object and flip the copy
around a specified line to produce a reciprocal image of that selected object.
27) What is the graphics window in AutoCAD?
The graphics window can be defined as the appearance of your screen when you run the
AutoCAD software. It contains the drawing area, surrounding toolbars, menu bars, the
command window, and the status bar.
28) How can you assign the keyboard characters or function keys
to AutoCAD commands?
We can easily assign the keyboard characters to AutoCAD commands by editing the
ACCELERATORS section of the AutoCAD menu file.
29) What do you understand by hatch patterns?
A pattern of lines, dots, and other shapes that fill in a closed area is called hatch patterns.
30) What is an object snap mode?
A set of tools precisely picking strategic points on an object, including endpoint, midpoint,
center, and so on, are called object snap mode. It is also called osnap.
31) What is the method to open a drawing file created with the
automatic save features?
AutoCAD files are saved with an extension of ".dwg" and will only open those files having
this extension. To open the drawing files, you have to rename them by using Explorer or
DOS prompt. If you are using EXPLORER, you have to make sure that the option of "Hide
file extensions for known file types" is not enabled. After copying the file, you can rename
and use the OPEN command to open the saved drawings.
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32) Which command is used to rotate the grid at 45 degrees in
AutoCAD?
In AutoCAD, the UCS command is used to rotate the grid at 45 degrees.
33) What will you do when command prompts appear on the
command line instead of the ASE dialog box and plot dialog box?
In AutoCAD, the CMDDIA variables are used to control the display of dialog boxes. To
enable these dialog boxes, we have to set CMDDIA to 1.
34) Which polygon command cannot draw shapes?
We cannot draw a rectangle by using the polygon command.
35) In what situation a command prompt appears instead of a
dialog box?
In AutoCAD, if a file command is imported from a script or AutoLISP/ ObjectARX/ ADSRX,
a command prompt appears instead of a dialog box.
36) How many entity colors do the AutoCAD support?
AutoCAD supports the 255 entity colors.
37) Is there any way to assign the keyboard characters or function
keys to the AutoCAD commands?
By editing the ACCELERATORS section of the AutoCAD menu file, we can assign the
keyboard characters to the AutoCAD commands.
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38) How can you make a spring, spiral, or screw thread?
We can use an AutoLISP routine such as spiral.1sp to make a spiral or screw thread. It will
create a spiral path according to our needs. Then we can use the EXTRUDE command with
a reference object, using the spiral as the path. Another way to do this is by using
Mechanical Desktop (MDT) or Autosurf by using augmented lines as a path.
39) Why is AutoCAD WS more popular among mobile users?
AutoCAD WS is a platform that offers many options for mobile application developers like
edit, view, and share. It also facilitates the mobile developers to share the application
wherever they go. They can easily download and install it from anywhere globally and
develop an application without facing any licensing problem. It also enables the users to
save the file in any format and run the application on any platform with ease.
40) Which filename extension is used to indicate a compiled text
front?
The TXT file extension is used to indicate a compiled text font in AutoCAD. Like other file
formats, the TXT file extension is an elementary one against the backdrop of the design
application.
