Chapter 1

The Basics of AutoCAD Civil 3D

Before we get into the “mastering” of AutoCAD Civil 3D, it is important to understand the basics. There are numerous dialogs, ribbons, menus, and icons to pore over. They might seem daunting at first glance, but as you use them, you will gain familiarity with their location and use. In this chapter, you will explore the interface and learn terminology that will be used throughout this book.

In addition, we will introduce the Lines and Curves commands, which offer a plethora of options for drawing lines and curves accurately.

In this chapter, you will learn to:

• Find any Civil 3D object with just a few clicks
• Modify the drawing scale and default object layers
• Modify the display of Civil 3D tooltips
• Navigate the Ribbon’s contextual tabs
• Create a curve tangent to the end of a line
• Label lines and curves