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CADTutor provides the best free tutorials and articles for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and associated applications along with a friendly community forum. If you need to learn AutoCAD, or you want to be more productive, you're in the right place. See our tip of the day to start learning right now!
Free Tutorials and More…
The Tutorials section provides over 100 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications. Michael’s Corner is an archive of productivity articles that brings you the best AutoCAD tips and tricks. Our Forum is a lively community where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Downloads area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free images.
Tutorials of the Moment
Recently viewed tutorials
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All About Shadows
This tutorial considers the various options for creating shadows when rendering 3D models. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: less than one minute ago
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Entering Survey Data using AutoCAD
These techniques apply to basic CAD programs such as AutoCAD, IntelliCAD, etc. If you have a civil/survey program or add-on, such as Land Desktop, SurvCADD, Eagle Point, etc., then there are built-in tools for entering lines and curves. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 2 minutes ago
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Direct Distance Entry
The essential way of working with AutoCAD Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 3 minutes ago
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Creating Terrain Objects
This tutorial describes a method for creating terrain objects in 3DS using contours from AutoCAD. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 4 minutes ago
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AutoCAD 2010: The User Interface - Part 1
This video tutorial takes you on a guided tour of the AutoCAD 2010 user interface. This is the best place to start for beginners. Running time: 3min 56sec Format: Video
Last visited: 5 minutes ago
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Adding Sunlight to your Drawings
This tutorial takes you through the steps required to add realistic sunlight effects to your 3D model. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 6 minutes ago
CADTutor Tutorials
Our tutorials are comprehensive but straightforward introductions to AutoCAD and related software. They are designed to help beginners get to grips with design workflows as quickly as possible. There are over 100 to choose from, some text/image based and others in video format. Whatever stage you are at in your learning, you should find a tutorial to help.
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VedaCAD - Technical Support, Updates & Community VCIDs
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CADTutor Forums
Our forum is a vibrant community of experts and beginners. The main focus is helping beginners get to grips with AutoCAD and to help more advanced users become more productive. The AutoLISP forum is one of the busiest out there, providing expert advice for busy professionals.
AutoCAD Productivity
Update the Source File Block Edits on the Tool Palette
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #139
Originally published: April 2015
Throughout the archives of Michael's Corner you will find dozens of references to tool palettes, including the key component of blocks on a tool palette: the Source File. [Coverage of the Block Source file was originally presented in March 2006.]
Scenario: You add this armless chair to the source file and put several chairs in a drawing… then you update the chair in the source file with arms.
Problem: The chair on the palette now displays arms, but the chairs in the drawing have no arms, soooo…
How to Update Drawing Blocks from the Source File
After modifying the block in the Source File, right-click on the related block on the tool palette, then click Update tool image.Now, in the drawing containing the blocks that were in the former armless state, go to the tool palette, right-click on the updated block image, then click Redefine… and all those chairs now have the updated condition with arms!
See all the articles published in April 2015
Michael's Corner
Between 2003 and 2016, Michael Beall (and one or two guests) wrote almost 600 articles for CADTutor. The focus of these articles is AutoCAD productivity, and although some of them are now more than a few years old, most remain relevant to current versions of AutoCAD. The article above is just one example. Check out Michael's Corner for a full listing.
Image of the Week
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12th – 18th October 2026
This week's image is by boofredlay
Software used: SketchUp and Twilight Render
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Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by mitchellrodhous
Software used: AutoCAD 2011
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Two Weeks Ago
This image is by herdy1212
Software used: 3ds Max
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Three Weeks Ago
This image is by Dorian
Software used: AutoCAD 2008
Gallery of Work
Over the years, our forum members have contributed hundreds of images, showcasing their amazing work. The images above are just a small selection that demonstrate the wide range of project types our community is involved with. Take a look at our gallery to see all the images published in the last 12 months.
Tip of the Day
Moving vertically in 3D
Moving objects vertically always used to be a bit of a chore with AutoCAD, usually involving some relative coordinate entry for the Z direction or maybe the .XY filter. Fortunately, AutoCAD 2007 introduced a new command that makes moving objects vertically a snap.
You'll find the 3D Move button on the Dashboard or from the pull-down menu.
As with the normal Move command, you're first prompted to select objects. Once a selection is made, the cursor changes to the move grip tool. Now, pick any point on the base plane to fix the move grip tool at that elevation. Next, hover your cursor over the blue axis handle (Z axis) until it changes to a gold colour and left-click. This has the effect of constraining movement in the z direction. All you need do now is enter the distance you want the object to be moved or use the mouse to pick a distance.
Missed a Tip?
Did you miss yesterday's tip? Maybe you forgot to drop by or maybe you don't visit over the weekend. If so, you can now see all the tips published during the past week. Also, if you have a tip you'd like to share with us, you can post it on our forum and if we like it, we'll publish it here.