The Command Window

The Command Window
At the bottom of the screen, just above the status bar, is a small horizontal window called the
Command
window.
Here, AutoCAD displays responses to your input. By default, it shows two lines of text.
The bottom line shows the current messages, and the top line shows messages that have scrolled by
or, in some cases, components of the current message that don’t fit in a single line. Right now, the bottom
line displays the message
Command
(see Figure 1.4, earlier in this chapter). This
prompt
tells you
that AutoCAD is waiting for your instructions. When you click a point in the drawing area, you see
the message
Specify opposite corner:
. At the same time, the cursor starts to draw a window selection
that disappears when you click another point. The same message appears in the dynamic input
display at the cursor.
As a new user, pay special attention to messages displayed in the Command window and the
dynamic input display because this is how AutoCAD communicates with you. Besides giving you
messages, the Command window records your activity in AutoCAD. You can use the scroll bar to
the right of the Command window to review previous messages. You can also enlarge the window
for a better view. (Chapter 2 discusses these components in more detail.)
Now, let’s look at AutoCAD’s window components in detail.
TIP
The Command window and the dynamic input display allow AutoCAD to provide text feedback
to your actions. You can think of these features as a chat window to AutoCAD—as you enter
commands, AutoCAD responds with messages. As you become more familiar with AutoCAD, you
may find you don’t need to rely on the Command window and dynamic input display as much.
For new and casual users, however, the Command window and dynamic input display can be
helpful in understanding what steps to take as you work.
The Drop-Down Menus
As in most Windows programs, the drop-down menus on the menu bar provide an easy-to-understand
way to access AutoCAD’s general controls and settings. In these menus, you’ll find the commands and
functions that are the heart of AutoCAD. By clicking menu items, you can cut and paste items to and
from AutoCAD, change the settings that make AutoCAD work the way you want it to, set up the measurement
system you want to use, access the help system, and much more.
The drop-down menu options perform three basic functions:
◆
Display a dialog box that contains settings you can change.
◆
Issue a command to create or modify your drawing.
◆
Offer an expanded set of the same tools found in the Draw and Modify toolbars.
As you point to commands and options in the menus, AutoCAD provides additional help for
you in the form of brief descriptions of each menu option, which appear in the status bar.

Here’s an exercise to let you practice with the drop-down menus and get acquainted with the
way you issue AutoCAD commands:
1.
Click View in the menu bar. The list of items that appears includes the commands and settings
that let you control the way AutoCAD displays your drawings. Don’t worry if you
don’t understand them yet; you’ll get to know them in later chapters.