When creating drawings in the Autocad 2D workspace users will often use a combination of drafting methods such as Relative Coordinates, Relative Polar Coordinates and Direct Distance Entry. We show you how to utilize these in all our Autocad 2D training courses.
First of all go to the Application menu (Windows version) to create a new document based on one of the ACADISO (Metric) templates. Macintosh users go to the older File menu. Note that when working in Autocad 2D users always construct their models using their real-world sizes, that is, at a scale of 1:1. In most countries millimeters are used as the basic unit of measurement when drawing for architectural and design purposes.
To check these units we go to the Application menu and go to Drawing Utilities and Units. Alternatively we can type units into the bottom Command line and hit the Enter key. Ensure that Decimal is checked, and a Precision of zero. Insertion Scale (for the insertion of Blocks) should read Millimetres.
We should next establish the virtual drawing space by typing limits into the bottom Command line (In the Macintosh version of Autocad we go to the Format drop-down menu and choose Drawing Limits) to establish the Drawing Limits, which equals the drawing sheet in real-world measurements. For example, a house 12m wide and 10 m high would require a drawing space of approximately 20 x 15m in size. In this case our printing scale will be 1:50 or 1:100, depending on the sheet size.
To establish these limits type 0,0 for the Lower Left point, followed by 20000,15000 for Upper right corner, and hit the Enter key. Then type: Z (for zoom) and Enter, followed by A (for all) and Enter.
We are now ready to drawing using the Relative Coordinates method. In this case the @ symbol will denote the next set of coordinates relative to the previous drawn point. So we choose the Line tool, then enter 0,0 for the first end point of the line. For the next point we type  @6000,0 and hit the Enter key. This results in a horizontal line 6m wide, along the x-axis. If we next type  @0,6000 and Enter, a vertical line is drawn from this point, 6 meters in height.
Type @ – 6000,0 (that is, a minus number) to create another 6m line to the left. And lastly type C (for Close) and Enter to result in a square 6 meters on each side. This is the method known as drawing using relative coordinates in Autocad 2D drafting.
More information on all features of the program can be found at the AutoDesk website. And see many examples of our clients’ work on our Facebook page.
Other related Autocad 2d Blog Posts:

• Autocad 2d basics
• Autocad 2d introduction
• Autocad 2d drawing
• Autocad 2d workspace
• Autocad 2d isometric