Viewports are created in Autocad’s Paper Space layouts, and are used to view the various scaled elevations created in Model Space. We show you how to work with viewports in our Autocad 2d courses. 
Layout tabs represent virtual drawing sheets which preview how the drawing will look when printed. This Layout environment is called Paper Space. The layout represents the actual printed sheet of paper.
In a layout you can create and position either one or several viewports. You also add dimensions, a border, tables and a title box with your company’s logo. Viewports display a drawing’s Model space objects, that is, the objects you created when in Model space. Each viewport can display the model space objects at different scales. By default a new drawing has two layout tabs, Layout 1 and Layout 2. If you start with a template drawing, however, the default layout configuration may be different. You can create as many layouts as you wish: simply right-click on the Layout tab, and choose an option, or go to the Insert menu > Layout > Layout from Template. Another option is Insert > Layout > Layout Wizard.
To set up the page size, etc, right-click on a Layout tab to enter the Page Setup Manager. This  opens a dialog box where you choose your printer and paper size. The printer or plotter may be connected to the computer or a network, or you can specify Adobe PDF. Press the Modify button to set up paper size, etc. You can also access these in Application > Plot (or pre-2009: File > Plot).
When you have a Layout tab active, you are in Paper Space. By default this will show one Viewport as a coloured box and a black dashed line which represents the printable area. The Viewport shows the objects you created in Model Space, like a cutout window in a sheet of paper. You may use this Viewport, resize it or delete it. Then create your own by typing MV or MVIEW in the Command line. You will be given several options to choose from. In general you will probably use only one Viewport, in which case, you simply click and click again to create the opposite corners of a single viewport.
Alternatively, you can create multiple viewports, for example type MV > 3 > Enter > B (for Below) > Enter > and F (for Fit) > Enter. This will fit three viewports onto the page: two smaller ones above a larger single viewport. Multiple viewports are used to create different views of the same object, such as the plan, side and front elevations of solid 3D models. You can also switch on/off layers in different viewports, eg. the dimensions layer. While in Layout view, you can move between Paper Space and Model Space in two ways: type MS in the Command line, or click the Model/Paper button on the far right of the bottom Status Bar. Type PS in the Command line, or click the Model/Paper button to return to Paper Space.
The scale at which the objects are printed depends on the Zoom factor of Model Space relative to Paper Space: while in Paper Space select then right-click the Viewport boundary > choose Properties > click on Standard Scale and set a scale from the drop-down list, eg.1:1, 1:5, 1:10, 1:500, etc. You can also click on the Custom Scale field and enter any scale as a decimal number; click the Calculator icon if necessary and Apply. Note you can also lock the viewport scaling.
Alternatively, you can right-click on any toolbar and select Viewports. The scaling options will then appear as a drop-down list. Custom scaling is not available here though.
If the drawing is not centred, double-click inside the viewport border, right-click and choose the Pan tool, then click and drag it to centre it. Note also the small lock icon on the bottom right of the Status bar – this enables you to lock and unlock a viewport so that it can’t be moved out of scale by accident. You are now ready to print: Application > Plot > Print. And the resulting PDF will be open in Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader.
More information on all features of Autocad 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