If you're involved in any way with the design and manufacturing industry, you've probably had to work with AutoCAD drawings. But not everyone needs to be an expert at AutoCAD - many users really need to know only a few of its vast array of tools. If you're someone who doesn't need to or want to be an AutoCAD power user but wants to be able to use AutoCAD proficiently, this book is for you. Introducing AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 covers the basic drawing and editing tools that most users will need to produce quality AutoCAD drawings. You won't find information about every last feature. Instead, this book presents AutoCAD's essential features through a combination of tutorials and reference material to give you a concise, easy-to-use companion for your work with AutoCAD. It's designed so that you can quickly learn the tools you need...when you need them.

The new edition of this hands-on guide helps users of all skill levels learn the basics of AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT® 2009 easily and efficiently. Bestselling AutoCAD author and expert George Omura offers clear explanations, a task-based approach, and pages of real-world examples and exercises to make this thorough book more valuable and useful than ever. Whether you're new to AutoCAD or just looking for a quick refresher, you'll find the fast, focused introduction to AutoCAD you need to get quickly up to speed.

* Explore the all-new interface in AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009
* Navigate the new Ribbon panel to access the tools you need
* Master the basics of drawing and editing with precision
* Add and edit notes and dimensions
* Learn the fundamentals of 2D drawings and 3D models
* Understand layers, blocks, groups, and external references
* Find areas and distances quickly
* Easily extract hidden data