QCad User Reference Manual Copyright © 2006, Andrew Mustun RibbonSoft GmbH http://www.ribbonsoft.com This book was created with xParrot. For more information, please visit http://www.ribbonsoft.com/xparrot.html QCad User Reference Manual Table of Contents 1. Abstract .......................................................................................................... 8 2. License ........................................................................................................... 9 2.1. Copyright ....................................................................................................................... 9 2.2. The GNU General Public License .................................................................................. 9 2.3. Trademarks .................................................................................................................... 9 3. Preface ............................................................................................................ 10 3.1. CAD - For the Uninitiated ............................................................................................... 10 3.2. How can I get QCad? ..................................................................................................... 10 3.3. Is QCad for me? ............................................................................................................. 10 3.4. QCad and Qt .................................................................................................................. 11 3.5. Scope of This Manual .................................................................................................... 11 3.6. Who Is Behind QCad? ................................................................................................... 11 4. Basic CAD Concepts ..................................................................................... 12 4.1. Entities ........................................................................................................................... 12 4.2. Attributes ....................................................................................................................... 12 4.3. Layers ............................................................................................................................ 12 4.4. Blocks ............................................................................................................................ 12 4.5. Drafting in CAD .............................................................................................................. 13 4.6. Coordinate Systems ....................................................................................................... 13 4.7. Object and Grid Snapping .............................................................................................. 15 4.8. Basic Editing .................................................................................................................. 15 4.9. Viewing in CAD .............................................................................................................. 15 5. Starting a QCad Session ............................................................................... 17 5.1. Linux / Unix Operating Systems ..................................................................................... 17 5.2. Mac OS X Operating System ......................................................................................... 17 5.3. Windows Operating Systems ......................................................................................... 17 6. The QCad User Interface ............................................................................... 18 6.1. Main Application Window ............................................................................................... 18 6.2. Menu and CAD Toolbar ................................................................................................. 18 6.3. Layer List and Block List ................................................................................................ 18 6.4. Status Bar ...................................................................................................................... 19 6.5. Command Widget .......................................................................................................... 19 6.6. Option Toolbar ............................................................................................................... 19 6.7. Executing Commands .................................................................................................... 19 6.8. Modes ............................................................................................................................ 20 7. Command Line ............................................................................................... 21 7.1. Using the Command Line ............................................................................................... 21 7.2. A Word About Keyboard Focus ...................................................................................... 21 8. File Handling .................................................................................................. 22 2 QCad User Reference Manual Table of Contents 8.1. Creating New Drawings ................................................................................................. 22 8.2. Opening Drawings ......................................................................................................... 22 8.3. Saving Drawings ............................................................................................................ 22 8.4. Exporting Drawings as Bitmaps ..................................................................................... 23 8.5. Closing Drawings ........................................................................................................... 23 9. Printing ........................................................................................................... 24 9.1. Print Preview .................................................................................................................. 24 9.2. Printing a Drawing .......................................................................................................... 24 10. Basic Editing Commands ............................................................................ 26 10.1. Undo ............................................................................................................................ 26 10.2. Redo ............................................................................................................................ 26 10.3. Copy ............................................................................................................................ 26 10.4. Cut ............................................................................................................................... 27 10.5. Paste ........................................................................................................................... 27 11. Viewing ......................................................................................................... 29 11.1. Scrolling ....................................................................................................................... 29 11.2. Toggle Grid .................................................................................................................. 29 11.3. Toggle Draft Mode ....................................................................................................... 29 11.4. Redrawing .................................................................................................................... 29 11.5. Zooming In / Out .......................................................................................................... 30 11.6. Auto Zoom ................................................................................................................... 30 11.7. Previous View .............................................................................................................. 31 11.8. Window Zoom .............................................................................................................. 31 11.9. Panning ....................................................................................................................... 32 12. Layers ........................................................................................................... 33 12.1. Changing the Visibility of a Layer ................................................................................. 33 12.2. Changing the Visibility of all Layers .............................................................................. 34 12.3. Adding New Layers ...................................................................................................... 34 12.4. Deleting Layers ............................................................................................................ 35 12.5. Editing Layer Attributes ................................................................................................ 35 13. Blocks ........................................................................................................... 36 13.1. Changing the Visibility of a Block .................................................................................. 36 13.2. Changing the Visibility of all Blocks .............................................................................