AutoCAD textbooks

[Anonymous]

I will be starting an AutoCAD Methods course on Monday, we will most likely have an online textbook. I would like to know what hardback or paperback books you would endorse for a first-time CAD student. The version is 2015.

Ruben Gholston

ITT-Technical Institute, Norwood OH

[Patchy]

Read the reviews for this one

[edwin.prakoso]

I would go with Autodesk Official Press series. 

The one @Patchy suggested is one of them. But I suggest you go with the essential (by Scott Onstott) first. No Experience Required by Donnie Gladfelther is good too.

Ascented.com also has Autodesk Official Press series for essential and advanced. The choice is yours, but I won't choose other than those.

[murray-clack]

[One of] The book that helped me become an "AutoCAD Guru" is "The Illustrated AutoCAD Quick Reference [insert year here]" which I have been getting since the early 1990's.

It has EVERY AutoCAD command in alphabetical order along with its additional options, tips, and any system variables associated with it.

It took me a couple of months worth of lunch hours, but whe I started learning every command, I started with "ARC" and finished with "ZOOM".

[dbroad]

"..we will most likely have an online textbook.

Any answer should be somewhat dependent on how the course is integrated into a program of study. For example, we teach AutoCAD as it relates to architectural design.  Others teach AutoCAD as it relates to product design.  Textbook focus is important.  A textbook that purports to cover everything will probably be overwhelming to the beginning student.

That said, there are several important points you should consider:

1) AutoCAD is free for educational institutions and students.  There is therefore no reason to teach 2015 now. Use 2016.

2) If you are desirous of an AutoCAD textbook, the current online help files are at least as well written as the textbooks and cost nothing.

3) The mix of proposed topics should match your textbook(2D methods, 3D methods, customization, specialization).

[Anonymous]

Anything by Geroge Omura is IMHO a great learning tool.