Use a Template File to Start a Drawing (Concept)

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Use a Template File to Start a Drawing

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Concept

Procedure

Quick Reference

A drawing template file is used to provide consistency in the drawings that you create by providing standard styles and settings.

When you create a new drawing based on an existing drawing template file and make changes, the changes in the new drawing do not affect the drawing template file.

Select a Drawing Template File

A default set of drawing template (DWT) files is installed with AutoCAD which are used to create 2D drawings and 3D models. Many of the default drawing templates are offered in two measurement types: imperial and metric. When using one of the default drawing templates you need determine if you will be working in 2D or 3D, and which measurement type best describes your work.

While the default templates provide for a quick way to start creating a new drawing, it is best to create drawing templates specific to your company and the drawings you create. You can use Initial Setup to select a drawing template that is close to your industry, but you will still need to do some work to make the drawing template file work best for you. For more information on Initial Setup, see Customize AutoCAD with Initial Setup in the Stand-Alone Installation Guide.

Create a Drawing Template File

When you need to create several drawings that use the same conventions and default settings, you can save time by creating or customizing a drawing template file instead of specifying the conventions and default settings each time you start. Conventions and settings commonly stored in template files include

Unit type and precision
Title blocks, borders, and logos
Layer names
Snap, Grid, and Ortho settings
Grid limits
Annotation styles (dimension, text, table and multileader)
Linetypes

By default, drawing template files are stored in the template folder, where they are easily accessible.

Recover the Default Drawing Template File

If the settings in the drawing template file acad.dwt or acadiso.dwt have been changed from the original defaults, you can reset them by starting a new drawing with no template and then saving the drawing as a drawing template file, replacing acad.dwt or acadiso.dwt.

If you specify the 3D Modeling workspace, the default drawing template files are acad3d.dwt and acadiso3d.dwt.

You can start a new drawing with the original defaults by using NEW to display the Select Template dialog box. To do this, click the arrow next to the Open button and then click one of the “no template” options from the list.