Starting and setting up a drawing
After configuring DraftSight, let's start a new drawing and configure it.
Starting a drawing
The NEW command (shortcut Ctrl + N, 
on the Standard toolbar, or File main menu) allows us to start a drawing. The command displays a standard file dialog box in order to choose the template.
When starting a new drawing, we may start from a blank drawing (any one coming with DraftSight) or from a template with some configurations already done. Templates are drawing files with the DWT extension by default, placed at C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\DraftSight\1.2.265\Template or similar, depending on the operating system and DraftSight version. With the OPTIONS command, going to the File Locations| Drawing Support | Drawing Template File Location, we may change this location.
To create a template, we prepare the drawing to be used and then apply the SAVEAS command by selecting Drawing Template (*.dwt) on Save as type list.
Setting up a drawing
When using a blank template (for instance, standardiso.dwt, coming with DraftSight), we may configure it, especially units. Again with the OPTIONS command, going to Drawing Settings | Unit System, we can configure the following drawing options:
- Base angle: We control the base angle direction, from which absolute angles are measured, by clicking on the compass or by writing a value. By default, 0° is East (3 o'clock). Normally, angles are measured positively in the counter clockwise direction, unless Clockwise is checked.
- Length: The Type list allows the linear unit to be defined and the Precision resolution (number of decimal places or fractions) to be displayed in coordinates or answer to inquiry commands.
- Angle: The Type list allows the angular unit to be defined and the Precision resolution (number of decimal places or other) to be displayed in coordinates or answer to inquiry commands.
- Units scale: The Block units format list identifies the drawing unit when inserting contents like blocks or images. With this option, DraftSight automatically applies the suitable scale factor when inserting a block whose unit is different from the drawing unit. A block is a set of objects constituting a single object, like a door or a bolt; its creation or modification is presented in Chapter 7, Creating and Applying Components.
- Preview: This simply displays a preview of linear and angular units.
