MODEL AND LAYOUT TABS

Read this information carefully. It is very important that you understand this concept.

AutoCAD provides two drawing spaces, MODEL and LAYOUT. You move into one or the other by selecting either the MODEL or LAYOUT tabs, located at the bottom left of the drawing area.

Model Tab (Also called Model Space)
When you select the Model tab you enter MODEL SPACE.
Model Space is where you create and modify your drawings.

Layout1 Tab (Also called Paper Space)

When you select a Layout tab you enter PAPER SPACE.
The primary function of Paper Space is to prepare the drawing for plotting.

When you select the Layout tab for the first time, the "Page Setup Manager" dialog box will appear. Using this dialog box, you will assign a name for your new page setup. Then you will specify which plotting device and paper size to use for plotting. For now, select the CLOSE button to continue.
(More information on this in "How to create a Page Setup")

Notice that Model Space seems to have disappeared, and a blank sheet of paper is displayed on the screen. This sheet of paper is basically in front of the Model Space. (See illustration below) To see your drawing (Model Space) while still in Paper Space, you must cut a hole in this sheet. This hole is called a "Viewport". (Refer to "Viewports")

Try to think of this as...