How Do You Insert a Section Symbol in AutoCAD?

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In this tutorial, we will learn how to insert a section symbol in AutoCAD. The section symbol (§) is commonly used in architectural and engineering drawings to indicate a cross-section of an object or structure.

AutoCAD provides a simple method to insert this symbol into your drawings. Let’s explore the steps involved.

Step 1: Open the Drawing

Start by opening the drawing in AutoCAD where you want to insert the section symbol.

Step 2: Access the Text Editor

To insert the section symbol, you need to access the text editor in AutoCAD. There are multiple ways to do this:

  • You can click on the ‘Text’ button on the Home tab of the ribbon.
  • You can type ‘text’ or ‘mtext’ in the command line and press Enter.
  • You can use the keyboard shortcut ‘Ctrl + Shift + T’.

Step 3: Enter Unicode for Section Symbol

Once you are in the text editor, you need to enter the Unicode value for the section symbol. The Unicode value for § is U+00A7.

Note: Ensure that your font supports Unicode characters. Most standard fonts do support Unicode characters, but it’s always recommended to check before proceeding.

Step 4: Insert Section Symbol

In the text editor, type ‘\U+00A7‘ (without quotes) or ‘\‘ (without quotes) followed by any additional text you want to add after the section symbol. For example, if you want to add a section mark followed by ‘Section A-A’, you would type ‘\U+00A7 Section A-A’.

Note: The section symbol may not be visible in the text editor, but it will be displayed correctly in the drawing.

Step 5: Exit the Text Editor

Once you have inserted the section symbol and any additional text, exit the text editor by clicking on the ‘Close’ button or by pressing ‘Esc’ on your keyboard. The section symbol will now be visible in your drawing.

Step 6: Modify Section Symbol Properties (Optional)

If you want to modify the properties of the section symbol, such as its font, size, or position, you can do so by selecting it and using AutoCAD’s formatting tools. You can also use grips to stretch or move the section symbol as needed.

Note: It’s always a good practice to ensure that the section symbol is legible and clearly visible in your drawing.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to insert a section symbol in AutoCAD.

Remember to follow these steps whenever you need to indicate a cross-section of an object or structure in your architectural or engineering drawings. Utilize this powerful feature of AutoCAD to enhance the clarity and professionalism of your designs.