The suitability of videotapes for training is obvious, you can use them with individuals, like a textbook, or with groups, like a classroom instructor. You can watch them any time, and you can pause, freeze frames and rewind whenever you want. All these advantages evaporate, of course,
if the tape's content is inadequate. AutoCAD training videos from K Street Systems, at least the ones I viewed, are certainly adequate.

I looked at two titles: Introduction to AutoLISP and Customizing AutoCAD. Each title came on two tapes. Although they can’t be called slick, their content is accurate and nicely presented. In fact, the no nonsense approach may be one of their advantages. No talking heads here, except for some introductory remarks. The star of these tapes is a close-up of AutoCAD running on a 800x600 resolution screen with an instructor’s voice-over.

The customization tapes focus on AutoCAD Release 13, with an obvious emphasis on the Windows version, although they review the customization aspects particular to DOS. AutoLISP is largely immune to both release and platform concerns, but Release 13 Windows is the interface used in these tapes as well.

The customization tapes begin with the basics: setting up the AutoCAD environment, including the important search path. The rest of tape one discusses the ACAD.PGP file, script files, screen menus, sidebar menus, icon menus, and toolbars. The second tape covers general menu customization, tablet menus, a short introduction to AutoLISP, hatch patterns, and line-types. The time devoted to each topic varies from 10 to 20 minutes, and each is well covered in a logical, methodical progression.

The Introduction to AutoLISP tapes are just as well presented. Tape one presents an overview of basic fuctions, loops, and string functions. Tape two moves on to entity manipulation, selection sets, example functions, and files and loading programs. Each tape runs about 90 minutes. The various sections and topics are well indexed so that you can quickly fast forward to a particular topic.

K Street Systems offers a series of AutoCAD tutorial tapes. Titles cover 2D basics, 2D advanced topics, 3D basic, and 3D advanced topics. Each title consists of two or three tapes. Contact the company for special prices on package sets.

I chose the customization and AutoLISP tapes because I teach college-level courses in both topics. The tapes present their material well and are surprisingly complete. It’s difficult to imagine the subject of AutoLISP, for example, being adequately covered in 180 minutes of taped instruction, but these presentations do a superb job.

You could effectively integrate these tapes into a classroom setting, with each section of the tapes serving as an introduction to more conventional instructor-led coverage of a topic. But where these tapes will really shine is with individual users who want to increase their AutoCAD knowledge and skills on their own. Videotapes that are this well conceived and executed provide an excellent way to learn complicated concepts.

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