# AutoCAD isometric exercise: a stepped block

> Draw a stepped block in isometric in AutoCAD with LINE and polar coordinates along the 30°, 90° and 150° axes, and dimension it. Free, step by step, online.

Draw this stepped block in isometric, in millimetres: 60 long, 40 deep and 40 high, with a step 20 deep and 20 high along its front. Every edge runs along one of the isometric axes: 30° and 210° for the length, 150° and 330° for the depth, 90° and 270° for the height. MellowCAD does not have AutoCAD's isometric drafting yet, its isometric snap and isocircles, so the edges are lines typed with polar coordinates, a length and an angle.

- **Exercise:** Intermediate · Mechanical · Isometric
- **Commands:** [`LINE`](https://mellowcad.com/docs/commands/line.md), [`DIMALIGNED`](https://mellowcad.com/docs/commands/dimaligned.md)
- **In the editor:** [Open it with its drawing](/draw?drawing=isometric-block), dimensioned beside where you draw yours

## The drawing

A stepped block in isometric, 60 long, 40 deep and 40 high, its sizes dimensioned along its edges.

## Step by step

The engine draws each step and writes its history as you would type it: the prompts in AutoCAD 2027's order, with the same option letters. After a command's first point, a typed point is measured from the last one, as dynamic input measures it, and the history writes it with @; \# measures from the origin.

### 1. Draw the front of the step

On the Outline layer, [`LINE`](https://mellowcad.com/docs/commands/line.md) from `0,0`, the bottom front corner: `60<30`, `20<90`, `60<210`, then `Close`.

1. Draw the front of the step

```text
Command: LINE
Specify first point: 0,0
Specify next point or [Undo]: @60<30
Specify next point or [Undo]: @20<90
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: @60<210
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: C
```

### 2. Draw the side

From `0,0` again, the left side: `40<150`, `40<90`, `20<330`, `20<270` and `20<330`. Enter ends the line on the step's front edge.

2. Draw the side

```text
Command: LINE
Specify first point: 0,0
Specify next point or [Undo]: @40<150
Specify next point or [Undo]: @40<90
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: @20<330
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: @20<270
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: @20<330
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]:
```

### 3. Draw the top

The rest starts at corners already drawn: type `_END`, the Endpoint object snap for one point, and pick the corner. From the front's top right corner: `20<150`, `20<90`, `20<150` and `60<210`. Then two lines of `60<210`, from the riser's foot and from its top.

3. Draw the top

```text
Command: LINE
Specify first point: _END of
Specify next point or [Undo]: @20<150
Specify next point or [Undo]: @20<90
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: @20<150
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: @60<210
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]:
Command: LINE
Specify first point: _END of
Specify next point or [Undo]: @60<210
Specify next point or [Undo]:
Command: LINE
Specify first point: _END of
Specify next point or [Undo]: @60<210
Specify next point or [Undo]:
```

### 4. Dimension it

On Dimensions, [`DIMALIGNED`](https://mellowcad.com/docs/commands/dimaligned.md) along the edges, each placed beside its own: 60 and 40 at the bottom, 40 up the left, 20 up the right.

4. Dimension it

```text
Command: DIMALIGNED
Specify first extension line origin or <select object>: 0,0
Specify second extension line origin: @60<30
Non-associative dimension created.
Specify dimension line location or [Text/Angle]:
Dimension text = 60
Command: DIMALIGNED
Specify first extension line origin or <select object>: 0,0
Specify second extension line origin: @40<150
Non-associative dimension created.
Specify dimension line location or [Text/Angle]:
Dimension text = 40
Command: DIMALIGNED
Specify first extension line origin or <select object>: -34.64,20
Specify second extension line origin: @40<90
Non-associative dimension created.
Specify dimension line location or [Text/Angle]:
Dimension text = 40
Command: DIMALIGNED
Specify first extension line origin or <select object>: 51.96,30
Specify second extension line origin: @20<90
Non-associative dimension created.
Specify dimension line location or [Text/Angle]:
Dimension text = 20
```

## More exercises

- [AutoCAD 3D exercise: a pulley](https://mellowcad.com/docs/exercises/pulley.md): Intermediate · Mechanical · 3D solid
- [AutoCAD exercise: a link with tangent lines](https://mellowcad.com/docs/exercises/link.md): Advanced · Mechanical · 2D
- [AutoCAD 3D exercise: a bearing block](https://mellowcad.com/docs/exercises/bearing-block.md): Advanced · Mechanical · 3D solid
- [AutoCAD practice exercises](https://mellowcad.com/docs/exercises.md)