In AutoCAD LT, there are two general methods for creating drawings.
When Tile mode is on (the TILEMODE system variable is set to 1), you work in model space using tiled viewports. When Tile mode is off, you can work in model space or paper space with floating viewports.
With single-view drawings, you create all geometry at true size in model space using one or more tiled viewports. You add text, dimensions, and a title block scaled to the inverse of the intended plot scale. For example, if you plan to print at 1:4 scale, you create the model at full scale but the text, dimensions, and title block 4 times larger. Thus, when you print your drawing at 1:4 scale, all objects in the drawing will be reduced to the correct size.
As you create and edit your drawing, you can split the screen to display different areas of your drawing at different magnifications in each tiled viewport.
When you turn off and freeze layers, the display of those layers is affected in all tiled viewports.
With tiled viewports, you can only print one view of your drawing at a time. To print multiple views of a drawing, use floating viewports in paper space.
For more information on creating single-view drawings, see Laying Out Single-View Drawings.
With complex, multiple-view drawings, you create all geometry at true size in model space using one or more floating viewports. You switch to paper space to add the title block, also at true size. Text and dimensions can be added either in model space or in paper space.
When you switch to paper space, the graphics area represents the "paper" on which you arrange the overall layout of your drawing. In paper space, you create floating viewports to display different views of your model. These floating viewports are objects that you can move and resize in order to create a suitable layout. In paper space, you are not restricted to printing a single view, as you are with tiled viewports; you can print any arrangement of views.
With floating viewports, you can also
Objects created in paper space are accessible only in paper space and cannot be referenced from other drawings.
To access the model in a floating viewport, you switch from paper space to model space. As a result, you can work with the model while keeping the overall layout visible.
The illustration below shows different views of a model displayed in paper space. Each of the paper space images represents a floating viewport with a different view. Different scales are set for each view of the same model. Also, the layer that contains the viewport borders has been turned off in paper space.
See Also
Laying Out Multiple-View Drawings