Although the initial drawing may consist of a single model - a part, a machine, a floor plan - you can display this model in many ways. You can arrange it within a border, show it from different viewpoints, magnify details that you want to emphasize, or hide insignificant details.
Paper space also provides a way to display information and graphics that are not part of the model. For example, because title blocks are part of the layout rather than the model, with this method they are inserted in paper space.
By switching to paper space from model space, you can edit the drawing layout without affecting the model.
In the illustration below, the crosshairs cursor is active over the entire graphics area. This indicates that the paper space layout (rather than the objects displayed within a floating viewport) can be edited. The UCS icon also changes when you are working in paper space. AutoCAD LT displays the paper space icon in the lower-left corner of the graphics area.
Floating viewports in paper space
Switching to Model Space
By switching from paper space to model space, you can edit the model within a floating viewport. In the illustration below, the crosshairs and highlighting identify the current floating viewport. Model space UCS icons within each viewport also indicate model space.
Floating viewports in model space
If you switch to model space before you have created floating viewports, AutoCAD alerts you that there are no active model space viewports. To create viewports, choose Floating Viewports from the View menu or use MVIEW.
You can save and name views that you want to reuse or plot. For example, you can save a view of a room in a floor plan and then restore the view whenever you want to work on it.
In model space, you save a view from a single viewport. When restored, the saved view replaces the view in the current viewport. If you are working in model space, you can only restore model space views.
In paper space, a saved view can include more than one floating viewport. When you restore it, the restored view replaces the current paper space display. If you are working in paper space and choose to restore a model space view, you are prompted to select a viewport to display the restored view and AutoCAD LT switches to model space.