New to CAD and old as dirt

Hello folks, how y'all? I am new to drafting of any kind. Well that's not entirely true, I took a beginning drafting class in junior high (in 1975) but I don't know nuthin' 'bout these fancy COM-puters. I was hoping I could get some help with a few issues I'm having.
I have figured out how to draw lines, circles, angles and stuff. My issue is scaling my drawing correctly. I have no idea how to make the scale to the dimension of the part I want to make. For instance I am making a flat plate for a base for a saw I want to build. I know the plate will be 24"x30" with some slots for mounting the motor and some holes for mounting the saw arm. I can draw the rectangle, the holes, and slots but I have no idea how big any of those things are on my drawing. Can someone direct me to the "show me how many inches this line is long" button?

If you just want to know the length of a drawn line, when you click on it and it's highlighted, at the bottom of the screen "Selected Total Length" is shown. Or ask via "Properties" command.
But I guess you want to draw it the right size from the onset. You have to type the coordinates at the command line input.







The @-symbol is to be used for coordinates relative to the last point (the red circle, relative zero). The comma separates x- and y-axis.
Please understand that not every newbie can be given a personal basics schooling. Please read the manual. Unfortunately it's a bit outdated.  

Hello MitchellB,

I read your question and wondered how you worked it out.

My first drawing need is something which fits on to letter sized paper at 1:1 so I have not need of scaling, but I realize my case is not general.


Did you "draw" it full size and then use scaling when printing to put it onto paper for printing? When you select
File, Preview there is a drop down box above the drawing space for setting the scale.
It took me a while to figure it out and I printed several empty sheets of paper in the process.

Let us know.
Lee Erickson

Trying to insert image showing 1:1 scaling in dropdown.

You've asked us newbies to RTFM, but where is the manual?  Can you point to it?  Could you give us a URL?  I would love to have something to read on this, or even better, a YouTube.  I have found zero information for people who are new.  Everything I find is written in a foreign language that highly resembles English but can only be understood by people who have done drafting their whole life.  I was a systems architect.  This gives me no experience in drawing figures in CAD programs.  I did graphics for years, never needed a CAD program till now.  I'm having trouble even getting started.  Is there a book on this?  A glossary?  Nothing I do does anything, is the problem, with a screen perpetually blank, black on black.  Very frustrated.

Thanks,

Nerodog the Luthier.

https://wiki.librecad.org/images/2/20/LibreCAD_Users_Manual_2.1.3.pdf

No pictures, but very comprehensive.  The best available for the official stable version.  

Thanks!

I'm in a somewhat more deficient condition than Mitchell, Forest and Nero, so even the most basic tip is welcome.

Lot of good info on the Wiki site, including a link to you tube videos
https://wiki.librecad.org/index.php?title=Main_Page