AREA
To calculate an area you define
1. Click Tools menu INCLUDEPICTURE
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InquiryArea.
2. Specify points in a sequence that defines the perimeter of
the area to be measured. Then press ENTER.
The first and last points are connected to form a closed area
and the area and perimeter measurements are displayed using the
settings specified with UNITS.
Inquiry toolbar Command line:AREA
You can obtain the area and perimeter defined by selected
objects or a sequence of points. You can calculate and display the
area and perimeter of a sequence of points or of any of several
types of objects. If you need to calculate the combined area of
more than one object, you can keep a running total as you add or
subtract one area at a time from the selection set. You cannot use
window selection or crossing selection to select objects. Total
area and perimeter are saved in the AREA and PERIMETER system
variables.
Calculate a Defined Area
You can measure an arbitrary closed region defined by the points
you specify. The points must lie on a plane parallel to the XY
plane of the current UCS.
Calculate the Area, Perimeter, or Circumference of an Object
You can calculate the enclosed area and perimeter or
circumference of circles, ellipses, polylines, polygons, regions,
and AutoCAD 3D solids. The displayed information differs according
to the type of object you select:
Circles. Area and circumference are displayed.
Ellipses, closed polylines, polygons, planar closed spline
curves, and regions. Area and perimeter are displayed. For wide
polylines, this area is defined by the center of the width.
Open objects such as open spline curves and open polylines. Area
and length are displayed. The area is computed as though a straight
line connected the start point and endpoint.
AutoCAD 3D solids. Total 3D area for the object is
displayed.
Example: How Various Areas Are Calculated
Calculate Combined Areas
You can measure more than one area, either by specifying points
or by selecting objects. For example, you can measure the total
area of selected rooms in a floor plan.
Subtract Areas from Combined Areas
You can subtract one or more areas from a combined area that you
have already calculated. In the example, the area of the floor plan
is first calculated, and then a room is subtracted.
Example: Subtraction of Areas from a Calculation
In the following example, the closed polyline represents a metal
plate with two large holes. You first calculate the area of the
polyline and then subtract each hole. Area and perimeter or
circumference of each object are displayed, with a running total
after each step.
Here is the command line sequence:
Command: area
Specify first corner point or [Object/Add/Subtract]: a
Specify first corner point or [Object/Subtract]: o
(ADD mode) Select objects: Select the polyline (1)
Area = 0.34, Perimeter = 2.71
Total area = 0.34
(ADD mode) Select objects:PressENTER
Specify first corner point or [Object/Subtract]: s
Specify first corner point or [Object/Add]: o
(SUBTRACT mode) Select objects:Select the lower circle (2)
Area = 0.02, Circumference = 0.46
Total area = 0.32
(SUBTRACT mode) Select objects:Select the upper circle (3)
Area = 0.02, Circumference = 0.46
Total area = 0.30
(SUBTRACT mode) Select circle or polyline:PressENTER
Specify first corner point or [Object/Add]: PressENTER
You can also use REGION to convert the plate and the holes to
regions, subtract the holes, and then use the Properties palette or
the LIST command to find the area of the plate.
STRETCH
Moves or stretches objects
Modify toolbar:
Modify menu: Stretch
Command line:stretch
Select objects to stretch by crossing-window or
crossing-polygon.. ( selection left to right to stretch else
selection right to left will move)Select objects: Use the cpolygon
option or the crossing object selection method, and press ENTER.
Individually selected objects and objects that are completely
enclosed by the crossing selection are moved rather than
stretched.
STRETCH does not modify 3D solids, polyline width, tangent, or
curve-fitting information.
Base Point
Specify base point or [Displacement] : Specify a base point or
enter displacement coordinates
Specify second point or : Specify a second point, or pressENTER
to use the previous coordinates as a displacement
Displacement
Specify displacement : Enter displacement values for X,Y (and
optionally Z)
If you enter a second point, the objects are stretched the
vector distance from the base point to the second point. If you
press ENTER at the Specify Second Point of Displacement prompt, the
first point is treated as an X,Y,Z displacement.
Objects that are partially enclosed by a crossing window are
stretched.
Objects that are completely enclosed within the crossing window,
or that are selected individually, are moved rather than
stretched.
SCALEEnlarges or reduces selected objects proportionally in the
X, Y, and Z directions
Modify toolbar:Modify menu: Scale
Shortcut menu:Select the objects to scale, and right-click in
the drawing area. Click Scale.
Command line:scale Select objects: Use an object selection
method and press ENTER when you finish
Specify base point: Specify a point The base point you specify
identifies the point that remains in the same location as the
selected objects change size (and thus move away from the
stationary base point).
Specify scale factor or [Copy/Reference]: Specify a scale,
enterc, or enter rTo scale an object by a scale factor1. Click
Modify menu Scale.
2. Select the object to scale.
3. Specify the base point.
4. Enter the scale factor or drag and click to specify a new
scale. A scale factor greater than 1 enlarges the object. A scale
factor between 0 and 1 shrinks the object.
Scaling changes the size of all dimensions of the selected
object. A scale factor greater than 1 enlarges the object. A scale
factor less than 1 shrinks the object.
Scale Objects Using a Reference DistanceYou can also scale by
reference. Scaling by reference uses an existing distance as a
basis for the new size. To scale by reference, specify the current
distance and then the new desired size. For example, if one side of
an object is 4.8 units long and you want to expand it to 7.5 units,
use 4.8 as the reference length.
You can use the Reference option to scale an entire drawing. For
example, use this option when the original drawing units need to be
changed. Select all objects in the drawing. Then use Reference to
select two points and specify the intended distance. All the
objects in the drawing are scaled accordingly.
LENGTHENChanges the length of objects and the included angle of
arcs
Modify menu: Lengthen
Command line:lengthen Select an object or
[DElta/Percent/Total/DYnamic]: Select one object or enter an option
With LENGTHEN, you can change the included angle of arcs and the
length of the following objects:
Lines
Arcs
Open polylines
Elliptical arcs
Open splines. The results are similar to extending and trimming.
You can
Drag an object endpoint dynamically
Specify a new length or angle as a percentage of the total
length or angle
Specify an incremental length or angle measured from an
endpoint
Specify the object's total absolute length or included angle To
change the length of an object by dragging
1. Click Modify menuLengthen.
2. Enter dy (Dynamic Dragging mode).
3. Select the object you want to lengthen.
4. Drag the endpoint closest to the point of selection, and
specify a new endpoint.
The selected object is lengthened or shortened without changing
its location or orientation.
DONUTTo create a donut
1. Click Draw menu Donut.
2. Specify the inside diameter (1).
3. Specify the outside diameter (2).
4. Specify the center of the donut (3).
5. Specify the center point for another donut, or press ENTER to
complete the command.
Draws filled circles and ringsDraw menu: Donut
Command line:donut
Specify inside diameter of donut : Specify a distance or press
ENTER
If you specify an inside diameter of 0, the donut is a filled
circle.
Specify outside diameter of donut : Specify a distance or press
ENTER
Specify center of donut or : Specify a point (1) or press ENTER
to end the command
How the interior of a donut is filled depends on the current
setting of the FILL command.DISTANCEMeasures the distance and angle
between two points
Inquiry toolbar:Tools menu: Inquiry Distance
Command line:dist (or 'dist for transparent use)
Specify first point: Specify a point
Specify second point: Specify a point
Distance = calculated distance, Angle in XY plane = angle,
Angle from XY plane = angle
Delta X = change in X, Delta Y = change in Y, Delta Z = change
in Z
The true 3D distance between points is reported. The angle in
the XY plane is relative to the current X axis. The angle from the
XY plane is relative to the current XY plane. DIST assumes the
current elevation for the first or second point if you omit the Z
coordinate value.The distance is displayed using the current units
format.
To determine the relation between two points, you can display
the
Distance between them
Angle between the points in the XY plane
Angle of the points from the XY plane
Delta, or changed, X, Y, and Z distances between them
The ID command lists the X, Y, and Z coordinate values of a
specified point
DIVIDEPlaces evenly spaced point objects or blocks along the
length or perimeter of an object
Draw menu: Point (Divide
Command line:divide Select object to divide: Use an object
selection method Enter number of segments or [Block]: Enter a value
from 2 through 32,767, or enter bYou can divide a selected object
into a specified number of equal lengths.
You can create points or insert blocks on an object at a
specific number of equal intervals. This operation does not
actually break an object into individual objects; it only
identifies the location of the divisions so that you can use them
as geometric reference points.
The starting point for measurements or divisions varies with the
object type. For lines or open polylines, the starting point is the
endpoint closest to the selection point. For closed polylines, it
is the polyline start point. For circles, it is at the angle from
the center point that is equivalent to the current snap angle. For
example, if the snap angle is 0, the circle starts at the three
o'clock position and continues counterclockwise. If the point
marker is displayed as a single dot (the default setting), you may
not be able to see the segments. You can change the style of the
point markers using several methods. To change the point style in a
dialog box, you can use DDPTYPE, or choose Point Style from the
Format menu. The PDMODE system variable also controls the
appearance of point markers. For example, you can change the value
to make points appear as crosses. PDSIZE controls the size of point
objects.
To insert points to mark equal segments1. Click Draw menu Point
Divide.
2. Select a line, circle, ellipse, polyline, arc, or spline.
3. Enter the number of segments you want.
A point is placed between each segment. To insert blocks to mark
equal segments on an object
1. If necessary, create the block you want to insert.
2. Click Draw menu Point Divide.
3. Select a line, arc, circle, ellipse, polyline, or spline.
4. Enter b (Block).
5. Enter the name of the block you want to insert.
6. Enter y to align the blocks with the divided object. Enter n
to use a rotation angle of 0 degrees.
7. Enter the number of segments you want.
BREAKTo break an object
1. Click Modify menuBreak.
2. Select the object to break.
By default, the point at which you select the object is the
first break point. To select a different pair of break points,
enter f (First) and specify the first break point.
3. Specify the second break point.
To break an object without creating a gap, enter @0,0 to specify
the previous point.
Modify toolbarCommand line:BREAK
The portion of the object is erased between the two points that
you specify. If the second point is not on the object, the nearest
point on the object is selected; therefore, to break off one end of
a line, arc, or polyline, specify the second point beyond the end
to be removed.To split an object in two without erasing a portion,
enter the same point for both the first and second points. You can
do this by entering @ to specify the second point.
Lines, arcs, circles, polylines, ellipses, splines, donuts, and
several other object types can be split into two objects or have
one end removed.
The program converts a circle to an arc by removing a piece of
the circle starting counterclockwise from the first to the second
point.
You can break an object into two objects with or without a gap
between them. You can also join objects to make a single
object.
Use BREAK to create a gap in an object, resulting in two objects
with a gap between them. BREAK is often used to create space for
block or text.
You can create breaks in most geometric objects except
Blocks
Dimensions
Mlines
Regions
JOINTo join objects
1. Click Modify menuJoin.
2. Select the source object to which you want to join
objects.
3. Select one or more objects to join to the source object.
Valid objects include arcs, elliptical arcs, lines, polylines,
and splines. Additional restrictions for each type of objects are
described in the JOIN command.
Joins objects to form a single, unbroken object
Modify toolbar:Modify menu: Join
Command line:join
Select source object: Select a line, polyline, arc, elliptical
arc, or spline
Depending on the source object selected, one of the following
prompts is displayed:
Line
Select lines to join to source: Select one or more lines and
press ENTER
The line objects must be collinear (lying on the same infinite
line), but can have gaps between them.Polyline
Select objects to join to source: Select one or more objects and
press ENTER
The objects can be lines, polylines, or arcs. The objects cannot
have gaps between them, and must lie on the same plane parallel to
the UCS XY plane.Arc
Select arcs to join to source or [cLose]: Select one or more
arcs and press ENTER, or enter L
The arc objects must lie on the same imaginary circle, but can
have gaps between them. The Close option converts the source arc
into a circle.
NoteWhen joining two or more arcs, the arcs are joined
counterclockwise beginning from the source object.Elliptical
Arc
Select elliptical arcs to join to source or [cLose]: Select one
or more elliptical arcs and press ENTER, or enter L
The elliptical arcs must lie on the same ellipse, but can have
gaps between them. The Close option closes the source ellipstical
arc into a complete ellipse.
NoteWhen joining two or more elliptical arcs, the elliptical
arcs are joined counterclockwise beginning from the source
object.Spline
Select splines to join to source: Select one or more splines and
press ENTER
The spline objects must lie in the same plane, and must be
contiguous (lying end-to-end).
XLINE or Construction LineCreates an infinite line
Draw toolbar:Draw menu: Construction Line
Command line:xline
Specify a point or [Hor/Ver/Ang/Bisect/Offset]: Specify a point
or enter an option
To create a construction line by specifying two points (in both
directions)1. Click Draw menu Construction Line.
2. Specify a point to define the root of the construction
line.
3. Specify a second point through which the construction line
should pass.
4. Continue to specify construction lines as needed.
All subsequent xlines pass through the first point
specified.
5. Press ENTER to end the command.Lines that extend to infinity
in one or both directions, known as rays and construction lines,
respectively, can be used as references for creating other objects.
For example, you can use construction lines to find the center of a
triangle, prepare multiple views of the same item, or create
temporary intersections to use for object snaps.
Infinite lines do not change the total area of the drawing.
Therefore, their infinite dimensions have no effect on zooming or
viewpoints, and they are ignored by commands that display the
drawing extents. You can move, rotate, and copy infinite lines just
as you can move, rotate, and copy other objects. You may want to
create infinite lines on a construction line layer that can be
frozen or turned off before plotting.
A construction line (xline) can be placed anywhere in
three-dimensional space. You can specify its orientation in several
ways. The default method for creating the line is the two-point
method: you specify two points to define the orientation. The first
point, the root, is the conceptual midpoint of the construction
line, that is, the point snapped to by the Midpoint object
snap.
You can also create construction lines in several other
ways.
Horizontal and Vertical. Create construction lines that pass
through a point you specify and are parallel to the X or Y axis of
the current UCS.
Angle. Creates a construction line in one of two ways. Either
you select a reference line and then specify the angle of the
construction line from that line, or you create a construction line
at a specific angle to the horizontal axis by specifying an angle
and then a point through which the construction line should
pass.
Bisector. Creates a construction line that bisects an angle you
specify. You specify the vertex and the lines that create the
angle.
Offset. Creates a construction line parallel to a baseline you
specify. You specify the offset distance, select the baseline, and
then indicate on which side of the baseline to locate the
construction line.
Rays
A ray is a line in three-dimensional space that starts at a
point you specify and extends to infinity. Unlike construction
lines, which extend in two directions, rays extend in only one
direction. Using rays instead of construction lines can help reduce
visual clutter. Like construction lines, rays are ignored by
commands that display the drawing extents.
To create a ray ( in one direction only)1. Click Draw menu
Ray.
2. Specify a starting point for the ray.
3. Specify a point through which the ray should pass.
4. Continue to specify points to create additional rays as
needed.
All subsequent rays pass through the first point specified.
5. Press ENTER to end the command.