CadLearning

AutoCad 2015

10. Modify Objects Manipulation Commands

1001 Introducing the Manipulation Commands

AutoCAD provides a wealth of powerful tools for creating geometry, and controls that enable you to
create that geometry very accurately. But perhaps even more important is the ability to modify
objects once they have been created. AutoCAD provides a number of object modification
commands. The first group of tools we're going to look at are referred to as manipulation
commands. These are commands that physically manipulate the objects that you've already
created. They don't modify the objects or change their appearance. But they change things such as
their location. You can change where things are located with the Move command. The Copy
command is a very powerful command. When you create an object, you only need to create it once.
You really should never create the same object twice. If you create it a second time using the same
draw commands, you're wasting time. Instead, you should simply make a copy of the object and
then place the copy where ever it needs to be. If you need a mirrored image of an object, you can
use the Mirror command to create copies of objects that are mirror images of the existing object, or
to take the original object and flip it as a mirror image. You can also use the Array command to
make multiple copies of an object in a pattern, in a rectangular pattern consisting of rows and
columns, a circular or polar pattern, or distributed along a path. You can also just take an object and
rotate it to a new orientation. You can also make a copy of an object offset a specific distance from
the original object, essentially creating parallel or concentric copies of the original object. You can
also use the ALIGN command to both move and rotate an object simultaneously, so that it aligns
with another object.

1002 Using the Move Command

The MOVE command enables you to move selected objects to a new position at a specified
distance and direction from their original location. Like most modify commands, the MOVE
command works in a two-step process: first you select objects and then you perform the actual
command action. For example, when you start the Move command, the program first prompts you to
select the objects you want to move, and you can use any convenient object selection method. You
can click to pick the objects, use a selection window or crossing window, and so on. Once you are
done selecting the objects you want to move, you can right-click or press ENTER to indicate that
you have finished selecting objects. At that point, the program shifts to the action portion of the
command, in which it prompts you for a base point and a second point of displacement. Zoom in to
the office in the lower-right corner. Suppose you want to move the desk and everything on it into a
different location. On the Home ribbon, in the Modify panel, click the Move tool. The program
prompts you to select objects, and you can use any object selection method. In this case, use a
selection window. Once you see that all of the objects have been selected, right-click to go on to the
action part of the command. Now, the program prompts you for the base point. You can enter the X-
and Y-coordinates of that base point, or just click to pick a point in the drawing. Click to pick a point,
which does not even have to be located on the objects you are moving. Once you pick the base
point, the program prompts you for a second point, or you can use the first point as the
displacement. As you move the cursor, the selected objects appear with a faded appearance in their
original position and you can also see a preview of the objects being moved. The program is asking
for a relative distance and angle. You can enter those values or simply click to pick a point. You
could simply pick the second point, but suppose that you want to move the desk exactly 24 units.
With the distance field active, type "24" and then press the TAB key. As soon as you do, the
distance is locked in but you can still move the cursor to change the angle. If you know that you
want to simply move the desk over to the right, you can type "0" in the angle field and then press the
TAB key again. Now, both the distance and angle are locked in. You can still press the TAB key to
switch between the dynamic input fields and change those values. Press ENTER. When you do, the
desk is moved to the new location that you specified.

1003 Using the Move Command with Object Snap

Using modify commands in conjunction with object snap guarantees accuracy by using precise
locations on objects. For example, zoom in to the office in the lower-right corner of the drawing.
Suppose you want to move the desk so that it is located in the exact corner of the room. You can
easily do this by enabling object snap in conjunction with the Move command. On the Status bar,
you can see that running object snap is enabled, as indicated by the blue background. Click the
arrow adjacent to the Object Snap button to display a shortcut menu. Here you can see that the
Endpoint, Midpoint, and Center object snaps are already selected as running object snaps. Those
will work just fine. You could use the Intersection object snap, but you should only use Intersection
when you need to snap to locations where objects overlap. On the Home ribbon, in the Modify
panel, click the Move tool. The program prompts you to select objects. Use a window to select the
desk, and then right-click to complete the object selection. When the program prompts you to
specify the base point, move the cursor near the corner of the desk. When you see the Endpoint
AutoSnap marker and tooltip, click. The cursor is now locked precisely to the endpoint at the corner
of the desk. Now the program is prompting you to specify the second point. Again, when you move
the cursor near the endpoint of the line representing the wall, you again see the Endpoint AutoSnap
marker and tooltip. When you see that, you know that you have got the right location. And when you
click to select that point, the desk moves precisely into the corner of the room. To move the chair so
that its midpoint is positioned precisely at the midpoint of the front of the desk, press the
SPACEBAR to repeat the Move command, select the chair, and then right-click. When the program
prompts you to specify the base point, move the cursor over the front of the chair until you see the
Midpoint AutoSnap marker and tooltip, click to select that point, and then snap the chair to the
midpoint of the front of the desk. Finally, to move the file cabinet, press the SPACEBAR to start the
Move command again, use a window to select the file cabinet, right-click to complete the selection,
pick the endpoint at the corner of the cabinet as the base point, and then use object snap to ensure
that you move it to the endpoint of the corner of the desk.

1004 Using the Move Command with Object Snap Tracking from One Point
Using object snap ensures that you select precise locations on objects. For example, you can use
object snap with the Move command to move objects to precise locations. But what if you want to
place an object a certain distance away from another object? For example, perhaps you want to
move the desk toward the corner of the room, but actually want it to be located 14 units down from
the corner. You can easily do this by using object snap tracking. On the Status bar, click the arrow
adjacent to the Object Snap button and choose Object Snap Settings to display the Object Snap
tab of the Drafting Settings dialog. Here you can see all of the current running object snaps. You
can also toggle Object Snap Tracking on and off. You can also toggle object snap tracking by
pressing the F11 key. Click Cancel to close the dialog. On the Status bar, you can also toggle object
snap tracking by clicking the Object Snap Tracking button. Make sure that it is toggled on. On the
Home ribbon, in the Modify panel, click the Move tool. The program prompts you to select objects.
Use a window to select the desk and then right-click to complete the selection. Now, the program
prompts you for a base point. Instead of clicking to select an endpoint at the corner of the desk,
however, move the cursor over the endpoint until you see the Endpoint AutoSnap marker and
tooltip, and then simply move the cursor away from the desk. With object snap tracking enabled,
you now see a tracking line, indicating that the cursor is snapped precisely at a 90-degree angle.
When you move the cursor, it also snaps into several other alignments at 0, 23, 25, 45, and 75
degrees. These are polar tracking angles, and you can control them by adjusting the polar tracking
settings. On the Status bar, click the arrow adjacent to the Polar Tracking button and choose
Tracking Settings to display the Polar Tracking tab of the Drafting Settings dialog. In the Polar
Angle Settings group box, you can see that the program is currently set to use a 45-degree
increment angle as well as these additional angles. And in the Object Snap Tracking Settings group
box, you can see that the program is currently set to track using all polar angle settings, in other
words, all of the polar tracking angles currently set on the left. While you could toggle off the angles
on the left, if you only want to track at orthogonal or 90-degree angles, you do not have to change
the polar angles. Under Object Snap Tracking Settings, simply change this to Track orthogonally
only. You can also toggle polar tracking on and off using the checkbox, but note that polar tracking
does not need to be enabled in order to use object snap tracking. Click OK to close the dialog.
When you move the cursor back into the drawing, it now only tracks at 90-degree angles. When you
are not at one of those angles, you can still see a plus sign at the endpoint in the corner of the desk.
When you move the cursor back over that corner and then move it away again, you no longer see
the plus sign and the program no longer tracks from that corner. When you move the cursor over
the endpoint again until the AutoSnap marker and tooltip appear, and then move the cursor away,
the program is once again using object snap tracking. So by simply moving the cursor over a
running object snap location, such as the midpoint of the desk, you can enable that location for
object snap tracking. And if you no longer want to track from that point, you can just move the
cursor over the point again. Now that you understand how object snap tracking works, you are
ready to move the desk. Track off the corner at a 90-degree angle. Then, type "14" and press
ENTER to lock the cursor to a position exactly 14 units away from the corner, at a 90-degree angle.
That is now the base point, and when the program prompts you to specify the second point, move
the cursor until it snaps to the endpoint of the wall and then click. The desk has been moved so that
it is exactly 14 units down from the end of the wall. To position the chair so that its midpoint is
exactly 3 units away from the midpoint of the desk, press the SPACEBAR to repeat the Move
command, select the chair, and then right-click. This time, when the program prompts you to select
the base point, click to select the midpoint of the front of the chair. Then, when it prompts you to
specify the second point, use object snap tracking to track away from the midpoint of the desk at a
0-degree angle, type "3", and press ENTER. The chair is immediately positioned exactly 3 units
away from the desk. As you have just seen, you can track either when specifying the base point or
the second point, and achieve the same type of results. Press the SPACEBAR to start the Move
command again, select the file cabinet, and then use object snap tracking to place it exactly 4 units
away from the corner of the desk.

1005 Using the Move Command with Object Snap Tracking from Two Points
Using object snap ensures that you select precise locations on objects. And object snap tracking
enables you to select a point located a precise distance away from an object. You can actually use
object snap tracking to track in two directions by tracking from both the base point and the second
point. For example, perhaps you want to move the desk toward the corner of the room, but actually
want it to be located 12 units down from the corner and 3 units away from the face of the wall. I'll
start the Move command by clicking the Move tool in the ribbon. The program prompts me to select
objects, and I can use any convenient object selection method. In this case, I'll use a selection
window. Once all of the objects are selected, I'll right-click. When the program prompts me to
specify the base point, I'll move the cursor over the endpoint of the corner of the desk. Remember
that I don't click. To acquire that corner for object snap tracking, I just move the cursor over the
corner until I see the object snap glyph and tooltip. Then, when I move the cursor away, I can see
the tracking alignment. Now, it really doesn't matter which distance I specify first. I could track up 12
units and then track away from the wall 3 units, or I could track toward the wall 3 units and then
track down from the corner. Either will yield the same results. In this case, I'll move the cursor up
along the 90-degree tracking alignment, type the desired distance of 12 units, and press ENTER.
The cursor is now positioned at the base point, which is exactly 12 units away from the corner of the
desk. Now, when the program prompts me to specify the second point, I'll move the cursor toward
the corner until I see the endpoint object snap glyph and tooltip, track along the 0-degree alignment,
type "3", and press ENTER. As soon as I do, the command ends and the desk has been moved so
that it is precisely 12 units down from the corner and 3 units away from the face of the wall.

1006 Using the Copy Command

When using a CAD program, one of the most fundamental concepts is that you should never draw
anything twice. Draw it once, and then make copies. For example, the drawing includes two lateral
file cabinets. But the person who created this drawing did not draw both cabinets. They drew just
one of them and then made a copy. To make a copy of an object, on the Home ribbon, in the Modify
panel, click the Copy tool. The program prompts you to select objects. When you click on the file
cabinet, you can see that it is actually made up of individual line segments. Although you could
select each individual segment, it is much easier to select them using a window. But when you do,
in the command window, the program indicates that you selected 6 objects. But in the drawing, you
only see 5 lines: the four sides and the line representing the handle. So where did the sixth line
come from? There are actually two lines on the right edge, one belonging to the file cabinet on the
left and the other belonging to the file cabinet on the right. You need to make sure that you only
copy one of these lines, so press the SHIFT key and click on the right edge to remove one of those
lines. In the command window, the program indicates that one object has been removed and now
there are only five objects selected. Remember that pressing the SHIFT key when you select
objects removes the selected objects from the selection set. Now that you have selected the
objects, right-click. The program now prompts you to specify a base point. In the command line, you
can also see the current copy mode settings. After you select objects, but before you actually begin
to make copies, you can choose whether you want to make just one copy or multiple copies of the
objects. By default, the COPY command makes multiple copies, and you must manually end the
command once you are finished copying the objects. When you choose the Mode option, however,
you can switch to the single copy mode. Once you have done that, the program repeats the prompt
for you to select the basepoint. You can specify X- and Y-coordinates, or simply click to pick a point,
and the point does not even need to be on the object. Once you pick the base point, the program
prompts you for a second point, or you can use the first point as the displacement. With dynamic
input turned on, you can see that the program is asking for a relative distance and angle. You can
enter those values or simply click to pick a point. If you prefer to specify the second point using a
different method, you can change the pointer input behavior using tools in the Drafting Settings
dialog. By default, the Dynamic Input button does not appear on the Status bar. Although you could
customize the Status bar to display this button, you do not need to do so just to make this simple
change. You can click the arrow adjacent to any other button on the Status bar. For example, click
the arrow adjacent to the Object Snap button and choose Object Snap Settings from the shortcut
menu to open the Object Snap tab of the Drafting Settings dialog. Switch to the Dynamic Input tab.
Then, in the Pointer Input group box, click the Settings button to display the Pointer Input
Settings dialog. In the Format group box, the program is currently using Polar format and Relative
coordinates when prompting for the second or next points. You could change this to Cartesian
format and Absolute coordinates if you wished. But most users find it more convenient to use
relative distance and angle, which is why that is the default. Click Cancel to close both dialog boxes.
Suppose you want to place a copy of the file cabinet exactly 40 units up from the original. Type "40"
in the distance field and then press the TAB key. Then, in the angle field, type "90" and press the
TAB key again. Now, the copy is locked in at that location. Press ENTER to copy the objects. Since
you switched to the Single copy mode, the command immediately ends. Click Undo and then repeat
this. Start the COPY command, select the file cabinet again, being careful to only select the five
objects that make up one instance of the file cabinet, and then right-click to complete the object
selection. The COPY command is now in single copy mode. The program remembers the mode you
used the last time you used the COPY command. When you right-click, in the shortcut menu you
can see that there is both a Mode option and a Multiple option. If you simply choose Multiple, you
will be able to make multiple copies this time, but the next time you start the COPY command, it will
once again revert to the Single copy mode. To switch back to the Multiple mode, you must choose
the Mode option and then select the Multiple mode. Once you have done that, click to specify a
base point and then specify the second point. With the Multiple mode active, as soon as you place
that first copy, the program prompts you again to specify a second point, and you can immediately
place another copy of the file cabinet. When the Multiple mode is active, this prompt will keep
repeating after you place each copy. To end the command, you must either press ENTER, select
the Exit option, or press the ESC key.

1007 Using the Copy Command with Object Snap

Using modify commands in conjunction with object snap guarantees accuracy by using precise
locations on objects. For example, zoom in to the office in the lower-left corner of the drawing.
Suppose you want to place a series of file cabinets along the wall in the adjacent office. You can do
that by copying one of the existing file cabinets. On the Home ribbon, in the Modify panel, click the
Copy tool. The program prompts you to select objects. Click to select the file cabinet, which
happens to be a single block object. Then, right-click to complete the object selection. Next, the
program prompts you to specify the base point. On the command line, you can also see that the
Multiple copy mode is active. Since you want to place the copy so that the corner of the file cabinet
is located precisely in the corner of the room, you need to use an object snap. In the Status bar, you
can see that Object Snap is enabled. When you click the arrow adjacent to the Object Snap button,
you can see that Endpoint is one of the running object snaps. Click in an empty spot in the drawing
to close the menu. Zoom in a bit, move the cursor near the corner of the file cabinet until you see
the Endpoint AutoSnap marker and tooltip, and then click. Now the copy of the file cabinet you are
about to place is locked precisely to the cursor. Zoom out a bit and pan up so that you can see the
corner of the adjacent room. The program is prompting you to specify the second point. Again, since
you want to place the copy precisely in the corner of the room, use object snap. Move the cursor
near the end of the line until you see the Endpoint marker and tooltip, and then click to select that
point. You have just placed a copy of the file cabinet in the exact corner of the room. Since the
Multiple copy mode is active, the program continues to ask you for another point. You can use
endpoint object snap to place another copy of the file cabinet at the exact endpoint of the first file
cabinet. In fact, you can easily place additional file cabinets along this wall until you run out of
space. Once you are done, you must end the command by pressing ENTER, selecting the Exit
option, or pressing the ESC key.

1008 Using the Copy Command with Object Snap Tracking

There may be times that you want to copy an object and place the copy a certain distance away
from another object. You can easily do this by using object snap tracking. For example, suppose
you want to place a copy of the file cabinet in the adjacent room, but you want that copy to be the
same distance away from the wall as the original. Although you do not know what that distance is,
that really does not matter, because when using object snap tracking, you can let the software
figure out the distance. On the Home ribbon, in the Modify panel, click the Copy tool. When the
program prompts you to select objects, click to select the file cabinet and then right-click to complete
the object selection. Next, the program prompts you to specify the base point, and you can see in
the command line that the Multiple copy mode is active. Since you know that you are going to use
object snap tracking, look at the Status bar and make sure that both Object Snap and Object Snap
Tracking are enabled. Also click the arrow adjacent to the Object Snap button and verify that
Endpoint is one of the running object snap modes. Then, click in an empty area of the drawing to
close the menu. Zoom in a bit so that you can track accurately off the proper points. Then, move the
cursor over the left corner of the file cabinet, but do not click. Once you see the Endpoint AutoSnap
marker and tooltip, simply move the cursor down and track along the 270-degree alignment line.
Now, if you knew how far the cabinet was from the wall, you could type that value. But you do not
know what that distance is, and you do not want to guess. Instead, move the cursor over to the left
end of the line representing the wall until you again see the AutoSnap marker and tooltip. Then,
track to the right from that point along the 0-degree alignment line. When you reach the point at
which the two object snap tracking alignment lines intersect, an X appears and the tooltip shows
you that it has found the point where those two object snap track extensions intersect. Now, click to
select that point. As soon as you do, you can see that the copy of the file cabinet is attached to the
cursor at the exact distance from the wall, and the program is prompting you to specify the second
point. Now you can zoom out and pan up so you can see the adjacent office. Move the cursor over
the left end of the line and then click when you see the Endpoint AutoSnap marker. The copy of the
file cabinet has been placed at the same distance from the wall as the original. Since the Multiple
copy mode is active, you could place additional copies of the file cabinet. But since the copy is now
located at a distance from the cursor, you must continue to use object snap tracking. But that is still
relatively easy. You can track down from the lower-right corner of the file cabinet you just placed
and track over from the end of the wall. When you reach the point where those two lines converge,
click to place the next copy. You can repeat this process until you have placed additional copies at
the proper locations. Once you are done, because the Multiple copy mode is active, you must press
ENTER, select the Exit option, or press ESC to end the command.
 1009 Using the Copy Command with the Array Option
The Copy command includes an Array option that enables you to create a linear non-associative
array. After selecting the objects to be copied, you enter the number of copies you want to make,
and then either enter the distance between each copy or fit the copies between two specified points.
When copying objects using the Copy command, if you need to make multiple copies that line up,
you can use the Copy command's array option. For example, notice that I've placed a copy of the
filing cabinet in this office. I want to make additional copies along the wall in this room. I'll start the
Copy command, by clicking the Copy tool in the Modify panel of the Home ribbon. When the
program prompts me to select objects, I'll use a window selection to select all of the lines that
comprise the filing cabinet, and then I'll right-click to complete my object selection. The program
now prompts me to specify a base point, and if I look in the command window, I can see that I'm
currently using the Multiple Copy mode, which is the default mode when using the Copy command.
I'll use the endpoint object snap to select the lower-left corner of the filing cabinet as my base point.
Now, the program is prompting me to specify the second point, and I could make multiple copies by
repeatedly clicking to place each copy. But notice in the command window that there's also an Array
option. I'll right-click and choose the Array option. The program prompts me to enter the number of
items to array. I think I might be able to fit a total of five filing cabinets along the wall, so I'll type "5"
and press ENTER. Now, the program is prompting me to specify a second point, and notice that
there's also a Fit option. So I can either specify the distance between each copy, or if I were to
choose the Fit option, I could then fit the specified number of copies between two specified points.
I'll use the default method, which is to specify the distance between each copy. I'll use the roller
wheel on the mouse to zoom out a bit. Notice that I can now see a preview image of four more
copies of the filing cabinet, and as I move the mouse, I can see that the alignment and distance
between those copies changes. If I move the mouse until it's over the lower-right corner of the filing
cabinet, I can see that the copies are now aligned with the wall and each copy starts at the end of
the previous filing cabinet. Notice that with Polar Tracking enabled, I can lock the cursor into a 0-
degree polar alignment, and now, if I move the cursor a bit, I can actually add some space between
each copy of the filing cabinet if I wish. I won't do that for now. I can also see that I guessed wrong. I
can actually only fit four filing cabinets along the wall. So I'll press the ESC key. Notice that rather
than ending the command, I'm simply returned to the previous prompt. Now I can right-click, choose
the Array option again, and this time, I'll type "4" and press ENTER. Then I'll move the mouse until
the cursor is over the lower-right corner of the filing cabinet and I see the endpoint object snap
tooltip and glyph. Then I'll click to place my copies. Notice that because I'm using the Multiple copy
mode of the Copy command, the command is still active. To end the command, I must either press
ENTER or the ESC key. And notice that each copy of the filing cabinet is still made up of individual
objects. If I hover the cursor over any line within the filing cabinet, I can still see that each is an
individual line object.

1010 Using the Mirror Command

You can use the Mirror command to make mirrored copies of selected objects. For example, the
office cubicle on the left already has had furniture placed in it. The cubicle to the right does not yet
have furniture. If you were to simply copy the furniture from the cubicle on the left into the one on
the right, it would block the entrance to the cubicle. But since the cubicle on the right is essentially a
mirror image of the one on the left, you can use the Mirror command to make mirrored copies of the
furniture. To make mirrored copies, on the Home ribbon, in the Modify panel, click the Mirror tool.
Since this is a modify command, the program first prompts you to select objects, and you can use
any convenient object selection method. In this case, use a crossing window to select the desk and
everything on it, the file cabinet, and the chair. Then, right click to complete the object selection.
Next, the program prompts you to specify the first point of the mirror line. The mirror line is
essentially an imaginary line of symmetry about which the copies will be mirrored. Since it is a line,
you define it by picking two points. In this case, the mirror line needs to go down through the middle
of the cubicle wall. In order to do that, you need to use object snap to snap to the midpoint of the
end of the cubicle wall. To make sure that you select the correct point, on the Status bar, click the
arrow adjacent to the Object Snap button and choose Object Snap Settings to open the Object
Snap tab of the Drafting Settings dialog. Click the Clear All button and then select only the Midpoint
object snap. Also turn off Object Snap Tracking and then click OK to close the dialog. Now, when
you move the cursor over the end of the cubicle wall, the program only finds the midpoint of the line.
Click to select that point. Next, the program prompts you to specify the second point of the mirror
line, and as you move the cursor, you can see the imaginary line and a preview image of the objects
being copied. Notice how the copies are mirrored about the mirror line. You need to make sure that
mirror line is aligned precisely, so go back to the Status bar and turn on either the Ortho mode or
Polar Tracking. Either of these will enable you to lock the mirror line at a 270-degree angle. In this
case, turn on Ortho mode. Then, move the cursor straight down. You can see that it is aligned at a
270-degree angle. You can then pick any point along that alignment as the second point. The
position of the second point does not matter; only the direction of the mirror line. As soon as you
pick that point, the image of the copied objects temporarily disappears and the program asks if you
want to erase the source objects. In other words, do you want to simply flip the existing objects
across the mirror line or do you want to make a mirrored copy. The default is no; in other words, do
not simply flip the objects - make a copy. Simply press ENTER to accept the default. As soon as
you do, the mirrored copies of the objects are placed in the cubicle on the right and the command
ends.

1011 Controlling Text Display with the Mirror Command

You can use the Mirror command to make mirrored copies of selected objects. But what happens
when those objects include text? In this example, I want to use the furniture in the office in the
lower-left and place mirrored copies of that furniture in the office above it. There's also some text
labeling the office, and I'd like that text placed in the new office as well. On the Home ribbon, in the
Modify panel, I'll click the Mirror tool. The program prompts me to select objects and I can use any
convenient object selection method. I'll use a series of selection windows and crossing windows to
select all of the furniture and the text, being careful not to also select a wall. But if I do select a wall
by mistake, that's not really a problem. I can simply press the SHIFT key and click on the wall again
to remove it from the selection set. Once I'm sure that all of the objects I want to copy are selected,
I'll right-click or press ENTER to complete the object selection. Next, the program prompts me to
select the first point of the mirror line. I'll use the midpoint object snap to snap to the midpoint of the
line between the two doors. Then, when the program prompts me to specify the second point of the
mirror line, I'll make sure that Ortho mode is enabled and then move the cursor to the left along a
180-degree alignment line. I can see that the furniture is being mirrored into the adjacent office, but
notice that the text is being mirrored as well. That's certainly not what I want. But there is a very
easy way to fix this. You can control whether the program mirrors text when using the Mirror
command by changing a system variable called MIRRTEXT. And you can change this variable while
a command is active. To do that, I'll type an apostrophe (). In situations like this, when the
program is waiting for you to provide input, you can type an apostrophe followed by a system
variable to change the variable value transparently, in other words, while a command is active. So
I'll type an apostrophe (), the system variable name "MIRRTEXT," and then press ENTER. The
program prompts me to enter a new value for MIRRTEXT and shows me that the current value is 1.
When MIRRTEXT equals 1, text is mirrored when using the Mirror command. When set to a value of
0, however, text is not mirrored. I'll type "0" and then press ENTER. As soon as I do, I'm right back
in the Mirror command again. The program is again prompting me to specify the second point of the
mirror line. But notice that now, the furniture is mirrored but the text is no longer mirrored. With
Ortho mode turned on, I can simply click to pick a point anywhere along the 180-degree alignment
line. As soon as I do, the image of the copied objects temporarily disappears and the program asks
if I want to erase the source objects, and the default response is No. Since I want to leave the
existing furniture and simply place a copy into the adjacent room, I'll press ENTER to accept the
default. As soon as I do, the mirrored copies of the objects are placed in the adjacent office. The
text is also placed in its mirrored location, but the text itself is not mirrored.

1012 Controlling Hatch Display with the Mirror Command

You can use the Mirror command to make mirrored copies of selected objects. But what happens
when those objects include hatch patterns? For example, I want to make a mirror image of this
object. On the Home ribbon, in the Modify panel, I'll click the Mirror tool. The program prompts me to
select objects, and I can use any convenient object selection method. In this case, I'll use a window
to select the entire object, including the boundary, the internal circles, and the hatch pattern. Once
I'm done selecting objects, I'll right-click to complete the object selection. Now, the program prompts
me to specify the first point of the mirror line. I'll use the Endpoint object snap to select the end of
this line. When the program prompts me to specify the second point of the mirror line, I'll select the
other endpoint. Next, the program asks if I want to erase the source objects. If I just wanted to flip
the objects so that they were moved to the other side of the mirror line, I would say yes. But to make
mirrored copies, I can simply press ENTER to accept the default. Notice that when I mirror the
objects, the boundary and the circles mirror, but the hatch pattern does not get mirrored. The lines
of the hatch pattern are still at the same angle as the original object. But there may be times when
you do want the hatch pattern to be mirrored when you use the Mirror command. You can control
this by changing a system variable. The system variable that controls the mirroring of hatch objects
is called MIRRHATCH. I can change the value of this system variable by simply typing
"MIRRHATCH" at the command prompt, and thanks to AutoComplete, once I see that system
variable in the list, I can simply click to select it. The program prompts me to enter a new value for
MIRRHATCH. When the MIRRHATCH system variable equals 0, hatch patterns are not mirrored
when you mirror objects. If I change the value to 1, however, notice that now, when I start the Mirror
command, select the objects, and then specify the mirror line, when I complete the command, the
hatch pattern has been mirrored along with the objects.

1013 Creating a Rectangular Array

The Rectangular Array tool enables you to make copies of selected objects and arrange those
copies into a rectangular pattern of rows and columns. Let's see how it works. Here we see a
schematic for a simple rectangular building. The rectangle in the lower-left corner represents a
column. I can use the Rectangular Array tool to quickly lay out the rest of the columns. I'll start the
command by clicking the Rectangular Array tool in the Modify panel of the Home ribbon. Notice that
when I hover the cursor over the tool for a few seconds, the tooltip expands and shows me a short
animation illustrating a typical use of the command. When I start the Rectangular Array tool, the
program prompts me to select objects. I can select the objects I want to array using any convenient
object selection method. For example, I'll use a window to select the column. When I'm finished, I'll
right-click to complete the object selection. Next, notice that in the command window, I can see that
I'm creating a rectangular array and that the array will be associative. It's important to check this,
because the program will remember what you did the last time you created an array. By default, the
program creates associative arrays. An associative array means that the copies will be part of a
single array object and you'll be able to modify the array properties, such as changing the spacing
or number of objects in the array, after it has been created. Notice that the ribbon has also changed
to the Array Creation contextual ribbon, and in the Properties panel, I can see that the Associative
Array button is selected, as indicated by the blue background. You can toggle this on and off by
clicking this button. I'll leave this selected, so that I create an associative array. Also notice that after
selecting the objects I want to array, I see a preview of the array, displayed in a 3 row by 4 column
grid. I can also see a number of grips, and the program is prompting me to select a grip to edit the
array, and there are also a number of options. For example, I can specify a new base point in the
upper-right corner of the first column. I could also change the angle of the array or modify the count,
the number of copies I'm about to make. If I click and drag the square grip in the upper-right, I can
change the overall size of the array, which will also increase the number of rows and columns. I can
use the triangular grip in the lower-right to change the number of columns, and the triangular grip
along the bottom to change the distance between columns. Similarly, I can use the triangular grip in
the upper-left to change the number of rows, and the grip along the left side of the array to change
the distance between rows. I can also change these values within the contextual ribbon. When I'm
done modifying the array, I must end the command by either choosing the Exit option or clicking the
Close Array button in the ribbon. Notice that when I move the cursor over an element in the array,
all of the elements highlight, and I can see that this is a rectangular array object. Once I have
created the array, I can select it and then make changes. For example, what I really want is an
arrangement of building columns in 3 rows and 4 columns that perfectly fills the rectangular building
space. Notice that when I move the cursor over the triangular grip in the lower-right, I can see that
this is now a multi-functional grip. I'll select Column Count and change this value to 4. Then, I'll
hover the cursor over that grip again, select Total Column Spacing, and then snap to the lower-right
corner of the building outline. I'll repeat this process using the triangular grip in the upper-left corner
of the array. Again, when I move the cursor over this grip, I can see that it's a multi-functional grip.
I'll choose Row Count and change this value to 3. Then, I'll hover the cursor over that grip again,
select Total Row Spacing, and then snap to the upper-left corner of the building outline. When I'm
done, I'll click the Close Array button. And as you can see, thanks to the power of associative
arrays, I've adjusted the spacing so that the columns are now laid out in a rectangular array
consisting of 3 rows and 4 columns that fits exactly within my building outline.

1014 Adjusting Rectangular Array Rows and Columns

The Rectangular Array tool enables you to make copies of selected objects and arrange those
copies into a rectangular pattern of rows and columns. In this example, I'll use the rectangular array
to lay out some furniture in a repetitive pattern. I'll zoom in to this room on the right side of the
building. This is going to be a training room. I've drawn a table and chair, and what I'd like to do now
is to create copies of these objects, arranged in a rectangular pattern of rows and columns. I'd like
to have three tables in each row and I think I can place five rows of tables and chairs in this room
and still have adequate space to move around. I'll start the command by clicking the Rectangular
Array tool in the Modify panel of the Home ribbon. The program prompts me to select objects and I
can use any convenient object selection method. In this case, I'll use a window to select both the
table and the chair. When I'm finished, I'll right-click to complete the object selection. Next, notice
that in the command window, I can see that I'm creating a rectangular array and the array will be
associative. I can also see, in the Array Creation contextual ribbon, that the Associative button is
selected, as indicated by the blue background. An associative array means that the copies will be
part of an array object and I'll be able to modify the array after it's been created. I can see a preview
of the desk and chair arranged in a rectangular array consisting of 3 rows and 4 columns, and the
program is prompting me to select a grip to edit the array, and there are a number of options. Since
I want to specify the number of rows and columns, I'll choose the Count option. The program
prompts me to enter the number of columns. I'll type "3" and then press ENTER. Then, the program
prompts me to enter the number of rows. I'll type "5" and then press ENTER. Notice that now, the
original prompt repeats. This time, I'll choose the Spacing option. Now, the program is prompting me
to specify the distance between columns. By default, the distance between columns is measured
horizontally along the X-axis. Since each desk is 60 units long, I'll type "60" and press ENTER.
Then, the program prompts me to specify the distance between rows. The distance between rows is
measured vertically along the Y-axis. I want 48 units between the desks, so I'll type "48" and press
ENTER. The array immediately updates to reflect these new values and the prompt repeats again.
It's pretty obvious that the rows are spaced too close together. That's because although I specified a
row spacing of 48 units, what I really wanted was 48 units between the tables. But I forgot to take
into account the width of the tables, which happens to be 18 units. I can change that right now by
using the Row option. If I choose Rows, the program prompts me again to enter the number of
rows. I don't really want to change the number of rows, I just want to adjust the spacing. So I'll press
ENTER to accept the current value of 5 rows. Now the program prompts me to specify the distance
between rows. I'll increase the distance to 66 units, 48 plus 18, and press ENTER. That's better.
Notice that at this point, I can also specify an elevation increment, so I could change the elevation of
each row by an amount I specify. This would be very useful if I was creating a 3D model of the
training room and each row of tables and chairs was on a separate riser. But in this case, we'll
assume that the floor is flat, so I'll just press ENTER to accept the default elevation increment of
zero. Again, the program prompts me to select a grip to edit the array, or I can choose one of the
options. To end the command, I can either press ENTER or click the Close Array button.

1015 Changing the Properties of Rectangular Arrays

By default, the Rectangular Array tool creates an associative array, which means that the copies of
objects in the array are part of a single array object that can subsequently be modified by changing
the array properties, such as the spacing or number of objects in the array. In this example, I've laid
out tables and chairs for a training room, but when I look at the results, I can see that I probably
have too many rows of tables. When I select any object in the array, notice that the entire array is
selected. I can see that it's highlighted. I can also see a number of grips, and the ribbon has
changed to the Array contextual ribbon. And if I expand the Properties palette, I can see that the
object I've selected is a rectangular array. I can now use any of those tools, the tools in the ribbon,
the grips, or the fields in the Properties palette, to modify the array. If I hover the cursor over the
square grip in the upper-right corner, I can change the row and column count or adjust the total row
and column spacing. If I hover the cursor over the triangular grip in the upper-left corner, I can
change the row count, the total row spacing, or the axis angle of the columns. If I hover the cursor
over the triangular grip in the lower-right corner, I can change the column count, the total column
spacing, or the axis angle of the rows. This triangular grip lets me change the spacing between the
rows and this triangular grip lets me change the spacing between the columns. And notice that the
square grip in the lower-left corner lets me move the array. And if this was a three-dimensional
array, I could also adjust the number of levels in the array. Since I simply want to reduce the number
of rows in the array, I can move the cursor over this grip and then choose Row Count. Notice that
now, I can move the cursor and the number of rows in the array immediately adjusts. I could also
change the number of rows by typing the desired number in the dynamic input field or by changing
the value in the Rows panel on the Array ribbon or by changing the Rows value field in the
Properties palette. Now I've got the right number of rows, but I can see that it probably makes sense
to add a bit of space between each column of tables. When I hover the cursor over this grip, I can
see that I've currently got 60 units between columns. I'll click on the grip to make it active and then I
can either drag it to increase the column spacing or type a new value. I'll type "72" and press
ENTER. Now I've got 12 units between each table. That looks pretty good. I'll press the ESC key to
finish modifying the array.

1016 Editing Array Source Objects

In addition to modifying the properties of an associative array, you can also edit the array by
modifying the source objects that were arrayed. In this example, I've laid out the tables and chairs in
a training room, but I've realized that I need to add more chairs to accommodate more people in the
room. In other words, I need more chairs than I currently have in the room. Since I can probably fit
two chairs at each table, all I really need to do is to add one chair to the right of the chair already
shown at each table. If I select any of the chairs or tables, I can immediately see that these objects
were created as part of an associative rectangular array. Notice that the entire array is selected and
the ribbon has changed to the Array contextual ribbon. To edit the array source objects, I'll click the
Edit Source tool in the Options panel of the ribbon. The program prompts me to select an item in the
array. I can select any item in the array to use as the basis for the change. As soon as I do, the
program displays an Array Editing State alert asking me if I really want to edit the source objects of
the associative array. Notice that the information in this dialog also tells me that I need to remember
to close the array once I'm done editing it to exit from the array editing state. I'll click OK. Notice that
the instance of the array that I selected can now be edited. The other objects in the array are
highlighted, so that I can see that they are part of the array. Notice that all of the other objects in the
drawing are grayed out. I'll use the roller wheel on the mouse to zoom in a bit. Now I can use any
editing command to modify the selected instance of the array. In this case, I'll use the COPY
command to place a second chair at the table. I'll use direct distance entry to locate that copy 30
units to the right of the existing chair. Then I'll press ENTER to end the COPY command. As soon
as I do, notice that I can see that a second chair has been added at each of the other tables. If I
were to draw anything new at this point, any objects I add to the drawing will also be added to the
array. For example, if I use the CIRCLE command to add a small circle on the desk, a circle will also
be added to each of the other desks. I'll zoom out so you can see this. Notice the Edit Array button
on the ribbon. Since I'm done modifying the array, I'll expand this button. Now I can either save or
discard the changes I just made. I'll click Save Changes to save my changes to the array.

1017 Removing Items from the Array

When you create a rectangular array, an instance of the objects being copied is placed at each
location within the array. But sometimes, you may need to remove one or more items from the
array. In this example, I've laid out the tables and chairs in a training room, but I've realized that I
probably can't have a table and two chairs in the center of the front row, because there will be a
rolling cart with a computer and a video projector that will typically be placed at that location. But
that's okay. I can easily remove one instance of the array. To remove an item from an array, press
the CTRL key and then click to select the item you want to remove. This is referred to as sub-object
selection. You're selecting a sub-object within the array object. Notice that when I hold down the
CTRL key and then click on the table in the middle of the front row, the table and the two chairs are
selected. I can now remove that item from the array by simply pressing the DELETE key or by using
the ERASE command. But perhaps, after removing that table, I realize that a better solution would
be to mount the video projector at the ceiling. So I don't really need to delete that item. I can easily
restore it back to the array. I'll select any item in the array so that the entire array is selected again
and I can see the Array contextual ribbon. If I click the Reset Array button, notice that any items that
I removed are restored to the array.

1018 Changing the Angle of Rectangular Arrays

When you create a rectangular array, you can adjust the angle at which the array is created. And
once you've created the array, you can adjust the row or column axis angles. I'll click the
Rectangular Array tool in the Modify panel of the Home ribbon, select the objects I want to array,
and then either press ENTER or right-click to complete the selection. Notice that I can see in the
command window that, by default, the resulting array is going to be an associative array. That
means that the copies will be part of a single array object that I can modify later by adjusting any of
the properties controlling the array, such as the number of rows and columns and the spacing
between those rows and columns. I can also see in the contextual ribbon that the Associative button
is selected, as indicated by the blue background. In the command window, I can see that the
program is prompting me to select a grip to edit the array, or I can choose one of the other options.
To complete the creation of the array, I can either press ENTER to select the Exit option, or I can
click the Close Array button in the ribbon. Once the array has been created, since it's an associative
array, if I select any element in the array, the entire array is selected. Now, the grips in the corners
of the array are multi-function grips. If I move the cursor over the triangular grip in the lower-right
corner, notice that one of the options is Axis Angle. If I choose that option, the program prompts me
to specify the axis angle, and I can either enter an angle value or pick a point on the screen. Notice
that I can see a preview of the array. Also notice that the angle only affects the orientation of the
rows; the objects being arrayed do not change. I'll enter an angle of 75 degrees and press ENTER. I
can make similar changes using the triangular grip in the upper-left. I'll move the cursor over that
grip and choose Axis angle. Again, I can either enter an angle value or pick a point on the screen,
and as I move the cursor, I can see a preview of the resulting changes to the array. I'll enter an
angle of 90 degrees and press ENTER. Again, the objects being arrayed do not change, but the
rows have been rotated from their original orientation and then the columns have been rotated so
that they are once again perpendicular to the row orientation. When I'm finished making changes, I
can either press the ESC key to deselect the array, or click the Close Array button.

1019 Creating Associative and Non-Associative Arrays

When you create a rectangular array, by default, the program creates it as an associative array.
That means that all of the items in the array are treated as part of a single array object that can be
modified later by adjusting any of the properties of the array, such as the number of rows and
columns and the spacing between those rows and columns. But if you create the array as a non-
associative array, the result will be individual copies of the objects arranged in a rectangular pattern.
For example, when I click the Rectangular Array tool in the Modify Panel of the Home ribbon, select
the objects I want to array, and then complete my selection, I can see in the command window that
the array I'm about to create will be an associative array. I can also see that in the Array Creation
contextual ribbon, the Associative button is selected, as indicated by the blue background. I'll click
the Close Array button to accept the array and end the command. Notice that if I select any item in
the array, the entire array is selected and the ribbon changes to the Array contextual ribbon,
because this is an associative array. I can now modify the array by changing any of the properties,
such as the number of columns. I can also adjust the array using grips. This time, I'll start the
command again, select the object I want to array, and then right-click to complete my selection. This
time, in the contextual ribbon, I'll click the Associative button to toggle this off, so that these objects
are not created as part of an associative array. Then, I'll click the Close Array button. Notice that this
time, if I select an item in this array, only the individual item I choose is selected, because this is not
an associative array. It's simply a collection of individual objects copied in a rectangular pattern. I'll
delete all but my original object. I'll start the command again and select the objects I want to array.
Now, this is very important. Notice that in the command window, the default has changed. The
program is no longer going to create an associative array. The program remembers that I changed
that option the last time I created an array and will no longer create an associative array unless I
choose the Associative option and tell the program to create an associative array. I can also see in
the contextual ribbon that the Associative button is not selected. But I can click to toggle this back
on. Notice that now I can once again see that the button has a blue background. I'll click the Close
Array button to finish creating the array and end the command. Notice that now, when I move the
cursor over any item in the array, they all highlight, and I can see that this is an associative array.
When I start the command again and then select the objects I want to array, I can see in the
command window, and in the contextual ribbon, that the program will once again create an
associative array. Be sure to check this setting before completing the creation of an array, because
while you can use the EXPLODE command to reduce an associative array into individual objects,
you can't convert a non-associative array into an associative array.

1020 Creating a Polar Array

The Polar Array tool enables you to make copies of selected objects and arrange those copies
equally in a circular pattern around a center point. Let's see how it works. I'll zoom in on this
conference table. I've already placed one chair spaced a short distance away from the table and
what I'd like to do now is to place additional chairs around the table, for a total of 12 chairs. I can
use the Polar Array tool to do this. The Polar Array tool is located in the Modify panel of the Home
ribbon. If I expand the Array split button, I can see that there are actually three different Array tools.
Whichever tool you used last floats to the top of the button. Notice that when I hover the cursor over
the Polar Array tool for a few seconds, the tooltip expands and shows me a short animation
illustrating a typical use of the command. When I start the Polar Array tool, the program prompts me
to select objects. I can select the objects I want to array using any convenient object selection
method. In this case, I'll simply click to select the chair. Once I'm done selecting objects, I'll right-
click. Next, notice that in the command window, I can see that I'm creating a Polar array and that the
array will be associative. It's important to check this, because the program will remember what you
did the last time you created any type of array. By default, the program creates associative arrays.
An associative array means that the copies will be part of a single array object and you'll be able to
modify the array properties, such as the number of objects in the array and the angle between
objects, after the array has been created. The program is prompting me to specify the center point
of the array, or I could specify the base point or an axis of rotation. I'll use the Center object snap to
select the center of the table as the center point of the array. That way, each chair will remain the
same distance from the table. As soon as I specify the center point, the ribbon changes to the Array
Creation contextual ribbon, and I see a preview of an array that includes six copies of the chair.
There are also several grips. I can use the square grip in the center to change the center point of
the array, the square grip at the bottom to change the radius of the array, and the triangular grip to
change the angle between items. In the command window, I can see that the program is prompting
me to select a grip to edit the array and there are a number of options. And in the ribbon, I can see
that the Associative button is selected, as indicated by the blue background. I can toggle this on and
off if I wish. I'd like to place 12 chairs around the table. So I'll select the Items option. The program
prompts me to enter the number of items in the array; I'll type "12" and press ENTER. As soon as I
do, I can see that 12 chairs is probably too many. The chairs are a bit too close together. So I can
choose the Items option again, change the number of chairs to 10, and then press ENTER. That
looks better. Notice that there's also an option called Rotate Items. And in the contextual ribbon,
there's a Rotate Items button, which is currently selected. If I choose that option or simply click the
Rotate Items button to toggle that setting, notice that the chairs are no longer facing the center of
the table because they are no longer rotated as they are arrayed around the table. That's certainly
not what I want, so I'll click the button to toggle that back on again. Once I'm satisfied with the array,
I can either choose the Exit option or click the Close Array button to accept the array and end the
command. Since the chairs were copied around the table as an associative array, notice that if I
select one of the chairs, they're all selected. Also notice that the Array contextual ribbon becomes
active and in the drawing I again see a number of grips. I can modify the array using either the grips
or the tools in the ribbon. In this case, I want to see what would happen if I had 11 chairs around the
table. I'll click in the Items field in the Items panel and change the number of items to 11. Notice that
thanks to the power of associative arrays, the drawing immediately updates. If I change my mind
again, I can go back to 10 chairs.

1021 Adjusting Polar Arrays

The Polar Array tool enables you to make copies of selected objects and arrange those copies
equally in a circular pattern around a center point. By default, the Polar Array tool creates an
associative array, which means that the copies of objects in the array are part of a single array
object that can subsequently be modified by changing the array properties, such as the number of
items in the array, the angle between objects or total angle to fill, the center point of the array, and
the radius of the array. In this example, I've arrayed chairs around a conference table. But the room
is pretty crowded. So I want to see how things would look if I only had chairs arrayed around one
half of the table. When I select any object in the array, notice that the entire array is selected. I can
see that it's highlighted. I can also see a number of grips, and the ribbon has changed to the Array
contextual ribbon. And if I expand the Properties palette, I can see that the object I've selected is a
polar array. I can now use any of those tools, the tools in the ribbon, the grips, or the fields in the
Properties palette, to modify the array. Since I only want the chairs to go around half of the table, I
can click in the Fill field in the Items panel on the ribbon and change the fill angle from 360 to 180.
Now the chairs only go halfway around the table, but they overlap each other because there are still
10 chairs. But I can easily fix that, by clicking in the Items field in the ribbon and changing that value
to 6. If I'd like to see how the array would look if the chairs were on the other side of the table, I can
click the Direction button in the contextual ribbon. Notice that this is a toggle. When off, the items
are arrayed in a clockwise direction. When I click the button again to toggle this on, as indicated by
the blue background, the items are arrayed in a counter-clockwise direction. Once I'm satisfied with
the array, I can click the Close Array button to end the command. You can also adjust the radius of
a polar array. Perhaps I'd like to see how my furniture layout would look if I had chairs arrayed all
around the table, but used a slightly smaller table. I'll select the table, and then click on one of the
quadrant grips and change the Radius from 48 to 42. Then, I'll press the ESC key to deselect the
table. Of course, once I've done that, the chairs are positioned a bit further from the table. But I can
fix that. I'll select one of the chairs to select the entire array again. If I hover the cursor over the
square grip below the table, notice that this is a multi-functional grip. I'll choose the Stretch Radius
option to change the radius of the array. Since I reduced the radius of the table by 6 units, I'll do the
same for the radius of the array, by changing this value to 61.16 units. If I hover the cursor over the
triangular grip above the table, notice that this is also a multi-functional grip. If I choose the Item
Count option, the program prompts me to specify the number of items, I'll type "10" and press
ENTER. Now I once again have 10 chairs going all the way around the table. I'll press the ESC key
to deselect the array and end the command.

1022 Creating a Path Array

The Path Array tool enables you to make copies of selected objects and arrange those copies
distributed along a path or a portion of a path. Let's see how it works. Here we see a walkway,
drawn using a spline. I've also placed a tree at the starting point of the path. What I'd like to do is to
place a series of trees distributed along the side of the entire walkway. I'll use the Path Array tool to
do this. The Path Array tool is located in the Modify panel of the Home ribbon. If I expand the Array
split button, I can see that there are actually three different Array tools. Whichever tool you used last
floats to the top of the button. Notice that if I hover the cursor over the Path Array tool for a few
seconds, the tooltip expands and shows me a short animation illustrating a typical use of the
command. When I start the Path Array tool, the program prompts me to select objects. I can select
the objects I want to array using any convenient object selection method. In this case, I'll simply
click to select the tree. Once I'm done selecting objects, I'll right-click. Next, the command prompts
me to select the path curve. I'll click to select the spline representing one side of the walkway. As
soon as I do, I can see in the command window that the program shows me that I'm creating a path
array and that the array will be associative. The ribbon also changes to the Array Creation
contextual ribbon, and I can see that the Associative button in the Properties panel is selected, as
indicated by its blue background. It's important to check this, because the program will remember
what you did the last time you created any type of array. By default, the program creates associative
arrays. An associative array means that the copies will be part of a single array object and you'll be
able to modify the array after it has been created by adjusting any of its properties, such as the
number of objects in the array and how they are distributed along the path. I can see a preview of
the array, as well as several grips. Notice that there are 14 copies of the tree spaced along the path.
The program is prompting me to select a grip to edit the array, or I can choose one of the options. If
I click and drag the triangular grip, I can change the spacing between each tree. When I do that, the
number of trees automatically changes to fit the path. If I click the Items toggle in the ribbon, notice
that a new grip appears at the end of the array. When this is toggled off, I can specify the number of
items in the array. I'll type "12" and press ENTER. With the Items button toggled off, notice that
when I reduce the number of trees, they no longer extend to the end of the path. But then I can
adjust the spacing between the trees so that the trees extend to the end of the path. By default,
each item in the array is rotated so that it aligns with the path. But notice that if I click the Align Items
button in the ribbon to toggle this off, now each tree has the exact same orientation. When I click the
button again to toggle this back on, notice that each tree is now once again rotated so that its
alignment is based on the path. I can also control the orientation of the trees relative to the path. To
do this, I can choose the Tangent Direction option, or simply click the Tangent Direction button in
the ribbon. The program prompts me to specify the first point of the tangent direction vector. I'll click
to select the endpoint of the spline. Then, the program prompts me to specify the second point of
the tangent direction vector. I'll move the cursor so that the imaginary line between the first and
second point is aligned with the tree symbol at approximately a 50 degree angle, and then click. As
soon as I do, notice how the orientation of all of the trees immediately adjusts. Once I'm satisfied
with the array, I can press ENTER to select the Exit option, or click the Close Array button. Suppose
that after looking at the results, I decide that there are too many trees. Notice that when I move the
cursor over any one of the trees, they all highlight, and I can see that this is a path array. When I
click to select a tree, they're all selected, and the ribbon changes to the Array contextual ribbon.
Now, I can make changes to the array. With the Items toggled off, I can click in the Items field and
change the number of items to 10. When I do, notice that the trees no longer extend to the end of
the path. That's because the distance between the trees has not changed. Notice that in the ribbon,
in the Properties panel, the Measure Method tool is currently selected. But if I expand this button
and choose the Divide Method, notice that now the 10 trees are distributed evenly along the length
of the path. Note that when this is set to use the Divide Method, the program uses equal divisions,
there is only a single grip at the starting point of the path array, and in the Items panel, I can no
longer control the distance between items or the total length of the path array. If I change this back
to the Measure Method, items are placed based on a specific distance, I can once again adjust
these values in the ribbon, and I again see multiple grips. I can also use the tools in the Rows panel
in the ribbon. Notice that right now, there's just one row. If I change this value to 2, notice that I can
immediately see that a second row of trees has been added, and they follow the same path. I can
now control the distance between those rows, using either this triangular grip, or by using the tools
in the ribbon. For example, if I change the spacing to 72, the second row of trees moves closer.
Notice also that several of the grips are multi-functional grips. When I move the cursor over the
triangular grip at the end of the path, notice that I can change the Item Count or the Total Item
Spacing. If I hover the cursor over the square grip, I can move the array or change the level count.
And if I hover the cursor over this triangular grip, I can change the Row Count or Row Spacing. If I
choose Row Count, the program prompts me to specify the number of rows. I'll change the row
count back to 1 and press ENTER. When I'm done editing the array, I can click the Close Array
button or simply press the ESC key to deselect the array.
 1023 Changing the Base Point of a Path Array
When you change the base point of a path array, the array is recalculated using the new base point
relative to the first object in the array. The first object is repositioned as the specified base point is
moved to the start of the path. In this example, I've placed a series of trees spaced evenly along a
spline path representing a walkway. But the trees are placed right on the edge of the path. I need to
move those trees away from the walkway. I can do this by changing the base point of the object
being arrayed, in other words, the base point of the tree. When I select any object in the array,
notice that the entire array is selected. I can see that it's highlighted. I can also see a square grip at
the current base point of the array, and the ribbon has changed to the Array contextual ribbon. And
if I expand the Properties palette, I can see that the object I've selected is a path array. I can now
use any of these tools, the tools in the ribbon, the grips, or the fields in the Properties palette, to
modify the array. To move the base point, I'll click the Base Point tool in the Properties panel in the
ribbon. The program prompts me to specify a new base point. I'll click to select a point just below
the first tree in the array. Notice that as soon as I do, that point becomes the new base point. The
first tree in the array is relocated so that the point I just specified is now located at the starting point
of the path and all of the other trees in the array are now moved so that they are also that same
distance above the array path. I can now use any of the other tools in the ribbon or in the Properties
palette to change any of the other properties of the array. When I'm done making changes, I'll press
the ESC key to deselect the array.

1024 Changing the Path of a Path Array

In addition to changing the properties of the items within a path array, you can also change the path
along which the array was created. In this example, I've arrayed a number of trees along a walkway
that was created using a spline. If I select the spline, I can use tools to change the spline. For
example, if I hover the cursor over the square grip at the right-end of the spline, I can choose the
Add Fit Point option and then add another fit point to the right of this point. I'll use the roller wheel on
the mouse to zoom out a bit. Although I have lengthened the path, the array hasn't changed,
because by default, the array was created using the Measure Method option, so the program retains
the number of items in the array and the distance between each item. But I can change that
behavior if I wish. I'll press the ESC key to deselect the spline and then select a tree to select the
array. Now, I can use any of the tools in the Array contextual ribbon, the grips, or the Properties
palette to adjust the array. In this case, I'll expand the Measure Method tool and choose the Divide
Method. Now, the 10 trees are spread out along the length of the spline. I will add four more trees to
the array by changing the item count from 10 to 14. Then, I'll press the ESC key to deselect the
array. I'll select the spline again and then click and move the square grip at its end. Notice that now,
the array automatically adjusts to reflect the changes I make to the spline. When you create an
associative path array, not only are the items in the array associative, but they also remain
associated with the path. So not only can I lengthen the path, I can also change the shape of the
path. I'll hover the cursor over the second square grip from the right-end of the spline, choose
Stretch Fit Point option, and then relocate that point. As soon as I do, notice that not only does the
shape of the walkway path change, but the trees in the array also move so that they continue to
follow that spline path. Again, if I need to make changes to the trees themselves, I must first press
the ESC key to deselect the path, and then select an item in the array.

1025 Replacing Items Within an Array

In addition to modifying the properties of an associative array, you can also edit the array by
modifying the objects in the array. In this example, I've created a path array consisting of a series of
trees evenly distributed along a spline curve walkway path. But the landscape plan looks too
uniform. I'd like to create a bit of variety. One way I can do this is by replacing some of the trees with
a different tree. If I select any tree in the array, I can immediately see that they were all created as
part of an associative path array. Notice that the entire array is selected and the ribbon has changed
to the Array contextual ribbon. To replace an item in the array, I'll click the Replace Item tool in the
Options panel of the ribbon. Notice that I could also right-click, expand the Array item in the shortcut
menu, and choose Replace Item. The program prompts me to select the replacement objects. In
this case, I've already drawn an alternate tree. I'll click to select that object and then right-click to
complete my selection. Next, the program prompts me to select the base point of replacement. I'll
select a point just below the new tree. This will become the base point for the replacement object,
so you'll want to select this point so that it's in a similar position to the base point used when placing
the original source object. Then, the program prompts me to select an item in the array to replace.
I'll click to select one of the trees. As soon as I do, notice that the original tree is replaced by the
new tree. The command repeats so that I can select another tree to replace. Again, as soon as I
select a tree, it too is replaced by the new tree. When I'm finished replacing items in the array, I can
press ENTER, in which case I can continue to modify other aspects of the array, or I could have
simply pressed ESC. Since I pressed ENTER, I can now either choose the Exit option, or simply
press the ESC key again to deselect the array, and then either press ESC one more time or click
the Close Array button to end the command. You can also use sub-object selection to modify
individual items in the array. For example, you can press and hold the CTRL key, select any item in
the array, and then move that item into a slightly different location. I'll press the ESC key to deselect
that object and then do the same thing to move one of the other trees. See how I can use this
method to make my landscape layout look a bit more random? Be careful when replacing items
within an array or modifying individual items, however, because the changes you make are
overrides that are not saved as part of the array. If you select the array, so that you once again see
the Array contextual ribbon, and then click the Reset Array button, notice that all of these changes
are removed. Resetting the array removes any replaced items and also resets any items you may
have moved, deleted, or otherwise modified, so that they are restored to their default values.

1026 Using the Rotate Command

You can rotate objects in your drawing around a specified base point. Notice that the chair is
currently aligned parallel with the front of the desk. But suppose that I want it to be rotated so that
the furniture layout looks a bit more realistic. I can use the ROTATE command to do this. On the
Home ribbon, in the Modify panel, I'll click the Rotate tool. The program prompts me to select
objects, and I can use any convenient object selection method. When I'm done selecting objects, I'll
right-click. Next, the program prompts me to specify a base point, the point about which I want to
rotate the objects. I want to rotate the chair about a point close to where the pivot point of the chair
would be, so I'll use object snap tracking to find the midpoint of the chair. I'll move the cursor over
one side of the chair until I see the midpoint object snap glyph and tooltip and then track away from
that point. Then I'll do the same thing to track away from the midpoint of the front of the chair. When
I reach the point where those two tracking lines intersect, I'll click. That's now the base point about
which the chair will rotate. Now, the program is prompting me to specify the rotation angle. If I know
the angle, I could simply type it. For example, if I wanted to rotate the chair 90-degrees in a counter-
clockwise direction, I could simply type "90" and press ENTER. Remember that when dealing with
angles, positive angles increase in a counter-clockwise direction and negative angles increase in a
clockwise direction. I'll press the SPACEBAR to repeat the ROTATE command. Since I had already
selected the chair, when the program prompts me to select objects, I can type the letter "P" and
press ENTER to reuse the previous selection set. Then, I'll right-click or press ENTER to complete
the object selection. I'll use object snap tracking again to locate the base point. But this time, when
the program prompts me for the rotation angle, I'll simply move the cursor and then click to rotate
the chair to an arbitrary angle that looks like the way someone might have left the chair if they had
gotten up and left the room.

1027 Using the Rotate Command with a Reference Angle

You can use the ROTATE command in conjunction with the reference angle option to rotate objects
in reference to another object, or from one angle to another, without having to actually know the
angle. For example, here I can see several doors that have been placed in the drawing.
Unfortunately, they do not line up properly with the opening in the angled walls. But that's okay. You
can easily rotate the doors into the desired alignment without having to first determine the angle of
the walls. To do this, on the Home ribbon, in the Modify panel, I'll click the Rotate tool. The program
prompts me to select objects. I'll use a crossing window to select the objects comprising the door,
and then right-click to complete the object selection. Next, the program prompts me to specify the
base point, the point about which I want to rotate the selected objects. In this case, that point is the
hinge point of the door, so I'll use the endpoint object snap to select that point. Next, the program
prompts me to specify the rotation angle. If I were to enter an angle, the objects would rotate by that
angle relative to their current orientation, but since I don't know the angle of the wall, that won't
work. As I move the cursor, I can see the door rotate. If I move the cursor off at an angle, I could get
close to the right alignment, but when working with a CAD program, you always want to be precise,
so simply working by eye is not acceptable. Instead, what I can do is to select the Reference option.
Now, the program prompts me to specify the reference angle, in other words, the current alignment
of the objects I'm rotating. I'll click to select the hinge point of the door. Then, the program prompts
me to specify the second point, and I'll click to select the point at the end of the door swing arc.
Once I do that, the program prompts me to specify the new angle, and notice that now, when I move
the cursor, it is aligned precisely with the door. All I need to do now is to select the point at the
opposite door jamb to align the door precisely with the wall.

1028 Using the Offset Command

The OFFSET command enables you to make parallel or concentric copies of objects. When I start
the OFFSET command, in the command line, you can see a number of settings, including Erase
Source (do you want to erase the source object?), Layer (what layer do you want to use?), and
OFFSETGAPTYPE, which controls how corners are handled when offsetting polylines. The program
prompts you to specify the offset distance and also provides several options. In this case, I'll specify
an offset distance of .25 units and press ENTER. Then, the program prompts me to select the
object to offset, or I could choose Exit or Undo options. I'll select this polyline. As soon as I do, the
program prompts me to specify a point on the side to offset, or I can choose one of the other
options. Notice that you can see a preview of the offset result. As I move the cursor to the inside or
the outside, the preview changes, so you can see where the resulting object will be offset. If I click
to pick a point outside the original polyline, the copy is offset .25 units to the outside of the original
polyline. Then, the prompt repeats so I can select another object. If I select the original polyline and
move the cursor to the inside, I could place another copy. But notice that I can also specify a
different offset distance. I'll type ".5" and press ENTER. The new copy is immediately offset .5 units
to the inside of the original polyline. Then, the prompt repeats again. I'll press the ENTER key to exit
from the command, and then click Undo to undo those two copies that I just created. Let's look at
some of the other options that are available when using the OFFSET command. When I start the
OFFSET command, I also have the option of specifying the layer for the copied objects. If I choose
the Layer option, notice that when offsetting objects, you can place the copies on either the current
layer or the source layer, meaning the same layer as the original object being copied. To illustrate
this, let's select a different layer as the current layer. I'll expand the layer list and choose the layer
named RED, which happens to have its color set to Red. Then, notice that the program is still
waiting for me to enter the layer option for offset objects. I'll choose Current, so that the offset
copies are placed on the current layer. Then, the program prompts me to specify the offset distance,
and I'll type ".25" and press ENTER. Then, I'm prompted to select the object to offset. I'll select the
polyline. Notice that this time, the preview of the offset copy is red, because the copy is being
created on the current layer. I'll click to the outside to create an offset copy and then press the
ENTER key to exit from the command. Let's look at another example. I'll press the SPACEBAR to
restart the OFFSET command. When the program prompts me to specify an offset distance, you
can either type in a distance or pick two points. If you pick points, the program will use the distance
between those points as the offset distance. I'll use the endpoint object snap to select the ends of
this line segment. As soon as I select the second point, the program prompts me to select the object
to offset. I'll click to select the circle. Again, as soon as I do, I can see a preview of the offset copy,
and the program prompts me to specify a point on the side to offset. And as you can see, the offset
is now being created on the current layer. I'll click to offset the circle toward the outside. As soon as
I do, the copy is created and then the program prompts me again to select the object to offset. So
as you can see, by default, you have to select the object again each time you want to create an
offset copy. But you can change this behavior as well. I'll press the ENTER key to exit from the
command and then press the SPACEBAR to start the OFFSET command again. I'll press ENTER to
accept the previous offset distance of .75 units and then click to select the object I want to offset.
Before I specify the point on the side to offset, however, notice that there's a Multiple option. If I
choose the Multiple option, notice that now, after I click to specify the point on the side to offset, that
prompt repeats again so that I can simply click to immediately create another offset copy of the
object, using the same offset distance, and with dynamic input enabled, you can see the cumulative
offset distance. When the program prompts you to specify a point on the side to offset, notice that
you can press ENTER to select the next object. The program then prompts you to select a new
object to offset. I'll select the green polyline. I can then offset that polyline using the current offset
distance of .75 units. I'll press the ESC key to end the command. You can also use the OFFSET
command to move an object a specific offset distance. Notice that when I start the command, if I
choose the Erase option, the program asks if I want to erase the source object after offsetting. By
default, this is set to No. But if I choose Yes, notice that after specifying the offset distance, and
selecting the object to offset (and I'll select the outer-most circle), when I click to offset that circle to
the outside, the circle is offset but the circle I had selected has been erased. I'll press ENTER to exit
from the command. Note that this is a toggle. When I start the command again, notice that in the
command line, you can see that Erase Source is now set to Yes. To change this, you must choose
the Erase option and change it back to No. Note that instead of specifying the offset distance, you
can also select a through point, in which case the offset copy will pass through the point you
specify. To do this, choose the Through option. The program prompts you to select the object to
offset. I'll select the outer-most circle. As soon as I do, the program prompts me to specify a through
point, and you can see a preview of the offset copy. I'll click to select the endpoint of the line. As
soon as I do, notice that a new copy of the circle has been created that passes through that point. I'll
press ESC to end the command. Let's look at one more example. The OFFSET command is
particularly powerful when copying a closed object, such as a polyline. I'll pan over and use the
LINE command to create some new geometry. Now, because these are individual lines, if I start the
OFFSET command, after specifying an offset distance, and I'll specify a distance of .75 units, I must
offset each line one at a time. Then, I would have to come back and do a whole lot of cleanup, using
trims and extends. That's a lot of additional work. I'll press ENTER to exit from the command and
then click Undo to remove those lines that I already offset. Here's a much faster technique you can
use to quickly offset this object. I'll expand the Modify panel and click the Edit Polyline tool. When
the program prompts me to select a polyline, I'll actually select one of the line segments I just
created. Notice that the program immediately recognizes that this isn't a polyline and asks if I want
to turn it into one. I'll press ENTER to accept the default of Yes. Then I'll choose the Join option and
select all of the geometry that makes up the object. When I finish, I'll right-click to end the object
selection, and then end the command. Notice that now, when I move the cursor over the object, you
can see that it's one polyline object. Now I can use the OFFSET command, specify the offset
distance, select the object to offset, and specify a point on the side to offset, to off set the entire
polyline at once. Then, I'll press ENTER to exit from the command. If you do need to edit the
individual line segments, in the Modify panel, you can click on the Explode tool and then explode
the polylines back into individual line segments. And you can see that they're again individual
objects. Converting the lines into a polyline first before off setting is much faster than off setting
each individual line segment and then having to come back and do a lot of extending and trimming,
even if you then have to come back and explode the object.

1029 Offsetting Polylines with Fillets and Chamfers

The OFFSET command enables you to create parallel or concentric copies of objects. When you
offset a polyline, you can control how potential gaps between segments are treated. Notice that
when I start the OFFSET command, in the command line I can see a number of settings. For
example, the program shows me that Erase Source is currently set to No, so that the object being
offset will not be erased when the offset copy is made. The Layer is currently set to Source, so that
that offset copy will be created on the same layer as the object being offset. And the
OFFSETGAPTYPE value is set to zero. The OFFSETGAPTYPE system variable controls how
potential gaps between segments are treated when polylines are offset. By default, this system
variable is set to 0, which means that the program will simply extend polyline line segments to their
projected intersections. So after I specify the offset distance, and I'll type a distance of .5 units,
when I select the object to offset and then click to specify a point on the side to offset, and I'll click
toward the outside of this closed polyline, notice that the corners of the new polyline all meet at nice,
crisp 90-degree angles, just like the original polyline. I'll press ENTER to exit from the command.
Before you start the OFFSET command, you can change the OFFSETGAPTYPE value. To do this,
I'll start to type the system variable. As soon as I type the first few letters, I can see the system
variable in the auto-complete list and simply click on it to select it. The program prompts me to enter
a new value for OFFSETGAPTYPE. Remember that you can always type a question mark (?) and
press ENTER to see the possible values. When I do, you can see that this system variable requires
an integer between 0 and 2. I'll type "1" and then press ENTER. Now, let's start the OFFSET
command again. Notice that in the command line, you can see the new OFFSETGAPTYPE value.
I'll press ENTER to accept the default offset distance, click to select the outermost polyline, and
then click to specify a point to the outside of the polyline. Notice that this time, the new polyline has
filleted corners. When the OFFSETGAPTYPE value is set to 1, the program fillets the polyline line
segments at their projected intersections. The radius of each arc segment is equal to the offset
distance, so in this case, each fillet has a .5 unit radius. I'll press ENTER to exit from the OFFSET
command and then expand the Recent Commands tool in the command line and choose the
OFFSETGAPTYPE system variable. This time, I'll change the variable value to 2 and press ENTER.
Then, I'll start the OFFSET command again. Notice that in the command line, you can see the new
OFFSETGAPTYPE value. This time, I'll enter a new offset distance of 1 unit and press ENTER.
When the program prompts me to select the object to offset, I'll click to select the middle polyline.
Then, I'll click to specify a point to the outside of the polyline. Notice that this time, the new polyline
has chamfered corners. When the OFFSETGAPTYPE value is set to 2, the program chamfers the
polyline line segments at their projected intersections. The perpendicular distance from each
chamfer to its corresponding vertex on the original object is equal to the offset distance, so in this
case, each chamfer distance is 1 unit back from the corner in each direction. Note that the program
remembers the current OFFSETGAPTYPE value and will continue to use that value in all other
drawings. So if you no longer want offset polylines to have filleted or chamfered corners, be sure to
change the OFFSETGAPTYPE value back to 0.

1030 Using the Align Command

The ALIGN command enables you to align objects with other objects in 2D or 3D. When working in
2D, this command essentially enables you to simultaneously move, rotate, and scale one object so
that it aligns with another object, all in one command. In this example, I'd like to take this desk and
chair and move and rotate it at the same time so that it is located in the upper-right corner of the
room and aligned with this wall. Then I'd like to take this file cabinet and place it next to the desk so
that it is properly aligned with the desk. To start the ALIGN command, expand the Modify panel on
the Home ribbon and then click the Align tool. When you start the command, AutoCAD prompts you
to select objects. I'll select the desk and chair using a cross-window. You can use any object
selection method. When you have finished selecting objects, right-click or press the ENTER key to
end the object selection portion of the command and begin the action portion. AutoCAD prompts me
to specify the first source point. The source point is the first point on the object that I want to move.
Let's start with this corner of the desk. I'll use the Endpoint object snap to select that point. Then
AutoCAD prompts me for the first destination point. In other words, where do I want to place that
first source point. In this case, I want the desk to be relocated to the upper-right corner, so I'll select
the endpoint of the wall. Notice that once I select that point, AutoCAD displays a line segment to
help me visualize how the object will be moved. Those two points are now going to be aligned with
each other. Now AutoCAD prompts me to specify the second source point. I'll use Endpoint object
snap to pick this end of the desk. Then AutoCAD asks me for the second destination point. I'll snap
to a point along this wall. I'm specifying that between this point and this point I want them to line up
along the wall. AutoCAD then prompts me to specify a third source point. You would only specify a
third source point if you were working in 3D. To specify just an X- and Y-location, you only need the
first two points. I can simply press the ENTER key to Continue. Now, AutoCAD asks me if I want to
scale the objects based on the alignment points. If I said Yes, the desk would actually be scaled to
the length of the wall segments. That's obviously not what I want, so I'll simply press the ENTER key
to take the default option of No. Notice that the desk has been moved and rotated. Now let's repeat
the command to relocate the filing cabinet as well. I can press the SPACEBAR to repeat the ALIGN
command. I'll select the filing cabinet and then right-click. Next, I'll specify the first source point and
then the first destination point, and then the second source point and the second destination point.
That will assure that those points line up. When AutoCAD prompts me for the third source point, I'll
simply press the ENTER key to continue. Finally, do I want to scale the objects? No.

1031 Using the Reverse Command

You can use the REVERSE command to reverse the vertices or direction of selected lines,
polylines, splines and helixes. This can be useful when working with linetypes from older drawings
that include text, or when working with wide polylines that have different beginning and ending
widths. For example, in this drawing, which was created using an older version of AutoCAD or
AutoCAD LT, you can see that the linetype includes text, used to indicate that this is a gas line.
Because the line was drawn from right to left, the text appears upside down. Notice that if I use the
LINE command to create another line, but pick the endpoints going from left to right, the text
appears right-reading. I can use the REVERSE command to fix this. If I expand the Modify panel on
the Home ribbon and click the Reverse tool, the program prompts me to select objects, and I can
use any object selection method. I'll click to select this line. Once I'm finished selecting objects, I'll
right-click. Notice that the line has been reversed, so that the text is now right-side-up. This situation
may not arise when you work on new drawings, because by default, linetypes now ensure that text
is always right-reading regardless of the direction in which you create lines. For example, if I open
the Layer Properties Manager, create a new layer called HOT WATER and then click on the
Linetype and then load the Hot Water Supply linetype from the linetype library file that came with
this release of the program, and then assign that linetype to the new layer and make that the current
layer, notice that now, when I draw a line, it no longer matters whether I pick points from left to right,
or from right to left. The text always remains right-side up. You can also use the REVERSE
command to reverse the direction of a polyline. This is particularly useful when working with wide
polylines that have different beginning and ending widths. Notice that I've previously drawn a
polyline representing an arrow. When I move the cursor over the object, you can see that it's a
single polyline in which the segments have different beginning and ending widths. If I start the
REVERSE command, select the polyline, and then right-click to complete the object selection,
notice that nothing changes. That's because, by default, the PLINEREVERSEWIDTHS system
variable value is set to 0. When set to 0, the REVERSE command reverses the order of the polyline
segments, but not the order of the segment widths. But you can change this behavior by changing
the value of this system variable. I'll start typing the system variable PLINEREVERSEWIDTHS. As
soon as I see it in the auto-complete list, I can select it, so I don't have to type out the entire system
variable name. I'll change its value to 1, and then press ENTER. Then, I'll start the REVERSE
command again, select the polyline, and then right-click. Notice that this time, the polyline widths
also reverse, so that the arrow is now pointing in the opposite direction.

1032 Creating and Working with Groups

Groups provide an easy way to combine drawing elements together that you need to manipulate as
a unit. I'll zoom in on this office cubicle. Notice that each of the objects, the desk, the chair, the
computer, the keyboard, the file cabinet, and so on, is an individual object. If I hover the cursor over
an object, such as the chair, you can see that it has been inserted as a block reference. I know that
I'm going to want to copy all of these objects and place copies into the other office cubicles. Now, I
could certainly do this by selecting each individual object and then copying all of the objects, but
when you know that you want to edit several objects together, as I do in this situation, you can
combine them into a group. That way, you can easily select all of the objects at once. But you'll also
still be able to select the individual objects and edit them separately as needed. In addition, you can
change the objects in a group as you work by adding or removing objects. Let's combine all of the
objects in this office cubicle into a group. I'll click the Group tool in the Groups panel on the Home
ribbon. The program prompts me to select objects, but notice that there are also two additional
options. If I simply select objects, the objects will be grouped together into an unnamed group,
which will be assigned a default name. But if I choose the Name option, I can specify a name for the
group. As a general rule, if you know that you're going to reuse the group often within the drawing,
it's a good idea to name the group. But if you're only creating the group for temporary convenience,
you don't need to take the time to name the group. In this case, I'll right-click and choose the Name
option. The program prompts me to enter a group name, and I'll type "OFFICE-CUBICLE" and press
ENTER. Notice that the prompt to select objects repeats, and if I wish, I could use the Description
option to enter a description of the group. In this case, I'll simply select the objects I want to include
in the group. I can use any convenient object selection method. In this case, I'll use a crossing
window, but I'm going to purposely leave out the chair for now. Once I'm done selecting objects, I'll
press ENTER to complete the command. Notice that now, when I move the cursor over any object
in the group, all of the objects highlight, and if I click to select that object, all of the objects in the
group are selected and I see a single grip at the center of the group. I'll press the ESC key to
deselect the group. Notice that in the Groups panel on the Home ribbon there is a tool called Group
Selection On/Off. By default, this tool is toggled on, indicated by the blue background. If I toggle this
off, notice that now, when I move the cursor over the desk, only the desk highlights, and when I click
to select the desk, only the desk is selected. When Group Selection is off, only the objects you
choose are selected, even if the objects are part of a group. But notice that if I toggle Group
Selection back on, and notice that now I can once again see that the tool has a blue background, if I
move the cursor over any object in the group, they all highlight, and if I select any object in the
group, all of the objects are selected. Of course, the chair is not highlighted, because it wasn't
included when I created the group. Since I actually do want the chair included in the group, I can
easily add it to the group. To do so, in the Groups panel on the Home ribbon, click the Group Edit
tool. Since I already had a group selected, the program immediately prompts me to Enter an option.
If I didn't have a group already selected, I would have first been prompted to select a group. Notice
that one of the options is Add Objects. I'll choose that option. The program prompts me to select
objects. Again, I can use any convenient object selection method to select as many objects as I
want to add to the group. I'll click to select the chair. Once I'm done selecting objects, I'll right-click.
The chair is immediately added to the group. Notice that now, when I move the cursor over the
chair, all of the other objects highlight, and if I select any object in the group, all of the objects are
selected. Now that I've combined those objects into a group, it's much easier for me to make copies
of those objects. For example, I'll start the MIRROR command, select the group, and then right-click
to complete my object selection. Then I'll use the Midpoint object snap to specify the mirror line
down the center of this office partition, specify the second point of the mirror line, and complete the
command. See how much easier it was to select the objects. I'll do the same thing, but this time I'll
use the COPY command. When the program prompts me to select objects, I'll click on any of the
objects I just copied to select the entire group, right-click to complete my selection, click to specify
the base point, right-click and choose the Array option, enter the number of items to array, in this
case 4, and then specify the second point of the array. And that quickly, I've made the additional
copies. Each of these copies is a new, unnamed group. Notice that if I move the cursor over any
object in the group, all of the objects in the group are highlighted. But if I want to make a change to
any individual object in the group, I can toggle the Group Selection off, and then when I click on an
object, only that object is selected. Now, I can manipulate that single object if I wish. For example,
perhaps I want to rotate this chair. But again, if I toggle Group Selection on again, I can see that the
chair is still part of the group.

1033 Modifying Groups

Groups provide an easy way to combine drawing elements together that you need to manipulate as
a unit, and there are a number of things you can do to modify groups after they've been created.
Notice that when I select any object that is part of a group, if Group Selection is toggled on,
indicated by the tool's blue background, all of the objects in the group are selected. Notice that I can
also see a rectangle surrounding the objects in the group. This is known as the group bounding box.
If I expand the Groups panel in the Home ribbon, notice that I can toggle the group bounding box on
and off. By default, the group bounding box is on, as indicated by the blue background. If I click on
this tool, notice that I no longer see a blue background, and now, when I look in the drawing, instead
of seeing a bounding box, I see individual grips on each of the objects in the group. I can now click
to select any of those grips and manipulate any of the objects in the group individually. For example,
I can move this chair. If I expand the Groups panel and toggle the Group Bounding Box back on
again, once again I see the rectangular group bounding box and a single grip located at the center
of the group, and if I were to click on that grip, notice that I would move the entire group. I'll click
Undo to return the group to its previous position. If I expand the Groups panel again and click the
Group Manager button, the program displays the Object Grouping dialog. Notice that I can see the
OFFICE-CUBICLE group. If I select that group, it's name appears in the Group Name field. If I wish,
I could add a description. If I click the Highlight button, the dialog box temporarily disappears and
the group highlights in the drawing. When I click Continue, the dialog box returns and the group is
no longer highlighted. But what about the other groups of furniture in the other cubicles? Each of the
copies of the original OFFICE-CUBICLE group exists as a separate unnamed group. By default, this
dialog does not include unnamed groups. But if I select the Include Unnamed check box, notice that
now the list includes all of the other copies of the group. Again, if I select any group in the list and
then click the Highlight button, the dialog box temporarily disappears and the group I selected is
highlighted. I'll click Continue to return to the dialog box. You can also use the Find Name button to
determine the name of any group in the drawing. For example, if I click the Find Name button, the
dialog box temporarily disappears and the program prompts me to pick a member of a group. As
soon as I click on an object that is a member of a group, a Group Member List dialog box appears
showing me the name of the group that object belongs to. I'll click OK to close that dialog and return
to the Object Grouping dialog. Now that I know the name of that group, I'll select it in the list. Notice
that its name appears in the Group Name field. Now I can enter a new name for this group. I'll type
"OFFICE-CUBICLE-2" and then click the Rename button. You can use the other tools in this Object
Grouping dialog to create new groups, add and remove objects from groups, and so on. Notice that
you can also choose whether a group is selectable or not. By default, all the groups in the list are
selectable. But if I select a group and then click the Selectable button, notice that the group is no
longer selectable. I'll click OK to close the dialog. When a group is not selectable, selecting an
object in the group no longer selects the entire group. Notice that when I move the cursor over this
group, all of the members highlight, but when I move the cursor over an object in this group, only
that object highlights, and if I click to select that object, only that object is selected, even though it's
still part of the group and the Group Selection toggle is turned on. I'll expand the Groups panel and
go back into the Object Grouping dialog. If I select that group in the list and the click the Selectable
button, notice that the group is once again selectable, and if I click OK to close the dialog, now,
when I move the cursor over any member of that group, the entire group is once again highlighted,
because that group is once again selectable. If you no longer need a group, you can use the
Ungroup tool to disassociate the objects. When I click the Ungroup tool in the Groups panel on the
Home ribbon, the program prompts me to select a group, or I could use the Name option and
choose the group by name. I'll click to select this group. As soon as I do, the objects are removed
from the group and the group is deleted. The group no longer exists. If I expand the Groups panel
and click Group Manager, I can see in the Object Grouping dialog that the group no longer appears
in the list. The Explode button in this dialog does the same thing as the Ungroup tool in the Groups
panel, but when you use the Explode button, you can choose the name of the group you want to
remove.