CHAPTER 5

DEVELOPING DRAWING STRATEGIES: PART 2

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:

In this chapter, you will be able to:

1. create a PLINE with acceptable corners and width

2. edit a PLINE using PEDIT to change the width and curve factors
3. Create a POLYGON, SOLID and DONUT
4. Enter simple TEXT
5. Add Multilines with the MLINE command

LESSON PROPER
PLINE Command

PLINE or polyline is a single-drawing entity that includes line and curve sections that
may vary in thickness and may be edited using PEDIT (polyline edit) for the Spline
and Fit curve options to create contour lines or airfoils. The individual segments are
connected at vertices; the direction, tangency, and line width are stored at each vertex.
The PLINE command can create rectangles as single entities as well as curved
segments of varying thickness.

The command line equivalent is PLlNE.

Command: PLlNE
Specify start point: (pick a point)
Current line width is 0.0000
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]:

Where:

Arc = a change from line entry to arc entry

Close = a closed pline, in which the first point will be joined to the last entered point
in the pline to make a closed object; more than two points are needed to have a
closed pline
Halfwidth = a specified halfwidth on either side of the pline vector

Length = the length of the pline

Undo = an undo of the last point entered

Width = a specified width of the line or arc segments on either side of the pline vector
The first PLiNE command prompt asks for a point at which the polyline will start.

Let us try a PLINE with uniform width:

Command: PLlNE
Specify start point: (pick a point)
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: W
Specify starting width <0.0000 >: 0.50
Specify ending width <0.500>: (enter)
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: 11,0

PLINE is often used to create borders around views or drawings.

Cornmand: PLlNE
Specify start point: 0,0
Current line width is 0.0000 units
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: W
Specify starting width <0.0000>: 0.25
Specify ending width<0.2500>: (enter)
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: 11,0
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/ /Undo/Width]: 11, 8.5
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/ /Undo/Width]: 0, 8.5
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/ /Undo/Width]: C

Now, let us try a PLINE with varying width:

When changing the width both start and end points must be entered.

Command: PLlNE
Specify start point: (pick 1)
Current line width is 0.0000 units
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: W
Specify starting width<0.00>: 0
Specify ending width<4.00>: 0.35
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/width]: (pick 2)
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: W
Specify starting width<0.35>: 0.10
Specify ending width<2.00>: 0.10
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: (pick 3)

POLYARCS

The PLINE command can be used to create arcs within polyline segments or on
them own, as shown in figure below.

Command: PLlNE
Specify start point: (pick a point)
Current line width is 0.1000
Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: A
[Angle/CEnter/CLose/Direction/Halfwidth/Line/Radius/Second point/Undo/Width]:
PEDIT Command

One ofthe great advantages of PLlNE is that, once the pline is entered, it can be
modified using PEDIT.
The PEDIT command changes the width of all the segments of the identified pline.

The command line equivalent is PEDIT.

First, you must create a Pline (with thickness) as shown below.

Command: PEDIT
Select polyline: (pick the polyline)
Enter an option [Close/Join/Width/Edit Vertex/Fitcurve/Spline/Decurve/Ltype
gen/Undo: W
Specify new width for all segrnents: 0.10
Enter an option [Close/Join/Width/Edit Vertex/Fitcurve/Spline/Decurve/Ltype
gen/Undo]: (enter)

POLYGON Command

The POLYGON command is like PLINE in that you are creating an object that has
many vertices.

The command line equivalent is POLYGON.

Command: POLYGON
Enter number of sides<4>: 5
Specify center of polygon or [Edge]: (pick a center point)
Enter an option [Inscribed in circle/ Circumscribed about circle] <I>: I
Specify radius of circle: 1.5
You can also use the POLYGON command to draw regular polygons by specifying the
length ofan edge as shown in the figure below.

Command: POLYGON
Enter number of sides<4>: 6
Specify center of polygon or [Edge]: E
Specify first endpoint of edge: (pick 1)
Specify second endpoint of edge: @4<0

SOLID Command

The command line equivalent is SOLID.

Command: SOLID
Specify first point: (pick 1)
Specify second point: (pick 2)
Specify third point: (pick 3)
Specify fourth point: (pick 4)
Third point: (enter)

Try this command with different orders of picking corners.

Note that the order in which points are entered is very important.

DONUT Command

The DONUT command is used to create a thick or solid circle. The inside diameter is
used to determine the hole of the doughnut. Use an inside diameter of zero to create
a solid circle; use a larger diameter to create a ring.
Once DONUT is active, a donut will be drawn every time you digitize until you press
ENTER.
Command: DONUT
Specify inside diameter of donut<.5>: 0
Specify outside diameter<1.0>: 2
Specify center of donut or <exit>: (pick 1)
Specify center of donut or <exit>: (pick 2)
Specify center of donut or <exit>: (enter)

Repeat this command with an inside diameter of 0.05

Reference
https://www.thesourcecad.com/selection-set-autocad/