Step-by-step guide

Manage user coordinate systems

Use the user coordinate system (UCS) and create a custom UCS.

Learning objectives:

• Define a custom user coordinate system.

• Save and restore a user coordinate system.
• Manage a coordinate system's origin and rotation for specific project conditions.

The completed exercise

Step-by-step guide: Manage user coordinate systems Page 1

1. Open the Floor_Plan_Sample.dwg file
provided in the data set.

Figure 1. Initial drawing.

2. Display the Coordinates panel on the

View tab by right-clicking anywhere on
the ribbon and choosing Show Panels >
Coordinates.

Figure 2. Display the Coordinates panel on the

ribbon.

3. Right-click on the UCS icon and choose

Origin to create a custom coordinates
system with a new origin.

Figure 3. Assigining a new origin to the UCS.

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4. Select the back corner of the desk in
cubicle 6090 for the new origin.

Figure 4. Layers from a loaded external reference.

5. Select the UCS icon and use grips to

rotate the X axis to align with the wall
behind the computer.

Figure 5. Using grips to rotate the UCS.

6. Right-click on the UCS icon and change it

so it does not show at its origin.

Figure 6. Change UCS icon to not show at origin.

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7. In the ribbon’s View tab, Coordinates
panel, choose Named UCS to save the
UCS. Name the UCS Front Office.

Figure 7. Naming the new coordinate system.

8. Explore the various ways to switch

between standard and custom coordinate
systems.

Figure 8. Switching the current UCS via the ribbon.

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9. Zoom back to cubicle 6090 and draw a
rectangle next to the desk to observe how
ortho and polar tracking align with the
new UCS’s orientation.

Figure 9. Using grips to rotate the UCS.

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