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Lesson 3 Drawing Lines
Lesson 3 Drawing Lines
1 3,1 5 5,2
2 3,6 6 6,3
3 4,6 7 7,3
4 4,2 8 7,1
[Figure EX 1]
Command Prompt Sequence
• Command: LINE [enter]
• Specify first point: # 3,1 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Undo]: # 3,6 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Undo]: # 4,6 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: # 4,2 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: # 5,2 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: # 6,3 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: # 7,3 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: # 7,1 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: [Enter]
RELATIVE COORDINATES
• In the Relative coordinate system, the
displacements along the X and Y axes (DX and DY)
are measured with reference to the previous
point rather than to the origin. In AutoCAD the
Relative coordinate system is designated by the
symbol @ and it should precede any relative
entry. The following prompt sequence illustrates
the use to the relative coordinate system to draw
a rectangle that has the lower left corner at point
(1,1). The length of the rectangle is 4 units and
the width is 3 units.
Sign Convention:
• As just mentioned, in the relative coordinate
system the displacements along the X and Y axes
are measured with respect to the previous point.
Imagine a horizontal line and a vertical line
passing through the previous point so that you
get four quadrants. If the new point is located in
the first quadrant, the displacements DX and DY
are both positive. If the new point is located in
the third quadrant, the displacements DX and DY
are both negative. In other words up or right are
positive and down or left are negative.
[Example 2]
Draw Figure EX 2 using relative coordinates of
the points given in the table below:
Point Coordinates Point Coordinates
1 3,1 8 @-1,-1
2 @4,0 9 @-1,1
3 @0,1 10 @-1,0
4 @-1,0 11 @0,-2
5 @1,1 12 @1,-1
6 @0,2 13 @-1,0
7 @-1,0 14 @0,-1
[Figure EX 2]
Command Prompt Sequence
• Command: LINE [enter]
• Specify first point: 3,1 [enter] (Start Point)
• Specify next point or [Undo]: @4,0 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Undo]: @0,1 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @-1,0 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @1,1 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @0,2 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @-1,0 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @-1,-1 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @-1,1[enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @-1,0 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @0,-2 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @-1,-1 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @-1,0 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @0,-1 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: [Enter]
POLAR COORDINATES
• In the polar coordinate system, a point can be
located by defining both the distance of the
point form the current point and the angle
that the line between the two points makes
with the positive X axis. The prompt sequence
to draw a line form a point at 1,1 to a point at
a distance of 5 units from the point (1,1), and
at an angle of 30 degrees to the X axis, is:
Command Prompt Sequence
• Command: LINE [enter]
• Specify first point: 1,1 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Undo]: @5<30 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: [Enter]
Sign Convention:
• In the polar coordinate system the angle is
measured from the horizontal axis (3 o’ clock)
as the zero degree baseline. Also, the angle is
positive if measured in a counter clockwise
direction and negative if measured in a
clockwise direction. Here we assume that the
default setup of angle measurement has not
been changed. More information about
default setup on “Setting Units”.
[Example 3]
For Figure EX 3, enter the polar coordinates of each point in
the table, then generate the drawing. Use absolute
coordinates for the start point (1.5, 1.75). the dimensions
are shown in the drawing.
[Figure EX 3
Point Coordinates Point Coordinates
1 1.5, 1.75 7 @1.0<180
2 @1.0<90 8 @0.5<270
3 @2.0<0 9 @1.0<0
4 @2.0<30 10 @1.25<270
5 @0.75<0 11 @0.75<180
6 @1.25<-90 (or 270) 12 @2.0<150
Command Prompt Sequence
• Command: LINE [enter]
• Specify first point: 1.5, 1.75 [enter] (Start Point)
• Specify next point or [Undo]: @1<90 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Undo]: @2.0<0 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @2.0<30 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @0.75<0 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @1.25<-90 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @1.0<180 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @0.5<270 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @1.0<0 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @1.25<270 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @0.75<180 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: @2.0<150 [enter]
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: [Enter]
DIRECT DISTANCE ENTRY
• You can draw a line by specifying the length of
the line and its direction, using the Direct
Distance Entry. The direction is determined by
the position of the cursor, and the length of
the line is entered from the keyboard. If Ortho
is on, you can draw lines along the X or Y axis
by specifying the length of line and positioning
the cursor along ortho direction. You can also
use it with other draw commands like
RECTANGLE.
• . You can also use the Direct Distance Entry
with polar tracking and SNAPPING. For
example, if SNAPPING is 45 degrees and ortho
is off, you can draw a line at 45 or 135 degrees
direction by positioning the cursor and
entering the distance from the keyboard.
Similarly, if the polar tracking is on, you can
position the cursor at the predefined angles
and then enter the length of the line from the
keyboard.
Command Prompt Sequence
• Command: LINE [enter]
• Specify first point: Start a point
• Specify next point or [Undo]: Position the
cursor and then enter distance
• Specify next point or [Undo]: Position the
cursor and then enter distance
• Specify next point or [Undo]: [enter]
[Example 4]
In this example you will draw the object as shown in the Figure
EX 4, using Direct Distance Entry. The starting point is 2,1.
[Figure EX 4]
• Before you invoke the LINE command, you
should turn on polar tracking. This will make it
easier to specify the direction of lines. To turn
polar tracking on, choose the Polar Tracking
button in the status bar. You can also turn
polar tracking on or off while you are in a
command. As you move the cursor, AutoCAD
displays a dotted line when the position of the
cursor matches one of the predefined angles
for polar tracking.
Command Prompt Sequence
• Command: LINE [enter]
• Specify first point: 2, 1 [enter] (Start Point)
• Specify next point or [Undo]: 4 (Move the cursor horizontally
and enter the length of the line (4) form the keyboard)
• Specify next point or [Undo]: 1.4142 (Position the cursor in a 45-
degree direction and enter 1.4142)
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: 2 (Move the cursor up
vertically, then enter 2)
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: 6 (Move the cursor left
horizontally then enter 6)
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: 2 (Move the cursor
down vertically then enter 2)
• Specify next point or [Close/ Undo]: C
[1] For Figure EXE 1, enter the absolute
coordinates of the points in the given table, then
use the coordinates to draw that same figure.