Drawing Connected Lines. Autodesk AUTOSKETCH 8

To draw separate, unconnected lines

1 On the Draw menu, click Line, Single, or click the Single Line button on the All-In-One toolbar.

2 Click a point to start the line. A rubber-band line appears from that point.

3 Click a point to end the line.

To draw a line segment

1 On the Draw menu, click Line, Segment, or click the Line Segment button on the All-In-One toolbar.

2 (optional) Change the settings on the edit bar for Segment Length and

Segment Angle.

3 (optional) Use the plus (+) and minus (-) keys on the numeric keypad (or press F5) to rotate the segment.

4 Click to place the line.

OR

Press CTRL while clicking to place one end of the line. A rubber-band line, anchored to the point you clicked, appears and follows the pointer. Click again to place the other end of the line.

Drawing Connected Lines

You draw connected lines by entering two or more points using the Draw menu’s multiple line command. Use connected lines when you need the look of a polyline, but you need to store information about each line segment individually. If you need to know the total length of the connected lines or if you need width control, use a polyline. For information on drawing polylines, see the chapter titled “Polylines, Polygons, & Curves,” which begins on page 137.

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To draw a series of connected lines

1 On the Draw menu, click Line, Multiple, or click the Multiple Line button on the All-In-One toolbar.

2 Enter a point to start the first line. A rubber-band line appears from that point.

3 Click one or more points. Each point ends the previous line and starts a new line. If you press CTRL and enter a point, AutoSketch moves to that point without drawing a line and starts a new line.

AutoSketch also allows you to draw two parallel lines at once. The Draw menu’s double line command operates like the multiple line command, except that this command uses the points you enter to define two parallel lines. AutoSketch trims the intersections automatically as you draw.

From controls on the edit bar, you can specify the:

■

■

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Width

Offset method

Offset distance

The Width text box allows you to specify the distance between the double lines. The offset method determines how AutoSketch draws the double lines with respect to the points you enter—either left, centered, right, or userdefined offset. The left and right methods determine which of the two lines intersect the points you enter. The center method centers the double lines on either side of the points you enter. The user-defined method requires you to enter an offset distance on the edit bar. AutoSketch draws the double lines with the center of the two lines offset from the points you enter by the specified distance.

You can determine when lines are prevented from doubling back on themselves, by entering the Double Line Minimum Angle value in the Drawing page tab of the Drawing Options dialog box. The default value is 10 degrees.

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Chapter 11 Lines

To draw two parallel series of connected lines

1 On the Draw menu, click Line, Double, or click the Double Line button on the All-In-One toolbar.

2 Enter the distance between the double lines in the Width text box on the edit bar, then press ENTER.

3 (optional) Click a different offset method from the Method drop-down list box on the edit bar. If you select the user-defined method, enter the distance between lines in the Offset Distance text box on the edit bar.

4 Click a point to start the series. Rubber-band lines appear from that point.

5 Click one or more points. Each point ends and trims the previous pair of lines and begins a new pair. If you press CTRL and enter a point,

AutoSketch moves to that point without drawing a line and begins a new pair.

To change the minimum angle of double lines

1 On the Tools menu, click Drawing Options. The Drawing Options dialog box appears.

2 Click the Drawing page tab.

3 Enter a new angle measurement in the Double Line Min Angle text box.

4 Click OK.

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