BDU

Chapter 2
Basic drawing tools
Available in draw toolbar and draw menu

or

Line command
Lines are probably the most simple of AutoCAD objects. Using the Line command, a line can be
drawn between any two points picked within the drawing area.

Draw toolbar
Draw menu Line
Command line entry Line
Alias L

Command Sequence
Command: LINE Specify first point:
(pick P1)
Specify next point or [Undo]: (pick P2)
Specify next point or [Undo]: (to end)

You can also draw lines by entering the co-ordinates of their end points at the command prompt
rather than picking their position from the screen. This enables you to draw lines that are off screen,
should you want to.

Construction line command

They are the reference line drawn at particular position from selected point, extending infinitely
towards both the sides of that point.

Draw toolbar
Draw menu Construction Line
Command line entry Xline
Alias Xl
Command Sequence
Command: XLINE
Specify a point or [Hor/Ver/Ang/Bisect/Offset]: (pick a point)

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Specify through point: (pick a second point)
Specify through point: (to end or pick another point)

Options
Horizontal: Draws exactly horizontal through selected point.
Vertical: Draws exactly vertical line through selected point.
Angle: Draws line at a specified angle from selected point.
Bisect: Bisect selected angle through selected vertex point.
Offset: To draw line at a specified distance from selected line.

Polyline command
A polyline is a sequence of connected lines and arcs that are treated as a single object. The poly line
command allows you to switch between straight lines and arcs without exiting the command. You
can also control the width of a polyline.

Draw toolbar
Draw menu Polyline
Command line entry Pline
Alias PL

Command Sequence
Command: PLINE
Specify start point: (pick P1)
Current line-width is 0.0000
Specify next point or [Arc/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: (pick P2)

2D polyline has the following properties

9 You can control the width or taper of a polyline
9 Fillets and chamfers can be added
9 Area and perimeter of a closed 2D polyline can be calculated
Explode command is used to convert poly line to individual line and arc segments. When you
explode a polyline to which you have given a width, the line width reverts to 0 and the resulting poly
line is positioned along the center of what was the wide poly line.

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Options [ Arc/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]
Arc Continuous objects in arc mode, using different sub options of the arc as follows
[Angle/Center/Close/Direction/Half width/Line/Radius/Second point/Undo/Width/<end point of
arc>:pick a point (3) or enter options.
Angle Specifies the included angle of arc segment from start point with deferent option
like Center; radius, end point.
Close Closes the present polyline by arc or line as per the option selected…
Direction Specifies a starting direction for the arc. When drawing Arc, the arc direction
with default in the direction of the previous segment. In order to change the direction of
the arc prior to it’s creation, you will need to use the direction option.

To show the direction of the curve to you can enter any number and the angle direction:
The format is @ any number < angle

Halfwidth Specifies the width from center of polyline to one of it’s edges i.e ½ of the total width.
Line Changes to line mode for next segment.
Width You can use the polyline width option to create a variety of shapes. You have to specify
starting and ending width.

Rectangle command
Used to draw rectangles by designating two points diagonally opposite each other. The rectangle
command allows you to restart fillets, chamfers, the rectangle thickness and elevation if required.

Draw toolbar

Draw menu Rectangle

Command line entry Rectang
Alias REC
Command Sequence
Command: RECTANG
Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: (pick P1)
Specify other corner point or [Dimensions]: (pick P2)

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Options
Chamfer: creates chamfered rectangle
Specify first chamfer distance for rectangle <>:
Specify second chamfer distance for rectangle <>:
Elevation: Draws rectangle at a specified height from paper level in Z direction (used in 3D)
Fillet: Creates a rectangle with corners rounded off .
Thickness: Creates extruded rectangle i.e., 3D box
Width: controls the width of the rectangle

Polygon command
The Polygon command can be used to draw any regular polygon from 3 sides up to 1024 sides. This
command requires four inputs from the user, the number of sides, a pick point for the centre of the
polygon, whether you want the polygon inscribed or circumscribed and then a pick point which
determines both the radius of this imaginary circle and the orientation of the polygon. This command
also allows you to define the polygon by entering the length of a side using the Edge option.

Command Sequence
Command: POLYGON
Enter number of sides <4>: 5
Specify center of polygon or [Edge]: (pick P1 or type E to define by edge length)
Enter an option [Inscribed in circle/Circumscribed about circle] <I>: (to accept
the inscribed default or type C for circumscribed)
Specify radius of circle: (pick P2 or enter exact radius)

There are three different ways to create polygons:

9 Specifying the radius when you know the distance between the center of the polygon and the
endpoint of each side (inscribed)
9 Specifying the radius when you know the distance between the center of the polygon and the
midpoint of each side (circumscribed)
9 Specifying the length of an edge and where you want to place it

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Donut command
A donut is a circular closed polyline. a donut specification is defined by an inside and out side
diameter. The donut can be filled to appear solid or clear depending on the setting of the fill
command.

Command Sequence
Command: DONUT
Specify inside diameter of donut <0.5000>: (pick any two points to define a diameter or
enter the exact length)
Specify outside diameter of donut <1.0000>: (pick any two points to define a diameter or
enter the exact length)
Specify center of donut or <exit>: (pick P1)
Specify center of donut or <exit>: (to end or continue to pick for more doughnuts)

To change fill mode ON/OFF

Command: Fill press enter
Enter mode [ON/OFF] <ON>: type ON or OFF press enter

Revcloud command
The Revcloud command is used to draw a "freehand" revision cloud or to convert any closed shape
into a revision cloud. Move the mouse to form a closed shape; the command automatically ends
when a closed shape is formed.

3D Polyline Command
The 3D Polyline command works in exactly the same way as the Polyline command. The main
difference between a normal polyline and a 3D polyline is that each vertex (pick point) of a 3D
polyline can have a different value for Z (height). In normal (2D) polylines, all vertexes must have
the same Z value.

Command Sequence
Command: 3DPOLY
Specify start point of polyline: (pick a point)
Specify endpoint of line or [Undo]: (pick another point)
Specify endpoint of line or [Undo]: (pick a third point)
Specify endpoint of line or [Close/Undo]: (to end, C to close or continue picking points)

Circle Command
The Circle command is used to draw circles. There are a number of ways you can define the circle.
The default method is to pick the centre point and then to either pick a second point on the
circumference of the circle or enter the circle radius at the keyboard.

Draw toolbar
Draw menu Circle
Command line entry Circle
Alias C

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Command Sequence
Command: CIRCLE
Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]: (pick P1)
Specify radius of circle or [Diameter] <50.0195>: (pick P2 or enter the exact radius)

Options
Center: Radius: Specify radius by mouth or entering values through keyboard.
Center: Diameter: Specify diameter by mouth or entering values through keyboard
2 Point: Circles passes through specified two points as diametric points.
3 Point: Circle passes through specified three points.
Tan Tan Rad: Draw circle tangential to any two selected Objects.
Tan Tan Tan: Draws circle tangent to three selected Objects.

Arc Command
The Arc command allows you to draw an arc of a circle. There are numerous ways to define an arc,
the default method uses three pick points, a start point, a second point and an end point.

Draw toolbar
Draw menu Arc
Command line entry Arc
Alias A

Command Sequence
Command: ARC
Specify start point of arc or [Center]: (pick P1)
Specify second point of arc or [Center/End]: (pick P2)
Specify end point of arc: (pick P3)

Options
Three point: Arc passes through given three points.
Start Center End: Pick start center and end points.
Start Center Angle: Pick start center and angle.
Start Center Length of chord: Length of chord shouldn't be more than dia of the arc.
Start End Angle: Pick start end and specify angle.
Start End Direction: Pick start end and direction through the start point.
Start End Radius: : Pick start end and specify radius.
Center Start End: Pick center start and end.
Center Start Angle: Pick center start and angle.
Center Start Length of chord: Pick center start and length of chord.
Arc Continue: Arc will continue from the end point of previous arc (or any other object) drawn. Arc
will continue in the same direction of the previous object.

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Multiline command
The multiline command creates multiple parallel lines called elements. Elements are poisoned by
offsetting each one from the origin of the multilane. You can set the color and linetype as well as the
offset distance between each element.
9 Multiline can contain between 2 and 16 elements
9 Each element can be set to specific color and linetype
9 The offset distance between elements can be varied

Draw toolbar
Draw menu Multiline
Command line entry Multiline
Alias Mline
To set Multi line style
Format menu Multiline style
Multiline dialogue box is used to create box is used to create multilane style.
Element properties is used to define each element's offset distance, color and linetype.
Multiline properties dialogue box controls appearance of joints.

Modifing Multiline
The multilane edit tools dialogue box is used to create and modify multilane patterns.

Modify II toolbars
Modify menu Multiline
Command line entry Mledit
Each Column illustrate a particular editing process .These include multilane that cross , multilane
that form a tee , corner joint and vertices, and multilane to be cut or joined.

Spline Command
The Spline command creates a type of spline known as a nonuniform rational B-spline, NURBS for
short. A spline is a smooth curve that is fitted along a number of control points. The Fit Tolerance
option can be used to control how closely the spline conforms to the control points. A low tolerance
value causes the spline to form close to the control points. A tolerance of 0 (zero) forces the spline to
pass through the control points.

Draw toolbar
Draw menu Splin
Command line entry Spline
Alias Spl
Spline curve have a tolerance value. The lower the tolerance the closer the spline will fit to the
points.

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Ellipse Command
An ellipse can be created by using the following options:
Center, Axis Endpoint, Arc or Isocircle.

Draw toolbar
Draw menu Ellipse
Command line entry Ellipse
Alias El
Options
Center: Specify Center, axis end point and distance to the other axis.
Axis ,End: Specify other endpoint of axis:
Specify distance to other axis or [Rotation]: Specify a distance or enter r
Arc: Creates an elliptical arc. The angle of the first axis determines the angle of the elliptical arc.
The first axis can define either the major or the minor axis of the elliptical arc.

Point command
Used to draw single or multiple points.
To draw point object:-

Draw toolbar
Draw menu Point
Command line entry Point
Alias po
Options
Single point: Create only one point as selected location.
Multiple points: Creates series of points at selected points.

Point style can be managed under format menu point style dialogue box.

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