Draw Objects

Description

Draw 2 dimensional objects in a drawing using various techniques.

Access

CAD / Draw / Draw straight, Draw cirulcar arc, Draw spline, Draw circle, Draw rectangle, Draw symbol, Draw block, Draw text, Draw image, Draw leader.

Requirements

CAD module

Controls

Insert objects in a drawing using the following controls.

Control Description
Draw Straight Click the start and end location of the line segment.
Draw Circular Arc Draw a circular arc using one of the following methods:
  • 3 Vertices - Click three locations on the arc.
  • Start, Centre, End - Click the start, centre and end location.
  • Start, End, Radius Click the start and end locations, then to define the radius click a distance from the end location.
Note:
  • For the Start, Centre, End and Start, End, Radius methods, you can press Ctrl, while clicking the end location to form the circular arc in an anti-clockwise direction.
  • For the Start, End, Radius method, you will be prompted for a radius until a valid radius is specified.
Draw a Spline Click the node locations for the spline.
Draw a Circle Draw a circle using one of the following methods:
  • 2 Vertices - Click two locations opposite each other on the circle.
  • 3 Vertices - Click three locations on the circle.
  • Centre, Radius Click the location of the circles centre and then click a location on the circle.
Draw a Rectangle Click the location of two diagonally opposite corners.
Draw a Symbol Click the symbol's location.
Note:
  • If the active layer does not specify a Plan Symbol for point objects, a single pixel dot is drawn.
  • You should specify Plan for the Units in the active layer and specify the Width and Length in millimetres.
Insert a Block Click Menu arrow and select Block Definition to select a block definition or pick a recently used definition from the list, then click the block's location.
Insert Text Click to display the Draw Text dialog.
Insert Leader Draw a leader using one of the following methods:
  • Freehand (Default) - Click the start and end location of the leader.
  • Create with Text - Click to display the Draw Leader with Text dialog.
Note:
  • Click Down arrow in the leader menu and select Create with Text to use the Create with Text method. Clear the checkbox to create a leader by freehand.
  • Click Down arrow then click Styles to select the leader style.
Insert Image Click the top left and bottom right location to specify the images size and location.
Note:
  • You can insert any image that you have included in the project using the Manage Images tool.
  • Images are sized such that the aspect ratio is maintained and the image fits both horizontally and vertically in the defined rectangle.
  • To rotate the image, press and hold Ctrl, then click the top left location. Release Ctrl then click a second location to define the rotation. Finally, click the bottom right location to define the size of the image.
  • To mirror the image horizontally, click the top right location and then the bottom left location.
  • To mirror the image vertically, click the bottom left location and then the top right location.
Draw Table Click to display the Draw Table dialog and insert a table.
Note:
  • Some tables are created using the objects selected in the model view.
Draw Action Click to end a line or a polygon or select one of the following actions:
  • Close - Close a line or end a polygon.
  • Back - Remove the last segment from the line, leader or polygon you are currently creating.
  • Abort - Remove all segments from the line, leader, polygon or shape you are currently creating.
Draw Mode Select the mode for drawing objects:
  • Segment - Create a single segment line.
  • Line - Continue to add line segments until you exit drawing mode, change the mode or draw a shape.
  • Polygon - Continue to add a segment of a polygon until you exit drawing mode, change the mode or click Close.
Note:
  • When creating a line, if you change the mode from Line to Polygon, the line segments in the incomplete line will change to polygon segments.
  • When creating a polygon, if you change the mode from Polygon to Line, the polygon segments in the incomplete polygon will change to line segments.
Possible errors
Error Description Recommended Action
Error To insert a point symbol the active layer must have a symbol defined. Change the active layer, or click Draw a Symbol to exit the insert symbol tool.
Notes
  • Objects are created using the active layers appearance properties, except for leaders where the selected leader style is used.
  • To finish adding an object type, re-click the draw tool or click another draw tool.
  • View the status bar for instructions about the next required location.
  • If the segment you are creating is part of an incomplete line or a polygon, the first location is the end vertex of the previous segment.
  • To end a line, leader or a polygon:
    • Click Draw Action.
    • Click the active segment type in the ribbon.
    • Click an object type that cannot be part of a line.
    • Press Enter.
  • Press Esc or click Draw Action Drop Arrow and select Abort to abort the creation of an incomplete object.
  • You can use tentative select to select vertices from other drawing objects when defining the location of objects vertices.
  • Click Snap in the Grid menu to toggle snap mode on and off.
  • Polygons and blocks created in the cad drawing are displayed using the opaque colour.
  • When a block contains a line whose thickness is specified using width rather than weight, the blocks line displays with 0 weight in the CAD drawing.
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