The following topics will review the commands available on the Draw toolbar.

Draw Toolbar

Line Command

The line command will allow you to create a series of contiguous line segments. Each segment is a line object that can be edited separately.

Command Options

While using the line command, you will have the following options available:

Close – The close option will become available once you have two or more lines drawn. Typing "c" in the command line will create a closed shaped from the lines current point back to the starting point.

Undo – Typing "u" in the command line will undo the previous line drawn.

Ortho Mode – Ortho mode affects your ability to draw lines. If ortho mode is enabled, you will only be allowed to draw lines along the UCS axis. If ortho mode is turned off, you will be able to draw lines at any angle. To toggle ortho mode on and off, press the F8 key. Once pressed, the command line will tell you if ortho mode is enabled or not.

Polyline Command

The polyline command will allow you to create a sequence of segments that will be a single object. You can create straight-line segments, arc segments, or a combination of the two. Each polyline must be edited as a whole, unlike the line command segments.

Command Options

While using the polyline command, the following options will be available:

Arc – The arc option will allow you to create an arc segment for the polyline. Please review the Draw Arc (a) section for additional information on drawing arcs.

Close – The close option will become available once you have two or more lines drawn. Typing "c" in the command line will create a closed shape from the line's current point back to the starting point.

Halfwidth – The halfwidth option sets the width of the next polyline segment you draw. Widths that are greater than zero produce wide lines, which will automatically fill.

Length – The length option draws a line segment of a specified length at the same angle as the previous line segment, even if you are starting a new polyline command. If the previous segment is an arc, the new line segment is drawn tangent to that arc segment. If you use the length option, you will be prompted for the length of the line.

Undo – Typing in "u" in the command line will undo the previous line segment drawn.

Width – The width option sets the width of the next polyline segment you draw. Widths that are greater than zero produce wide lines, which will automatically fill.

Ortho Mode – Ortho mode affects your ability to draw lines. If ortho mode is enabled, you will only be allowed to draw lines along the UCS axis. If ortho mode is turned off, you will be able to draw lines at any angle. To toggle ortho mode on and off, press the F8 key. Once pressed, the command line will tell you if ortho mode is enabled or not.

Circle Command

The circle command will create a circle entity.

Command Options

While using the circle command, you will have the following options available before you pick the first point.

3P – The 3P, or three-point, option allows you to pick three points on the circumference of the circle.

2P – The 2P, or two-point, option allows you to pick two endpoints of the diameter of the circle.

Ttr – The Ttr (tangent, tangent radius) option draws a circle with a specified radius tangent to two objects. You will pick three points with the first point being an object for the first tangent of the circle. The selected object must be a circle, arc, or line. The second point is the second tangent of the circle. The selected point must be a circle, arc, or line. Then you can specify the radius of the object.

Diameter – If you use the standard placement method, the center of the circle, to draw a circle, you will have the diameter option for your second point. Type "d" in the command line to enter the diameter of the circle instead of specifying the radius.

Arc Command

Use the Arc command to create an arc drawing element. You can create an arc by specifying various combinations of points and values. The standard procedure to create an arc is to specify three points, the start point, the center, and the endpoint of the arc. The distance between the start point and the center determines the radius of the arc. Although this is the standard way to create an arc segment, you can use the options to create the arc in various ways.

Command Options

While using the Arc command, you will have many different options available during the command, depending on how you draw the arc. For example, if you pick the starting point as your first point, you will have the option of selecting the center point or the endpoint for the next point you pick on screen. Review the options below to see when they are available.

It is important to remember while choosing options that 3 points, the first point (1), second point (2), and third point (3) must be selected to draw an arc. Those points can be any combination of the starting point, center point, and endpoint.

Center – The center option will be available when you first begin the Arc command. This will allow you to choose the center point of the arc for the starting point (1).

Center/End – The Center and End options will be available if you selected the starting point as the arc's first point (1). Type in "E" for End to select the arc's endpoint as the second point (2). You don't have to type in "C" for Center for the arcs second point (2). This is the default option.

Angle/Chord Length – Angle and chord length options will be available when you have selected the center point as your first point (1) and then a second point (2) at either end of the arc. Type in "A" for angle and then enter in the angle dimension in the command line. Enter in "L" for chord length to enter in the length of the chord. The chord length is the distance between the arcs start point and endpoint.

Angle/Direction/Radius – The last set of options will be available if you have selected the start point (1) and endpoint (2) as the arcs first two points. Type in "A" to enter an angle dimension from the start point and endpoint. Type in "D" to enter in Direction. The direction begins the arctangent. Type in "R" for Radius to enter the dimension of the arc's radius.

Rectangle Command

This command will create a rectangular polyline by allowing you to select the two opposite corners of the rectangle. You also can control the type of corners (fillet, chamfer, or square).

Command Options

While using the polyline command, the following options will be available:

Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width

Area/Dimensions/Rotation – Once you have selected the first corner of the rectangle, you will have the following options available.

Text Command

The Text command will create a single-line text object. You can use single-line text to create one or more lines of text, where each text line is an independent object that you can relocate, reformat, and modify.

Command Options

While using the text command, you will have the following options available before you pick your first point:

Justify/Style

Linear Dimension Command

The Linear Dimension command will allow you to create a horizontal or vertical dimension. You can also select an object in the drawing to dimension.

Command Options

While using the linear dimension command, you will have the following options available before you pick your first point:

Select Object – Instead of selecting points to create a dimension, you can select an object, and a dimension will automatically be created for the selected entity.

Mtext/Test/Angle/Horizontal/Vertical/Rotated – The following options will be available after you have selected two points for the dimension.

Angular Dimension Command

The Angular Dimension command will allow you to create a dimension at an angle. Although very similar to the Linear Dimension command, this will create the dimension parallel to the two points selected in the drawing. You can also select an object in the drawing to dimension.

Command Options

While using the linear dimension command, you will have the following options available before you pick your first point:

Select Object – Instead of selecting points to create a dimension, you can select an object, and a dimension will automatically be created for the selected entity.

Mtext/Text/Angle – The following options will be available after you have selected two points for the dimension.