From the course: AutoCAD 2014 Essential Training: 3 Editing and Organizing Drawings

Creating new objects by example - AutoCAD Tutorial

From the course: AutoCAD 2014 Essential Training: 3 Editing and Organizing Drawings

Start my 1-month free trial

Creating new objects by example

“

Believe it or not, there is a way we can create geometry without launching commands from the ribbon. And, we don't even have to keep track of the current layer. In this lesson, we're going to look at the Add Selected command. Using Add Selected, we can create geometry by example. On my screen I have an unfinished detail drawing. Over here on the right, we have a manhole cover both Top and Section view. And on the left, we have the frame the manhole sits in, both Top and Section view. I'm going to start by zooming in on section A-A. In this drawing, I still need to add a line segment from this end point on the left to this one on the right. Take a look at the current layer. That's obviously incorrect. But you know what, it doesn't matter. I can create this entity without worrying about the layer and without even watching a command from the ribbon. What I'll do is select an object that represents what I would like to create. I'll select this line. I will then right click and choose Add selected. Since I chose a line segment, AutoCAD has launched the line command for me. It is also set the appropriate layer cut, so I can create my line from the endpoint here to the endpoint here. When I'm finished, I'll press Escape and as a courtesy, AutoCAD sets the current layer back the way it was. Let's make another change. I'd like to project this edge up into the Top view. To do that I'll launch the Line command. I'll create my line from this endpoint, I will then come down and lock the Ortho. We'll zoom out and we'll pan the drawing down and I'll pull this line up through the Top view. This edge will appear as a circle in the Top view. To create that circle I'll select this cricle. This is a perfect example of what I want to create. I will then right click and choose Add Selected. I'll create my circle from the center of this one. And I want its radius defined by the intersection of the Phantom line and my Projection line. When I'm finished, I'll select the Projection line and press Delete. Next, let's focus our attention on the section views. I would like Section BB to use the same hatch pattern that's being used in Section AA. No problem, I select this hatch and right-click and I'll choose Add selected. Not only does AutoCAD match the layer, it also matches all of the hatch settings. All I have to do is click inside this closed shape and press Enter. We haven't even talked about dimensions yet, But I bet you can guess that if I selected this dimension and right clicked, it shows Add selected. I could then press Enter, click this line segment and I can pull out a dimension that perfectly matches all of the settings of the original. As you can see the Add Selected command provides us one of the fastest ways to work on a file. Using this tool, we can spend less time driving the interface and more time improving our design.

Contents