Drawing and Editing - DataCAD · are prompted: Select next end point of line/wall. 3. Move the cursor to the right until the coordinate readout shows an X measurement of 28’-0”

Drawing and Editing 4

DataCAD's Edit menu contains functions that allow the creation of basic architectural entities, including walls, windows, doors, 2D polygons, curves, and text. Because these editing commands are 2D operations, DataCAD changes the current view to orthographic (plan) view.

In addition to the options that create entities, other Edit menu options change visible characteristics of existing entities as well as an entity's geometry in the X and Y plane. 2D entities are constrained to the X-Y plane. You cannot rotate 2D lines and arcs out of the X-Y plane, with the exception of symbols. You can rotate symbols to any orientation in space.

Repair broken lines and walls, clean wall intersections, trim lines, and add fillets and chamfers with the Cleanup option. You can also change an entity’s linetype, line weight, color, spacing, Z-base, or Z-height.

The Utility menu has object snapping and measuring tools to facilitate the drawing process. Snap to any number of points of existing entities and draw accurately and quickly. Entities can be identified and measured, providing you with length, area, perimeter, and volume information about your drawing.

In this chapter:

± Drawing walls

± Drawing doors and windows

± Drawing polygons and curves

± Object snapping

± Cleaning up wall intersections

± Identifying and measuring drawing entities

± Editing drawing entities individually and in groups

Tutorial

106 / Construction Drawing

Tutorial This Tutorial introduces you to using DataCAD as an architectural tool. You will learn how to use the wall functions that DataCAD offers to help you begin to automate drawing architectural plans.

If you are not in DataCAD, start DataCAD now. Open the drawing you set up and saved in the “Tutorial” of the “Before You Draw” chapter. If you didn’t save those settings, start a new drawing file and set it up now.

Drawing Walls Each wall that you draw will have two or more lines, rather than just one. In the following exercises you will draw walls using both the mouse and the keyboard.

2-line walls 3-line walls 4-line walls

The Architct menu is used for drawing walls as well as doors and windows.

Tutorial

Drawing and Editing / 107

choose type of multi-line wall:2, 3 or 4 lines

Turn walls function on/off. Draws parallellines when on, single lines when off.

Set wall thickness (the distance betweenthe parallel lines).

Automatically cleansT-intersections as you drawwalls.

Enters the Door Swing menu to insert doors in walls.Enters theWindow menu to insert windows in walls.

Exits the Architect menu.You can also click the rightmouse button to exit.

MenuTitle

Drawing Exterior Walls Before you draw the exterior walls of the schoolhouse, you must provide DataCAD with the correct wall settings.

è To set up for drawing exterior walls:

1. Choose Architct from the Edit menu to open the Architect menu.

2. Choose Walls to turn the Walls option on.

3. Choose 2LnWalls if it is not already selected.

You will notice that the w in the word SWOTHLUD located in the Status Area is now an uppercase W. This indicates that you will draw walls instead of lines.

4. Choose Width to set the width of the wall. You are prompted: Enter wall width.

5. Choose 1’-0” from the Menu Window and right-click; or type 1 at the keyboard and press (Enter).

6. Choose Outside to define the walls by the outside line of the wall.

Tutorial


7. Right-click to return to the Edit menu.

8. Before you begin drawing the exterior walls, look at the Status Area to see that Walls is your active layer. If it is not, press (Tab) until it is.

Active layer name.

Each letter deignates a drawing settingand indicates if it is active.The capital"W" shows that the Wall option is on.

Now you are ready to draw the exterior walls.

è To draw exterior walls:

1. Read the prompt in the Message Window: Select first end point of new line/wall.

2. You’ll draw the first wall using the mouse. Move the cursor to the lower left of the Drawing Window and click to enter the first end point of the new wall. You are prompted: Select next end point of line/wall.

3. Move the cursor to the right until the coordinate readout shows an X measurement of 28’-0” and a Y measurement of 0 and click. This defines the exterior line of the wall. You are prompted: Select a point to define the inside of the wall.

4. Move the cursor to a position anywhere above the displayed line and click. The wall is immediately drawn. You are prompted: Select next end point of line/wall.

Drawing the first wall

Tutorial


Leave the cursorconnected to the wall line.

The wall is drawn

To clean the corners automatically as you draw the next wall, do not click the right mouse button or you will disconnect from the wall.

5. Now you’ll draw a second wall using coordinate entry as described in “Drawing Lines” in “The Drawing Board” chapter. Press (Insert) on the keyboard until the Message Window reads: Current input mode = relative polar (distance, angle).

6. Press (Spacebar) to activate the coordinate input mode. You are prompted: Enter relative distance.

7. Type 40.6 and press (Enter). (40.6 means 40 feet 6 inches in architectural units.) You are prompted: Enter relative angle.

8. Type 90 and press (Enter). The wall is drawn and the corner is automatically cleaned. If the new wall extends beyond your view of the Drawing Window, use the arrow keys to move your drawing into view.

By staying connected to the wall, you allowed the corner to be properly cleaned and automatically located to the inside line of the second wall you drew.

The cursor is connected to the outside corner.

The corners automatically clean up as you draw.

The second wall is drawn and the corner is cleaned

Tutorial


9. Click W on the Navigation Pad to go to the WindowIn menu.

10. Choose FreeZoom to toggle off the Free Zoom option.

11. Choose Extents to zoom out to the extents of the drawing.


13. Press (Spacebar). You are prompted: Enter relative distance.

14. Type 28 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Enter relative angle.

15. Type 180 and press (Enter).

16. Move the cursor close to the inside line of the corner where you originally began and click. The last corner is cleaned, leaving a clean outline of the schoolhouse exterior walls.

Bring cursor close to the inside wall line.

Ending your exterior wall

Tutorial


The final corner is automatically cleaned up.

The exterior walls are complete

Drawing Interior Walls In this section you will insert the interior walls. You will change the wall thickness for the interior walls to four inches.

è To set up for drawing interior walls:

1. Choose Architct from the Edit menu.

Press (A) for a shortcut to the Architect menu.

2. Choose Width to set a new wall width. You are prompted: Enter wall width.

3. Type .4 and press (Enter).

4. Choose Inside to define the wall by the inside line.

5. Choose Clean to toggle on the automatic T Intersection Cleanup option. Walls and 2LnWalls should still be on.

6. Right-click once to return to the Edit menu.

è To draw interior walls:

1. To begin drawing the interior walls, you need to reference and measure from an existing point on the drawing. Click W on the Navigation Pad to go to the WindowIn menu. You are prompted: Select first corner of the Zoom window.

2. Move the cursor close to the lower-left corner of the bottom wall and click. You are prompted: Select second corner of the Zoom window.

Tutorial


3. Move the mouse diagonally until the rubberband box encloses the lower half of the plan as you see in the figure below. Click the left mouse button. Your drawing now appears larger.

2

Click the left mouse button to start therubberband box.

3

Click the left mouse button to close therubberband box.

Zooming in on the lower half of the plan


5. Press (`) on the keyboard to set X and Y to 0. You are prompted: Select reference point.

The accent key ( (`) ) is located in the upper-left corner of your keyboard, just below (Esc) and to the left of (1) on most keyboards.

6. Move the cursor close to the inside left corner of the bottom wall and either click the middle mouse button or press (N) on the keyboard. This sets this corner as the new reference point to work from.

6New reference point

Selecting a reference point


8. Type 10.2 (the inside dimension of the office) and press (Enter). You are prompted: Enter relative angle.

Tutorial


9. Type 0 for the relative angle and press (Enter). Notice that your cursor is now attached to the wall exactly 10’-2” to the right of the corner you used as your reference point. This will be the first point of the interior wall.

Cursor still attached to a point.

Referenced corner

Starting your interior wall

Steps 6-9 are equivalent to placing one end of an architect’s scale at a corner and marking off a line at 10’-2”.


11. Type 10.8 (the inside dimension of the office) and press (Enter). You are prompted: Enter relative angle.

12. Type 90 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Select a point to define the Outside of the wall.

13. Move the cursor to the right of the displayed line and click to indicate the outside of the wall.

You remain connected to the wall.

13Click the left mouse button.

Defining the outside of the wall

14. Move the cursor close to the inside line of the left exterior wall and click.

Tutorial


14Click the left mouse button close to the inside lineof the exterior wall.

Drawing the last office wall

15. Right-click to disconnect from the line. The office area is complete and all intersections are automatically cleaned.

è To draw the remaining interior walls:

1. Press (`) on the keyboard. You are prompted: Select reference point.

2. Move the cursor close to the inside right corner of the bottom wall and click the middle mouse button. Remember, if you don’t have a three-button mouse you can also press (N) on the keyboard.

2

New reference point

Selecting a new reference point


4. Type 10.2 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Enter relative angle.

5. Type 180 and press (Enter). The cursor connects to a point on the inside line of the exterior wall.



8. Type 90 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Select a point to define the outside of the wall.

9. Move the cursor to the left of the new wall and click to define the outside of the wall.

Tutorial


10. Move the cursor to the right just before the inside line of the exterior wall and click.

11. Right-click to disconnect from the wall line. The wall is drawn and your intersections are cleaned.

T intersection cleaned up automatically

The wall is drawn and the intersections are cleaned


13. Move the cursor near the inside corner of the wall you just drew and click the middle mouse button.

13New reference point

Selecting a new reference point



16. Type 270 and press (Enter). The cursor connects to a point on the inside line of the exterior wall.

17. Move the cursor to the left, close to the inside line of the wall, and click. You are prompted: Select a point to define the Outside of the wall.

Here it is important to select a point closer to the inside, not the outside, line of the room you just drew so that the correct wall line will be cleaned.

18. Move the cursor below the displayed line and click to define the outside of the wall.

Tutorial


18Click mouse here to define outsideof wall.

17Click mouse closer to theinside line of the room justdrawn.

Drawing the dividing wall of the bathrooms

19. Right-click to disconnect from the wall.

20. Click E on the Navigation Pad to view the extents of the drawing.

The walls of the schoolhouse floor plan

21. Press (Ctrl) + (S) on the keyboard to save the drawing. This is a good habit to get into. You should do it after you enter several items or make a lot of changes to your drawing.

You have now completed all the walls of the schoolhouse plan and saved your drawing file. If any of the walls did not clean, and your drawing doesn’t look like the figure above, this next section will help you straighten up your plan.

Tutorial


Cleaning Walls As you insert walls, DataCAD automatically cleans intersections. If you right-click by accident and disconnect from a wall prematurely, or your intersections clean at the wrong wall line, you will need to clean them. A few examples of the things that may have gone wrong in your plan appear below:

1If you disconnected from a wall andreattached to continue the remainingwalls, the corner you reattach to will notclean.

3If you were too close to the outside line ofthis wall when drawing the dividing wall,the wrong line will clean.

2If you become disconnected from a wall,when you attempt to complete the lastintersection, the “L” intersection will notclean up properly.

è To fix the error shown in example 1:

1. Choose Cleanup from the Edit menu.

2. Choose LIntSct from the Cleanup menu to clean the corner. You are prompted: Select 1st corner around L intersection (wall lines only).

3. Select a point at the upper right of the intersection.

4. Diagonally drag the rubberband box to the lower left of the intersection and click.

Tutorial


Place a rubberband boxaround the corner to

clean.

The corner isautomatically

cleaned.

The errors in examples 2 and 3 show an L intersection that was cleaned improperly.



2. Choose LIntSct from the Cleanup menu to clean the corner. You are prompted: Select 1st corner around L intersection (wall lines only).

3. Select a point at the upper right of the intersection.

4. Diagonally drag the rubberband box to the lower left of the intersection and click.

Place a rubberband boxaround the corner toclean.

The corner isautomaticallycleaned.



2. Choose 1LnTrim to trim the lines back to the inside wall line. You are prompted: Select first point of line to clip to.

3. Choose Entity to define the line to clip to by Entity. You are prompted: Point to line to trim to.

4. Select the inside wall line, shown in the figure below. The line you select becomes dashed. You are prompted: Point to outside.

5. Click to the left of the dashed line. You are prompted: Select entity to trim.

6. Click to select the two wall lines as the lines to trim.

Tutorial


4Click the left mouse buttonto define this line as the lineto clip to; the line becomesdashed.

5Click the left

mouse button todefine the outside.

6Click the left mouse button to selectthese two lines as the lines to trim.

Completing a 1-line trim

7. Right-click once to return to the Cleanup menu.

The lines are trimmed to thecorrect wall, but there is still a

break in the wall.

The wall lines are trimmed

8. To fix the break in the outside wall, choose WeldLine from the Cleanup menu. You are prompted: Select first line to weld.

9. Select one of the lines of the broken wall. It becomes dashed. You are prompted: Select second line to weld.

10. Select the other line of the broken wall. The line mends and becomes a single entity.

Tutorial


9Click the left mouse button todefine the first line to weld. Itbecomes dashed.

10Click the left mouse button todefine the second line to weld.The line is mended.

Welding a line

11. Right-click once to return to the Cleanup menu.

The lines aretrimmed to the

inside wall.

The wall lines are trimmed

12. To cleanup the T intersection in the wall, choose TIntsct from the Cleanup menu. You are prompted: Select 1st corner around “T” intersect (wall line ends only).

13. Click at the lower left of the intersection you want to clean. You are prompted: Select 2nd corner around “T” intersect (Wall line ends only).

14. Move the cursor to the upper right of the intersection and click to enclose the corner to clean. You are prompted: Point to a wall line to trim to.

15. Click to select the inside line as the line to trim to.

Tutorial


13-14Place a rubberband box

around the corner to clean.

15Click the left mouse button todefine this line as the line to

trim to.

Completing a T intersection

16. Right-click twice to return to the Edit menu.

The wall is cleaned andthe T intersection is

complete.

The wall intersection is cleaned

Using Walls as Parallel Lines In this section you will draw multiple lines using the 3-line walls function. While this function is usually used for drawing walls, we’ll use it here to quickly draw parallel lines representing countertops. This is only one of the many ways of drawing lines.

è To set up to draw countertops:


2. Choose 3LnWalls to toggle on the 3-line wall option. This allows you to draw three parallel lines at once. The two outer lines will define the counter and the centerline will be a dashed line to represent the upper cabinets. Walls should still be on.

Tutorial


3. Choose CntrLine to set the attributes of the centerline of the two parallel lines. This will represent the upper cabinets.

4. Choose LineType to list available linetypes in the Menu Window.

5. Choose Dashed to make the centerline dashed.

6. Right-click once to return to the Architect menu.

7. Choose Width to set a new wall width. You are prompted: Enter wall width.

8. Type 2 and press (Enter). This sets the width of the countertop at two feet.

9. Choose Outside to define the wall by the outside line.

10. Choose Cap to turn on the automatic Wall Cap option. This will cap the end of the parallel lines or, in this case, countertops.


Now you are ready to draw the countertops.

è To draw countertops on the plan:

1. Click W on the Navigation Pad to go to the WindowIn menu. You are prompted: Select first corner of the Zoom window.

2. Select a point at the lower-left corner of the bottom wall. You are prompted: Select second corner of the Zoom window.

3. Diagonally move the mouse until the rubberband box encloses the lower half of the plan and click. The plan now appears larger.

4. Right-click once to return to the Edit menu.

5. Move the cursor to the corner marked 6 in the following figure and click the middle mouse button to select it as your first reference point.

6Click the middle mousebutton to connect to thispoint.

Selecting the starting point of the countertop

Tutorial




8. Type 180 and press (Enter).

9. Move the cursor above the displayed line and click to define the other side of the counter.

8-9The length of the countertopis defined.

10Click the left mouse button todefine the other side of thecountertop.

Drawing the countertop

10. Right-click to disconnect from the counter. The countertop lines are drawn and the end is capped.

The first countertop is drawn

11. Repeat steps 6 - 11 for the counter on the opposite side. Remember that the relative angle for this counter will be 0.

Tutorial


Both countertops are drawn


13. Press (Ctrl) + (S) to save the drawing.

Drawing Doors and Windows Now that you have drawn the walls for the schoolhouse plan, you are ready to insert doors and windows.

è To set up to draw a door:

1. Press (Tab) until the Doors layer is the active layer in the Status Area. You will draw the new door on the Doors layer.


3. Choose DoorSwng from the Architct menu.

Tutorial


Adjusts settings that determinewhat doors will look like.

Door entry method.By sides (jambs) when on, bycenters when off.

Removes doors and cut-outs in walls.Draws temporary marks to aid in door placement.Exits the Door menu.You can also click the rightmouse button to exit.

MenuTitle

The DoorSwng menu

4. Choose DrwMarks to turn the Draw Marks option on. These marks disappear when you press (Esc) on the keyboard to refresh your screen.

5. Choose LyrSrch. You are prompted: Select layer to search for walls. This defines the layer to search for door and window cutouts.

6. Choose Walls as the layer to find walls.

There are two methods to draw a door: by sides and by center. You’ll draw the first door by sides. To position and begin drawing a door, you need to reference and measure from an existing point on the drawing.

è To draw a door by sides:


2. Select a point at the lower-left corner of the bottom wall and click. You are prompted: Select second corner of the Zoom window.

Tutorial


3. Diagonally move the mouse until the rubberband box encloses the lower half of the plan as shown below.

2Click the left mouse button tostart the rubberband box.

4Click the left mouse button to close therubberband box.

Zooming in on the plan

4. Click the left mouse button. The plan now appears larger.

Your drawing appears larger

5. Right-click once to return to the Door Swing menu.


Tutorial


7. Click the middle mouse button near the upper-right corner of the first room you drew, as shown in the figure below. Stay close to the inside of the corner. This will be your reference point. You are prompted: Select hinge side of door.

8Click the middle mouse button to set this corneras the reference point.

Setting a reference point


9. Type .3 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Enter relative angle.

10. Type 270 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Select strike side of door.



13. Type 270 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Select direction of door swing.

14. Click anywhere inside the office (on the left side of the wall). This defines the direction of the swing. The wall is cut. You are prompted: Select any point on the outside of the wall.

15. Click to the right of the outside wall. This defines the non-printing snap point location. The door is drawn.

Tutorial


7-10The hinge side of the door.

A non-printing centersnap point.

15Click the left mouse button to define theoutside of the wall.

10-13The strike side of the door.

14Click the left mouse button to define thedirection of door swing.

.

Drawing the door

è To draw a second door by center:

1. Choose Sides to turn off the Sides option. Now you will define doors by entering their center and strike side.

2. Move the mouse to the location shown in the figure below. Click the middle mouse button to snap to the midpoint of the inside front wall. You are prompted: Select strike side of door.

.

2Click the middle mousebutton to connect to themidpoint of the line.

Defining the center of the front door




Tutorial


6. Click inside the hall (above the wall). This defines the direction of the door swing. The wall is cut. You are prompted: Select any point on the outside of the wall.

7. Click anywhere on the outside of the exterior wall where you want to locate the non-printing snap point. The door is drawn.

6Click the left mouse button to define thedirection of the door swing.

2The center of the door.

3-5The strike side of the door.

7Click the left mouse button to define theoutside of the wall.

The front door is drawn

8. Choose Sides to turn on the Sides option.

9. Press (`) to set a new reference point.

10. Click the middle mouse button near the upper-left corner of Room A, shown in the following figure. You are prompted: Select hinge side of door.


12. Type .3 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Enter relative angle.

Tutorial


Room A

Room B

10Click the middle mouse button todefine the new reference point.

Locating the next door

13. Type 270 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Select strike side of door.




17. Click anywhere inside Room A (on the right side of the wall). This defines the direction of the swing. The wall is cut. You are prompted: Select any point on the outside of the wall.

18. Click inside the hall to define the outside of the wall. This defines the non-printing snap point location. The door is drawn.

19. Now create a door for Room B. You may want to review the steps above.

20. Right-click twice to return to the Edit menu.

The remaining schoolhouse doors

21. Click R on the Navigation Pad to recalculate the extents of the drawing.

Tutorial


22. Press (Ctrl) + (S) on the keyboard to save the drawing.

You have now completed entering all the doors for this exercise and saved them to your drawing file.

è To set up to draw windows:

1. Press (Tab) until the Windows layer is the active layer in the Status Area. You will draw the windows on the Windows layer.


3. Choose Windows to enter the Windows menu.

Adjusts settings that determinewhat windows will look like.

Windowentry method. By sides (jambs) when on,by centers when off.

Removes windows and cut-outs in walls.Draws temporary marks to aid in window placement.Exits theWindow menu.You can also click the rightmouse button to exit.

MenuTitle

The Windows menu

Tutorial


è To draw the first window by sides:

1. Click W on the Navigation Pad to open the WindowIn menu. You are prompted: Select first corner of the Zoom window.

2. Select a point at the lower-left corner of the bottom wall and click. You are prompted: Select second corner of the Zoom window.

3. Diagonally move the mouse until the rubberband box encloses the lower half of the plan.

4. Click the left mouse button.

2Click the left mouse button to start the rubberband box.


Zooming in on the lower half of your drawing

5. Right-click once to return to the Windows menu.


7. Click the middle mouse button near the lower left corner of the interior wall shown in the figure below. This will be your reference point. You are prompted: Select one jamb of window.

Tutorial


7Click the middle mouse buttonto set the reference point.




10. Type 0 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Select one jamb of window.



13. Type 0 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Select any point on the outside of the wall.

14. Click anywhere on the outside of the exterior wall where you want to locate the non-printing snap point.

8-10First window jamb

11-13Second window jamb

14Click left mouse button for the outside of the wall.

Drawing the first window

15. Move the cursor to the bottom right corner of Room B and repeat steps 6 - 14 for the window on the opposite side. Remember that the relative angles will now be 180.

Tutorial



è To draw multiple windows:

1. Choose Sides from the Windows menu to toggle off Sides; this allows you to define windows by the center and one side or jamb.


3. Select a point at the upper-right corner of the top wall. You are prompted: Select second corner of the Zoom window.

4. Diagonally move the mouse until the rubberband box encloses the upper half of the plan.

5. Click the left mouse button. The plan now appears larger.


3Click the left mouse button to start therubberband box.

Zooming in on the upper half of your drawing

6. Click the right mouse button once to return to the Windows menu.


8. Move the cursor to the top left corner of the interior wall, as shown in the figure below, and click the middle mouse button to set the reference point. You are prompted: Select center of window.

Tutorial


8Click the middle mouse button to set thereference point.







14. Type 270 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Select any point on the outside of the wall.

15. Click anywhere on the outside of the exterior wall where you want to locate the non-printing snap point. The wall is cut and the window is drawn.

9-11The center of the window

12-14The window jamb15

Click the left mousebutton to define theoutside of the wall

The wall is cut and the window is drawn


Tutorial


17. Move the cursor to the center snap point of the window you just drew and click the middle mouse button to set the reference point. You are prompted: Select center of window.






23. Type 270 and press (Enter). You are prompted: Select any point of the outside of the wall.

24. Click anywhere on the outside of the exterior wall where you want to locate the non-printing snap point. The wall is cut and the window is drawn.

17-20The center of the window

21-23The window jamb24

Click the left mouse button todefine the outside of the wall

16Click the middle mouse button to set this point asthe new reference point

The wall is cut and the window is drawn

25. Repeat steps 16 - 24 for the last window on this wall.

26. Now create the windows on the other wall using the preceding steps.

27. Click E on the Navigation Pad to view the extents of the drawing. Your plan should look like the following figure.

Tutorial


The Schoolhouse floor plan

28. Press (Ctrl) + (S) to save the drawing.

This completes the Drawing and Editing Tutorial. To continue with the tutorial exercises, turn to the “Tutorial” section at the beginning of the “Drawing Elements” chapter.

Drawing Walls, Windows, and Doors


Drawing Walls, Windows, and Doors The Architct menu in the Edit menu combines the three most basic drawing elements under a single menu. Architct includes options for drawing 2-, 3-, and 4-line walls as well as six different door styles and windows with a variety of customizable options.

Drawing Walls When the Walls option in the Architct menu is toggled on, DataCAD will draw walls instead of lines and can even clean the wall segments at the corners.

You can choose to draw 2-line walls (2LnWalls), 3-line walls (3LnWalls), or 4-line walls (4LnWalls). Different setting options appear for each wall creation method. Three-line walls draw a centerline, while 4-line walls draw two cavity walls.

Outside wall

Center line

Cavity wall

Inside wall with Hilite

2LnWall

3LnWall

4LnWall

Wall Types

The 2LnWalls, 3LnWalls and 4LnWalls toggles are mutually exclusive; when one is toggled on, the others are automatically toggled off.

Four of the Architct menu’s options are used to determine how walls are defined. When you select two points to draw a wall segment, the line connecting those two points becomes the outside wall, inside wall, center of the wall, or center of the wall cavity, depending on whether Outside, Inside, CntrWall, or CntrCvty is toggled on, respectively. The Outside, Inside, CntrWall and CntrCvty toggles are mutually exclusive; when one is toggled on, the others are automatically toggled off.

When drawing 2-line walls or 3-line walls, CntrWall and CntrCvty perform the same way. You can choose either option to create walls based on the wall center.



The Walls option automatically searches for other walls near the selected wall ends. For example, when the last wall of a simple rectangular room is located on or near the origin of the first wall, DataCAD automatically cleans the intersection of the first and last wall and closes the room.

Sometimes you may need to fix wall intersections that didn’t clean properly when drawn. Use the Cleanup menu’s TIntsct, LIntsct, and XIntsct options to clean wall intersections. Use the Cleanup menu’s WeldLine and WeldWall options to mend openings in walls.

You can press (=) to quickly toggle Walls on or off from anywhere in DataCAD. When toggling Walls on, you are prompted for a new wall width. A wall width is the distance between the inside and outside wall. You can also change wall width anytime while drawing 2- or 3-line walls.

è To change the width of the walls:

1. Choose Width from the Architct menu. A list of width values is displayed.

2. Choose or type a value and press (Enter). DataCAD sets the new wall thickness and subsequent walls will be drawn with that thickness.

è To draw walls:

1. Walls can only be drawn in plan view; if you’re not already in plan view, click on Ortho in the Projection Pad or choose Orthographic from the View menu in the Menu Bar.

2. Choose Architct from the Edit menu. You can also choose Walls from the Create pull-down menu and then choose 2-Line Wall, 3-Line Wall, or 4-Line Wall from the submenu.

3. Toggle Walls on.

4. Choose to draw 2-line, 3-line, or 4-line walls by toggling the appropriate option on.

5. Set the attributes of the wall type by using the wall attribute options from the Architct menu: Width, Hilite, CntrLine, Exterior, Interior, or Cavity.

6. Choose whether to define walls by the outside of the wall (Outside), the inside of the wall (Inside), the center of the wall (CntrWall), or the center of the wall cavity (CntrCvty).

7. Choose whether to clean or cap the walls.

8. Click anywhere in the Drawing Window to start the wall.

9. Move the cursor and click again to end the wall.



10. Click anywhere on the inside of the wall if you are defining walls using Outside, CntrWall, or CntrCvty; click on the outside of the wall if you are defining walls using Inside.

11. Continue selecting wall end points. Wall corners are automatically cleaned.

12. Right-click to finish creating walls.

Setting Wall Attributes You can assign different attributes to outside or inside walls, including colors, linetypes, and line weights using the Hilite option in the Architct menu. The Hilite menu includes the following options:

Outside Highlights the outside wall. If Outside is toggled on, Inside is automatically off.

Inside Highlights the inside wall. If Inside is toggled on, Outside is automatically off.

Color Sets the highlight color for a specified wall by choosing a color from the menu. See “Color Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information.

LineWgt Sets the weight for the specified wall. Choose a weight from the menu and press (Enter).

LineType Sets the linetype for the specified wall. Choose a linetype from the menu and press (Enter).

You can only set Hilite options for one wall, the inside wall or the outside wall; for example, you can’t use Hilite to assign a color to the outside wall and a linetype to the inside wall.

Some Architct menu options only apply to one type of wall. For instance, the CntrLine option is used to set the attributes for the centerline of a 3-line wall. When you choose CntrLine from the Architct menu, the following options are displayed:

Color Sets the color for centerlines by choosing a color from the menu. See “Color Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information.

LineWgt Sets the weight for centerlines by choosing a weight from the menu

LineType Sets the linetype for centerlines by choosing a linetype from the menu

Spacing Sets the spacing for centerlines by choosing a value from the menu

The Exterior, Interior, and Cavity options can be used to set additional attributes for 4-line walls.



è To set the distance from the exterior wall to the exterior cavity wall:

1. Choose Exterior from the Architct menu. A list of width values is displayed.

2. Choose or type a value and press (Enter). DataCAD sets the exterior wall thickness.

è To set the distance from the interior wall to the interior cavity wall:

1. Choose Interior from the Architct menu. A list of width values is displayed.

2. Choose or type a value and press (Enter). DataCAD sets the interior wall thickness.

è To set the attributes of the cavity walls:

1. Choose Cavity from the Architct menu. The following options are displayed:

Width Sets the width from the exterior cavity wall to the interior cavity wall

Color Sets the color for cavity walls by choosing a color from the menu

LineWgt Sets the weight of cavity walls by choosing a value from the menu

LineType Sets the linetype for cavity walls by choosing a linetype from the menu

Spacing Sets the spacing for cavity walls by choosing a value from the menu

2. Choose any option to change its setting.

3. Choose a new value from the list in the Menu Window and press (Enter).

Finishing Walls As you saw in the Tutorial at the beginning of this chapter, DataCAD always cleans the intersections of walls as you draw them, as long as you don’t disconnect your cursor from the last wall you drew. For T intersections, you can use Clean in the Architct menu to automatically trim the interior wall lines as you enter the walls. (Press (\) to quickly toggle Clean on or off.) When you draw walls resulting in a T intersection, wall intersections are automatically cleaned so that your drawing looks continuous, without internal lines at corners or intersections. Be sure to enter wall line end points near the wall line that you want to trim to, or DataCAD may trim to the incorrect wall line.

DataCAD only cleans intersections within the square area around the cursor called the miss distance. If the intersection does not clean with Clean on, increase the miss distance using the Utility/Settings/MissDist option.



The Cap option in the Architct menu can be used to insert a wall cap or closure on the end of a wall line. (Press (Shift) + (\) to toggle Cap on or off.) When you create walls, intersections at corners automatically clean and wall ends are capped, instead of remaining open.

The Clean and Cap toggles are mutually exclusive; when one is toggled on, the other is automatically toggled off.

Using Wall Styles You can create wall styles for 2-, 3-, or 4-line walls based on the wall attributes you use most often. The following attributes are saved in a wall style:

• current drawing settings

• color

• linetype

• line spacing

• line weight

• highlight attributes, such as on/off, outside/inside, color, line weight, and linetype

• wall widths, including cavity wall widths and center line and cavity wall attributes

Wall styles are groups of wall settings that are saved so they can be recalled and used quickly, without having to change each setting every time you want to draw walls. These settings can include the wall type (2-, 3-, or 4-line walls), color, linetype, line spacing, line width, highlight, and line weight.

The WallStyl option in the Architct menu displays the Wall Style Manager dialog box. Use this dialog box to save, delete, or load wall styles as well as change wall settings. These wall settings can also be changed through the Architct menu options displayed in the Menu Window.



The Wall Style Manager dialog box

è To create a wall style:

1. Choose WallStyl from the Architct menu, or choose Walls from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Wall Style from the submenu. The Wall Style Manager dialog box is displayed.

2. Change the wall settings to those you'd like your new wall style to have.

3. Click on the Save As button. A small dialog box is displayed.

4. Type a name for your new wall style, and click OK. The wall style is saved. Notice that the name of your new wall style is now displayed in the Wall Styles Available drop-down box.

è To save changes to a wall style:

1. Choose WallStyl from the Architct menu. The Wall Style Manager dialog box is displayed.

2. Select the wall style you'd like to change from the Wall Styles Available drop-down box.

3. Change the wall settings for the selected wall style as necessary.

4. Click on the Save button. The wall style is saved with your changes.

è To use an existing wall style:




2. Select a wall style from the Wall Styles Available drop-down box. The settings in the Wall Style Manager dialog box change to the selected wall style.

3. Click OK to close the Wall Style Manager dialog box.

è To delete a wall style:


2. Choose the wall style name to delete from the Wall Styles Available drop-down box.

3. Click on Delete. The wall style is deleted.

Cutting Walls You can use CutWall to remove sections of walls and then add on to the drawing.

è To cut openings in walls and caps the wall ends:

1. Choose CutWall from the Architct menu, or choose Cut Wall from the Create pull-down menu.

2. Toggle LyrSrch on if your walls are on a layer other than the active layer, and choose the layer your walls are drawn on from the list in the Menu Window.

3. Select the first point on the wall where you want the opening.

4. Select the second point on the wall where you want the opening. DataCAD cuts the wall automatically.

To remove an opening from your drawing, draw a rubberband box around it that completely encloses all elements of the opening. DataCAD removes the opening and welds the wall. Remove erases only the opening when the walls surrounding the opening have been cut (if Cutout was toggled on when the opening was drawn). Use Erase to erase the framed opening as a group if the walls were cut.

Drawing Doors Use the DoorSwng option in the Architct menu to draw a door and the door swing in a few quick steps. DataCAD places a jamb into the wall, erases the wall between the jambs, draws the door thickness, and determines the direction and angle of the door swing.



You can draw doors by selecting the sides of the door or by selecting the center and strike side of the door. The Sides option defines doors by the door sides (doorjambs) when toggled on. When Sides is toggled off, doors are defined by the center and strike side. Regardless of which way you draw a door, you can use CntrPnt to add a point in the center of the door to simplify dimensioning. You can use DataCAD’s automatic dimensioning feature to find and dimension to this center point.

The DoorStyl menu allows you to choose from six door styles: single, double, bi-fold, sliding, pocket, and overhead. You will return to the DoorSwng menu after you make your choice.

Single creates single-leaf, hinged doors of any size. This is the default setting for the DoorStyl menu. Use Double to draw two opposing doors hung on a single frame. Bi-fold creates simplified folding doors. To draw sliding doors, select one side of the doors and then the other side. To draw a pocket door, select the pocket and strike sides of the door. Use Overhead to create overhead garage doors. A dotted line representing the door in a raised position will be drawn, with the dimensions equaling the width and head height of the door.

Single

Sliding Pocket Overhead

Double Bi-Fold

Door styles



With DrwMarks toggled on, DataCAD draws small crosses on the screen when you select points in the Drawing Window. These marks are a temporary visual reference only; they disappear when you press (Esc) to refresh the screen. They do not plot, and you cannot object snap to them. This setting is independent of DrwMarks in the Utility/Settings menu and affects only doors and windows.

Some of the DoorSwng menu’s options affect how the door is drawn in the wall. The DrawJamb option draws door jambs for each wall opening when toggled on, while InWall precisely centers door openings between the two wall faces. Cutout removes the wall segment between the two jambs. An added benefit to drawing doors with Cutout toggled on is that the walls will automatically weld themselves if you use Remove to erase the door. You may need to use LyrSrch with this if you’re drawing doors on a different layer than your walls are on. Choose LyrSrch and then choose the layer your walls are on to cut them appropriately.

JambIn is a toggle that determines whether the door will be drawn by rough opening or finished opening. By default, JambIn is toggled off, meaning the door will be drawn by finished opening (door jamb drawn outside the opening specified). When JambIn is toggled on, DataCAD draws the door by rough opening (the door jamb is drawn inside the opening specified).

For instance, when using Sides to draw a door with JambIn off, the two points you select mark the inside of the finished opening; therefore, the jamb will be drawn outside the two points specified. If you toggle JambIn on and draw another door, the two points you select mark the rough opening in the wall, and the jamb is drawn inside the two points.

You can also change the jamb width for your doors.

è To set a new jamb width:

1. Choose JambWdth from the DoorSwng menu.

2. Choose or type a jamb width value and press (Enter).

MtchWall is toggled on by default, causing jamb depth to automatically match the wall width. When this option is off, you can use JambDpth to set the jamb depth independently of the wall width. JambDpth is only available from the menu when MtchWall is toggled off.

Choose Angle from the DoorStyl menu to determine the door opening. An angle set to 0-0’ will result in the doors being drawn closed, while a 90-0’ angle will result in the doors being drawn fully open. When an angle between 0-0’ and 90-0’ is entered, DataCAD will draw single and double doors open to varying degrees. For bi-fold doors, a 90° angle creates a right angle at the intersection of each door.



DataCAD will draw sliding and pocket doors open to varying degrees when an angle between 10-0’ and 90-0’ is chosen. When any angle 90-0’ or greater is chosen, sliding and pocket doors will be drawn fully open. When fully open, sliding doors will be drawn to one side and at the first point chosen for the door opening, making the opening at the second point. When doors are drawn closed, the door overlap is equal to double the door thickness.

è To specify the angle of the door opening:

1. Choose Angle from the DoorSwng menu.

2. Choose or type an angle value and press (Enter). An angle of 0-0’ draws doors closed. An angle of 90-0’ draws most doors fully open.

è To specify the door thickness:

1. Choose Thicknss from the DoorSwng menu.

2. Choose or type a thickness value and press (Enter).

è To change the door head height:

1. Choose HeadHgt from the DoorSwng menu.

2. Choose or type a height value and press (Enter).

The SwngStyl menu allows you to choose the type and color of the door swing. You can choose either a line or arc swing style or to have no swing at all. The Line option draws a straight line from the corner of the doorjamb to the corner of the open door to represent the door swing. The Arc option draws a curve from the corner of the jamb to the corner of the door.

With both Line and Arc you can use MtchDoor to match the door swing color to the door color. This option is toggled on by default. When MtchDoor is toggled off, SwngColr appears in the menu. Use SwngColr to choose a color for the door swing, independent from the door color.

è To draw a door:

1. Choose DoorSwng from the Architct menu, or choose Door from the Create pull-down menu.

2. Set the options in the DoorSwng menu as described above.

3. If Sides is on, enter the hinge side of the door. If Sides is off, enter the center of the door.

4. Select the strike side of the door.



If LyrSrch is not toggled on or you have not selected the layer your walls are on, you may encounter the error message No walls found to cut. Please check search layer. Toggle LyrSrch on (if it’s already on, toggle it off and then on again) to display the layers in your drawing. Choose the layer your walls are drawn on from the list in the Menu Window. Repeat steps 3-4 and continue with the instructions below.

5. Select the direction of the door swing.

6. Select any point on the outside wall. DataCAD draws the door and the doorjamb automatically.

Drawing a door

You can quickly remove any door from your drawing with the Remove option in the DoorSwng menu. Keep in mind, however, that Remove only erases the door when the walls surrounding the door have been cut using Cutout (if Cutout was toggled on in the DoorSwng menu when the door was drawn). If you didn’t use Cutout when you drew the door, use Erase to erase the door as a group. You will then need to use WeldWall in the Edit/Cleanup menu to weld the wall.

è To remove a door from your drawing:

1. Choose Remove from the DoorSwng menu.

2. Draw a rubberband box around it that completely encloses all elements of the door. DataCAD removes the door and welds the wall.



Drawing Windows The Windows option in the Architct menu draws windows and cased openings in walls. You can customize the detail of the windows by changing basic window components, including jamb size, sill projection, glass thickness, sill height, and head height.

You can draw windows by selecting the sides of the window or by selecting the center and one side of the window. The Sides option defines windows by the window sides when toggled on. When Sides is toggled off, windows are defined by the center and one side. Regardless of which way you draw a window, you can use CntrPnt to add a point in the center of the window to simplify dimensioning. You can use DataCAD’s automatic dimensioning feature to find and dimension to this center point.

Use the DrwMarks toggle to draw small crosses on the screen when you select points in the Drawing Window. These marks are a temporary visual reference. They do not plot, and you cannot object snap to them. When you refresh the screen , the marks disappear. This setting is independent of DrwMarks in the Utility/Settings menu and affects only windows and doors.

Some of the Window menu’s options affect how the window is drawn in the wall. The DrawJamb option draws window jambs for each wall opening when toggled on, while InWall precisely centers window openings between the two wall faces. Cutout removes the wall segment between the two jambs. You may need to use LyrSrch with this if you’re drawing windows on a different layer than your walls are on. Choose LyrSrch and then choose the layer your walls are on to cut them appropriately.

You can also change the jamb width for your windows.

è To set a new jamb width:

1. Choose JambWdth from the Windows menu.

2. Choose or type a jamb width value and press (Enter).

MtchWall is toggled on by default, causing jamb depth to automatically match the wall width. When this option is off, you can use JambDpth to set the jamb depth independently of the wall width. JambDpth is only available from the menu when MtchWall is toggled off.

JambIn is a toggle that determines whether the window will be drawn by rough opening or finished opening. By default, JambIn is toggled off, meaning the window will be drawn by finished opening (window jamb drawn outside the opening specified). When JambIn is toggled on, DataCAD draws the window by rough opening (the window jamb is drawn inside the opening specified).



For instance, when using Sides to draw a window with JambIn off, the two points you select mark the inside of the finished opening; therefore, the jamb will be drawn outside the two points specified. If you toggle JambIn on and draw another window, the two points you select mark the rough opening in the wall, and the jamb is drawn inside the two points.

Other options you’ll want to set include distances for the exterior and interior sill projections, the thickness of the window glazing, and the sill height and head height. See the instructions below for each of these settings.

è To change the distance of the exterior sill projection:

1. Choose OutSill from the Windows menu.

2. Choose or type a sill projection value and press (Enter).

è To change the distance of the interior sill projection:

1. Choose InSill from the Windows menu.

2. Choose or type a sill projection value and press (Enter).

è To change the thickness of the window glazing:

1. Choose GlassThk from the Windows menu.

2. Choose or type a new thickness value and press (Enter). If you enter a thickness of 0”, DataCAD draws a single sheet of glass.

è To enter a new window sill height relative to the current Z-base elevation:

1. Choose SillHgt from the Windows menu.

2. Choose or type a new height value and press (Enter).

è To enter a new window head height relative to the current Z-base elevation:

1. Choose HeadHgt from the Windows menu.

2. Choose or type a new height value and press (Enter).

è To draw a window:

1. Choose Windows from the Architct menu, or choose Window from the Create pull-down menu. The Windows menu appears:

2. Set the options in the Windows menu as necessary.



3. If Sides is on, enter one of the jambs of the window; if Sides is off, enter the center of the window.

4. Enter the window jamb by selecting first one side and then the other side of the window.

If LyrSrch is not toggled on or you have not selected the layer your walls are on, you may encounter the error message No walls found to cut. Please check search layer. Toggle LyrSrch on (if it’s already on, toggle it off and then on again) to display the layers in your drawing. Choose the layer your walls are drawn on from the list in the Menu Window. Repeat steps 3-4 and continue with the instructions below.

5. Click anywhere on the outside of the wall. DataCAD draws the window.

Drawing a window

You can quickly remove any window from your drawing with the Remove option in the Window menu. Remove erases only the window when the walls surrounding the window have been cut (if Cutout was toggled on when the window was drawn). Use Erase to erase the window as a group if the walls were cut.

è To remove a window from your drawing:

1. Choose Remove from the Windows menu.

2. Draw a rubberband box around the window to remove that completely encloses all elements of the window. DataCAD removes the window and welds the wall.

Using Other Drawing Tools


Using Other Drawing Tools DataCAD offers several additional drawing tools outside of the Architct menu. The Polygons and Curves menus in the Edit menu allow you to draw a number of geometric shapes, from simple rectangles to Bezier curves. The Freehand tool in the Utility menu can be used to sketch your ideas before you draw a plan. The Geometry option in the Utility menu can divide line segments, locate intersections, offset entities, and draw tangent lines. Copy and Mirror in the Edit menu can add entities to your drawing with just a few steps, freeing you from drawing similar things over and over.

Drawing Polygons Polygons are frequently useful for symbols of repetitive geometric groups. The location of the first and second points on the diameter determines the orientation of the polygon. The Polygons option is available from the Edit menu.

è To choose the number of sides for the polygon:

1. Choose Polygons from the Edit menu.

2. Choose No.Sides from the Polygons menu. A list of values appears.

3. Select the number of sides in the polygon.

4. Select the center of a circle. This temporary circle will define the dimensions of your polygon.

5. Select a point on the outside of the circle, making the radius of the circle. The polygon is drawn using the radius you specified. The radius specified is the distance between the center and the side of the polygon.

The Dynamic, CntrPnt, Vertex, Diameter, and Inscribe toggles are on by default. Dynamic allows you to move the mouse and see the size and shape of the polygon before choosing the second point of the circle. When you create a polygon, CntrPnt draws a snapping point to mark the center of the polygon.

When you create polygons with Vertex and Diameter toggled on, the two points you specify are the distance between one vertex and the opposite vertex of the polygon. When Vertex is toggled off, the two points connect the center point and the mid-point of one side of the polygon. Toggle Diameter off to draw a polygon by selecting two points that define the radius, or the distance between the center and the vertex of the polygon.

Polygons can be defined by circles using the Inscrib option. With Inscrib toggled on, the polygon is drawn as though it was inscribed within a circle; this circle is defined by entering its diameter or radius.



Polygon drawn with Inscribe on Polygon drawn with Inscribe off

To draw rectangles, specify two diagonally opposite corner points on the screen. The X, Y distance of the diagonal corners appears in the coordinate line as you draw the rectangle.

è To draw a rectangle:

1. Choose RectAngl from the Polygons menu. The RectAngl menu is displayed:

CntrPnt Enters a snap point to mark the center of the rectangle

RectAngl Toggles the rectangle option on and returns you to the Polygons menu

2. Select the first point on the rectangle.

3. Move the cursor diagonally and select the second point of the rectangle. DataCAD draws the rectangle.

When drawing rectangles, if you toggle on Walls and toggle Outside or Inside on to define the wall, DataCAD prompts you to indicate the inside or outside of the wall, respectively, as the last point to enter.

If you draw columns with the RectAngl option, DataCAD uses the center points to position centerlines.



Drawing Curves The Curves option in the Edit menu (also available from the Create pull-down menu) lets you draw circles, arcs, ellipses, and other curvilinear groups.

è To draw arcs by providing the end points and center point of the arc:

1. Choose 2PtArc from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose 2-Point Arc from the submenu.

2. Toggle Dynamic on to view the entity before entering the final point.

3. Select the center, or radius point, of the arc.

4. Select the starting point on the radius of the arc. Toggle ClkWise on to create the arc in a clockwise direction. The arc segment is drawn counterclockwise unless ClkWise is on.

5. Select the ending point to define the angle of the arc. The third point does not need to be on or near the radius; DataCAD uses this point to define the end angle only.

Second Point

First PointCenter Point

2-point arc

è To draw an arc using three points of reference:

1. Choose 3PtArc from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose 3-Point Arc from the submenu.


3. Select the first end point of the arc.

4. Select the second end point of the arc.



5. Select a third point anywhere on the arc between the two end points. DataCAD draws the arc in a counterclockwise direction and marks the center, or radius point, of the arc.

First Point

Third Point

Second Point

3-point arc

è To draw an arc of a specified radius:

1. Choose CentAngl from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Center Angle Arc from the submenu.

2. Select the starting point of the arc.

3. Select the center of the arc. A list of arc angle values appears in the Menu Window.

4. Choose or type a value for the included angle and press (Enter). DataCAD draws the arc segment in a counterclockwise direction.

Center angle arc

è To draw an arc of specified length:

1. Choose CentArc from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Center Arc from the submenu.




3. Select the center of the arc. A list of arc lengths appears in the Menu Window.

4. Choose or type a value for the arc length and press (Enter). DataCAD draws the arc segment in a counterclockwise direction.

Center arc length

è To draw an arc of a specified chord distance:

1. Choose CentChrd from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Center Chord Arc from the submenu.


3. Select the center of the arc or radius point. A list of chord length values appears.

4. Choose or type a chord length value from the list and press (Enter). DataCAD draws the arc segment in a counterclockwise direction.

Center chord length



è To draw an arc of a specified radius:

1. Choose EndPtRad from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose End Point Radius Arc from the submenu.


3. Select the ending point of the arc and press (Enter). A list of radii for the arc appears in the Menu Window.

4. Choose or type an arc radius from the displayed list and press (Enter). DataCAD draws the arc segment in a counterclockwise direction.

To properly define an arc, make the radius value larger than half the distance between the starting and ending points.

Radius Endpoint

è To draw an arc with a specified angle:

1. Choose EndPtAng from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose End Point Angle Arc from the submenu.


3. Select the ending point of the arc. A list of angles appears in the Menu Window.

4. Choose or type an angle value and press (Enter). DataCAD draws the arc segment in a counterclockwise direction.



End point angle

è To draw an arc that is tangent to the first and third points you enter:

1. Choose StartDir from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Start Direction of Arc from the submenu.


3. Select the ending point of the arc. As you move the cursor, a rubberband line extends from the starting point you entered.

4. Move the cursor and select the starting direction of the arc to define the line of tangency. DataCAD draws the arc.

Starting direction

è To draw an arc segment that is tangent to an existing line or arc segment:

1. Choose Tangent from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Tangent Arc from the submenu.

2. Select the line or arc from which to draw. The following menu appears:

Dynamic View the entity before entering the final point

NewLine Enter a line or arc from which to draw an arc segment



3. Select the ending point of the arc. DataCAD draws the arc segment tangent to the existing line or arc.

You can draw additional tangent arc segments by entering the additional endpoint; the cursor remains connected to the last point you enter.

è To draw a circle defined by the radius:

1. Choose RadCirc from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Radius Circle from the submenu.


3. Select the center of the circle.

4. Select any point on the circle to define the radius. DataCAD draws the circle.

Radius circle

è To draw a circle defined by the diameter:

1. Choose DiaCirc from the menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Diameter Circle from the submenu.


3. Select the first point on the circle.

4. Select the second point on the circle to define its diameter. DataCAD draws the circle.



Diameter circle

è To define a circle by entering three points on the perimeter (useful when the end points are predefined):

1. Choose 3PtCirc from the menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose 3-Point Circle from the submenu.


3. Select the first point on the circle.

4. Select the second point on the circle.

5. Select the third point on the circle.

3-point circle

è To draw an ellipse of any size or proportion:

1. Choose Ellipse from the Curves menu. You can also choose Ellipse from the Create pull-down menu.




3. Select the first corner of the ellipse rectangle.

4. Select the second corner of the ellipse rectangle. DataCAD draws the ellipse. You can adjust the grid settings to locate centers and tangent points.

A polyline is a continuous series of lines and/or arcs that are treated as a single entity. Polylines can be open or closed depending on whether you toggle Closed off or on.

è To create a polyline:

1. Choose Polyline from the Curves menu. You can also choose Polyline from the Create pull-down menu.

2. Select the first point on the polyline. The following options appear:

2PtArc Draw a two-point arc segments of the polyline

3PtArc Draws three-point arc segments of the polyline

Tangent Draws tangent arc segments of the polyline

Closed Creates a closed polyline (when Closed is on) or terminates the length of the polyline (when Closed is off)

3. Select the next point on the polyline.

4. Continue selecting points until you complete the polyline.

5. Right-click or click on Exit or Close to detach from the polyline.



Closed

Open

Polylines

Polylines may be hatched. See “Hatch Patterns” in the “Drawing Elements” chapter for more information. You may also calculate a polyline’s area, perimeter or volume. See “Identifying and Measuring Entities” in this chapter for more information.



è To generate Bezier curves:

1. Choose Bezier from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Bezier Curve from the submenu.

2. Select at least three, but no more than eight control points. As you add each point, options are added in the Menu Window, until the following list of options appears:

Dynamic Toggle that allows curve to be dynamically drawn as you select control points

Backup Erases the last control point selected as well as the portion of the curve to that point

Cancel Erases the curve and all control points; available after you select the third point but not after choosing Exit/Add

Exit/Add Detaches the cursor and approximates a curve to the control points. The Exit option changes to Add once you select the third point.

Bezier curves



è To generate B-spline curves:

1. Choose B-Spline from the Curves menu. You can also choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose B-Spline Curve from the submenu.

2. Select at least three, but no more than eight control points. As you add each point, options are added until the following list of options appears:

Dynamic Toggle that allows curve to be dynamically drawn as you select control points

Backup Erases the last control point selected as well as the portion of the curve to that point

Cancel Erases the curve and all control points. Available after you select the third point but not after choosing Exit/Add

Exit/Add Detaches the cursor and approximates a curve to the control points. The Exit option changes to Add once you select the third point.

The formula used to approximate B-spline curves is specific to Third Order splines.

B-spline curves

CurvData is DataCAD’s resident coordinate geometry package and is used to enter curves using surveyors’ data. Based on the toggles you choose and the information you enter, DataCAD automatically calculates additional data. When you select the displayed attribute, any known or calculated information appears in the Message Window.

You can choose CurvData from the Curves menu or choose 2D Curves from the Create pull-down menu and then choose Curve from Data from the submenu. The following menu is displayed:



RP Defines the center, or radius point, of the circle or arc

PC Defines the starting point of the curve

PT Defines the end point, or the point of tangency, of the curve

PI Defines the point of intersection, where the tangent line intersects the Point of Curve

Angle Defines the central angle about the center Radius Point defined by the Point of Curve and the Point of Tangency

Radius Defines the radius of the central angle, or the distance from the Radius Point to the Point of Curve or the Point of Tangency

Tangent Defines the distance to the intersection of the tangent lines from the Point of Curve or the Point of Tangency

Chord Defines the straight-line distance from the Point of Curve to the Point of Tangency

ArcLnth Defines the distance along the curve from the Point of Curve to the Point of Tangency

BrngIn Defines the bearing of the line going into the Point of Curve

BrngOut Defines the bearing of the line going away from the Point of Tangency

BrngPC Defines the bearing of the line from Radius Point to the Point of Curve

BrngPT Defines the bearing of the line from the Radius Point to the Point of Tangency

Curves drawn using data



Drawing Freehand Use FreeHand to sketch lines in varying widths and linetypes.

Freehand lines work best if you toggle both Grid Snap and Ortho mode off. To toggle Grid Snap off, press (X). To toggle Ortho mode off, press (O).

When using linetypes such as dotted or dashed, you can give a rendered or weighted quality to the freehand lines by varying the speed at which you move the cursor across the screen as you draw.

1. Choose FreeHand from the Utility menu. The following options appear:

Lines Draws lines freehand

3DLines Draws three-dimensional lines freehand

PolyLine Draws polylines freehand

Closed Automatically closes the shape when you choose Exit

2. Choose the type of entity you want.

3. Click in the Drawing Window to begin drawing. Continue entering points to sketch your design.

4. When you are done, right-click or choose Exit.

The Lines, 3DLines, and PolyLine options are mutually exclusive; only one can be toggled on at any given time.

Geometry Use Geometry to divide segments into equal parts, locate intersection points, offset objects to any distance, and draw lines tangent to other lines. You can access the Geometry menu from the Utility menu in the Menu Window or from the Tools pull-down menu.

Dividing Entities Use Divide to divide lines and arcs into equal segments. It is useful for many types of operations, such as dividing a stair run into equal tread lengths. DataCAD displays markers to show the divisions. You can use the markers as object snap points, but they will not plot.

1. Choose Divide from the Geometry menu.

2. Select the first point of the line to divide.

3. Select the second point of the line to divide. Markers appear that divide the line into equal parts between the two indicated points.



è To change the number of divisions:

1. Choose Divisons from the Divide menu.

2. Choose or type a value for the divisions and press (Enter).

3. Select the first point of the line to divide.

4. Select the second point of the line to divide. Points appear that divide the line into equal parts between the two points you selected.

è To divide a selected entity into equal parts:

1. Choose Entity from the Divide menu.

2. Select the number of divisions in the entity.

3. Select the entity to divide. Points appear dividing the entity into equal parts.

è To divide an entity into sections of a specified distance:

1. Choose Div+Dist from the Divide menu.

2. Choose a division distance value from the list or type a value and press (Enter).

3. Select the first point for the division.

4. Select the direction for the division. The segments appear at the specified distance.

Golden Section is a proportion that divides a line so that the smaller section is to the larger as the larger is to the whole. It divides a line into two segments, one longer than the other, at a ratio of 1:1.618 (a portion considered harmonic by ancient Greeks).

è To divide a line by selecting two points or selecting an existing line:

1. Choose GoldSect from the Divide menu.

2. Select a line by selecting two points or selecting an existing line. When you select two points, the longer segment starts at the first point of the line to divide. When you select an entity, the longer segment starts at the point where you identified the line. DataCAD marks the divisions of the line.



Golden Section:Line divided at point B, where the ratioof AB : AC is equal to 1 : 1.618

A B C

Defining an Intersection DataCAD can identify the intersection of two lines with a marker that can be used as a snapping point.

è To define the exact intersection of two line segments:

1. Choose Intrsect from the Geometry menu.

2. To find the point of intersection between two line segments on different layers, toggle on LyrSrch.

3. Select the first line.

4. Select the second line. Their point of intersection is marked.

To extend two lines to intersect, use Fillet in the Edit/Cleanup menu and enter a radius of 0, or use 2LnTrim in the Edit/Cleanup menu. See “Cleanup” in this chapter for more information.



Offsetting and Copying an Entity You can offset an entity dynamically or by a specific distance.

è To offset and copy a line, arc, or ellipse:

1. Choose Offset from the Geometry menu. The following options are displayed:

Dynamic Offsets entities dynamically. When Dynamic is on, you can move the cursor to a new position that is visible before you select final placement.

PerpDist Sets a fixed offset distance, allowing you to select multiple entities to offset. Available only when Dynamic is toggled off; choose or type an offset distance value and press (Enter).

One example of how PerpDist can be used is you can draw a rectangle and offset all the lines 6” to make walls.

LyrSrch To select entities on another layer, toggle LyrSrch on before you select the entities to offset. See the “Selection Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information.

NewDist Sets a new offset distance

2. Select the object to offset. The selected object appears as a dashed line.

3. Click on the side of the object you want to offset and copy to.

4. If Dynamic is on, move the object to the new offset location. If it is off, DataCAD moves the object at the specified distance with NewDist.

Tangents To set the snap grid parallel to a specified line, select a line entity. The cursor changes its orientation to match the selected entity, and DataCAD draws all new entities relative to the angle of the selected entity. Note, however, that the X and Y axes remain fixed. To align X and Y with the tangent entity, choose DistSync from the Utility/Settings menu. You can also use the following options to set the snap grid:

Bi-sect Aligns the snap grid with a line that bisects the angle between two existing entities; DataCAD draws all new entities at an orientation that is equivalent to the line that bisects the selected entities

TanDivs Specifies the number of cursor snap angles; choose or type a value from the list and press (Enter)

Cancel Stops an angle bisection or returns the cursor to its normal orientation



DataCAD automatically changes to orthographic (plan) view when you use Tangents.

0°

0°0°

Line to drawtangent to

LineselectedLine selected

Original cursor orientation

screen coordinates

screen coordinates

90°

90°

90°

BeforeTangentsmode

AfterTangents mode enabled(DistSyncOFFin 2Dsettings menu)

After Tangents modeenabled(DistSync ON in 2Dsettings menu)

Newcursor orientation


Second line tobisect

Firstline

tobisect

Tangents mode usingBisect


See the “Automated Drawing” chapter for descriptions of more advanced drawing and editing tools.



Copying Entities Copy duplicates an entity at a specified distance within a drawing. The distance to copy is a vector, which indicates distance and direction, and can be entered anywhere in the Drawing Window. You can copy entities:

• at a specified distance and angle

• in a specified arrangement or array

• to a different layer

You can select entities to copy using the entity, group, area, or fence selection methods or a predetermined selection set. For more information about these selection methods, refer to “The Drawing Board” chapter.

To copy entities from one drawing to another or from one application to another, used Copy in the Edit pull-down menu.

è To copy an entity:

1. Choose Copy from the Edit menu.

2. Select the first point of the distance to copy.

The points you select in steps 2 and 3 can be selected anywhere on the screen; they indicate the distance to copy only, and not the beginning and endpoints of the copy.

3. Select the second point of the distance to copy.

4. Choose a selection method from the Copy menu, and select the entity or entities you want to copy. DataCAD copies the entity to the new location.

As you can see, there are several options in the Copy menu that allow you to make copies more precisely or make multiple copies.

Use ToLayer to copy an entity from one layer to a different layer. When you have only one layer, this option is not displayed in the menu. You can create additional layers using the Layers option in the Utility menu. For more information on how to create layers, see “Layers” in the “Before You Draw” chapter.

è To copy an entity to another layer:

1. Choose ToLayer from the Copy menu.

2. Choose the layer to copy to from the list in the Menu Window, or use Match or Filter to choose a layer.



3. Choose a selection method and select the entity to copy. DataCAD copies the selected entity to the chosen layer.

When you use Area as the selection method to copy a number of groups, these groups are associated as one group on the new layer. The original groups retain their original associations.

è To copy entities to another layer using Match:

1. Select ToLayer from the Copy menu.

2. You are prompted with Select layer to copy to:. Choose Match from the menu.

3. You are prompted with Select entity to match. To select a layer, select an entity on it.

4. You are prompted with Select entity to copy. Select the entity you want to copy to the selected layer. The entity is copied to that layer.

Use Match with any of the following Layers options: On/Off; SetActiv; ActvOnly; Lock; Name; EraseLyr; DelLayer; SaveLyr; ViewLyr, Select. It is also available when using ToLayer under Move and Copy or when using LyrSrch.

Use the Filter toggle to scan, or filter, for layers with similar names. When you specify a prefix or suffix that the filter searches for, a list of layers with that affix appears. To access a layer that you don’t know the name of, use Filter to search for layers with a similar affix.

For example, if you specify layers by plumbing and electrical, you might have layers named 1FLPLUMB.LYR, 2FLPLUMB.LYR, 3FLPLUMB.LYR, and 1FLELECT.LYR, 2FLELECT.LYR, and 3FLELECT.LYR. To search for a plumbing layer, use ???plumb. You can search for first floor layers using a prefix of 1fl: 1fl* or 1fl?????.

Use the asterisk (*) in place of any number of characters and the question mark (?) in place of each character you’re unsure of.

Any characters following an asterisk are disregarded by the filter. Therefore, if you entered *plumb to search for plumbing layers, all layer names would be displayed.

The Filter toggle only appears when you are prompted to select from the list of layers.



è To filter layers:

1. Choose Filter from the ToLayer menu to toggle Filter on.

2. Type the affix, including the wildcard character(s), for the layer you want to find and press (Enter). A list of layer files with this affix is displayed.

DataCAD also allows you to scroll through different layer groups with similar affixes. If the group you initially searched for doesn’t contain the layer you wanted, scroll through the remaining groups to find the appropriate layer.

FiltrBack Scrolls back to a group of similarly named layers.

FiltrFrwd Scrolls forward to a group of similarly named layers.

3. Choose the layers you want to use.

DataCAD remembers the last affix for which you filtered. The prefix name appears in the Message Window and the layer names appear in the Menu Window when you reenter the Filter function.

è To copy an entity the same distance as the last time you used Copy:

1. Choose PrevDist from the Copy menu. The selection menu appears.

2. Using a selection method, click on the entities you want to copy. The number of entities you select appears in the Message Window, and the entity is copied to the new location.

Use NewDist to change the distance of the copied entity. You can also use NewDist to copy additional entities a different distance without leaving the selection menu. This does not change the Z distance. NewDist becomes available on the Copy menu after ToLayer or PrevDist is chosen.

è To set a new distance:

1. Choose NewDist from the Copy menu. A list of values appears.

2. Select the first point of the distance to copy.

3. Select the final point of the distance to copy.

Use Invert to reverse the direction of the copy distance. You can select any number of entities or selection sets to copy in the opposite direction. To return to the original direction, choose Invert again. Invert becomes available on the Copy menu after ToLayer or PrevDist is chosen.



Invert Original Copy

Inverting a copy

Use Array to create a single dimensional array. When you choose Array, a list of repetition values appears. Choose or type the number of repetitions in the array and press (Enter). Array becomes available after ToLayer or PrevDist is chosen.

Copying Using Arrays You can make multiple copies of an entity using either a rectangular or circular array. In a circular array, an entity is copied a specified number of times around a center of rotation at a specified angle of separation.

A rectangular array repeats an entity a specified number of times at a specified angle. You can copy an array of elements in the X direction, the Y direction, or in both directions at the same time. To copy an array in the X direction only, make sure that the number of repetitions in the Y direction is one. To copy an array in the Y direction only, make sure that the number of repetitions in the X direction is one.

The number of X and Y repetitions refers to the total number of elements in the array. An array of one X repetition and one Y repetition has only one element, the original. A two-by-two array has a total of four elements.

To set the spacing between the repetitions, choose or type the X and Y distances and press (Enter). You can also type these distances; see “Drawing Lines” in “The Drawing Board” chapter.



Original

' X ' Distance

ToCopy

'Y ' Distance

ToCopy

XRepetitions= 4

YRepetitions= 3

Result

Creating a rectangular array

è To copy a rectangular array:

1. Choose RectArry from the Copy menu.

2. Choose the first point of the distance to copy.

3. Choose the second point of the distance to copy. A list of repetition values appears.

4. Choose or type the number of X repetitions from the list and press (Enter).

5. Choose or type the number of Y repetitions from the list and press (Enter).

6. Using a selection method, select the entities to copy. The rectangular array appears.



Distance toCopy

X Repetitions = 3

Y Repetitions = 1

Result

Creating a Rectangular Array in the X direction

Distance toCopy

XRepetitions=1

YRepetitions= 4

Creating a Rectangular Array in the Y direction

è To copy the array in a specific angle:

1. Choose Angular from the RectArry menu.

2. Select the first point of the copy distance.

3. Select the angle of the array by entering a vector to indicate direction.

4. Select the second point of the copy distance.

5. Type the number of X repetitions and press (Enter).

6. Type the number of Y repetitions and press (Enter).



7. Choose a selection method from the RectArry menu, and select the entity or entities you want to copy. The copy of the entity appears on the screen.

An array is a separate group from the copied entity. You can quickly erase an unwanted array using the erase shortcut command, (Shift) + (,).

Use NewArray to change any or all of the parameters for an array without leaving the Copy menu. Follow the steps for creating an angular array to create a new array.

The Z elevation can be increased or decreased incrementally with each repetition in a rectangular array. The ZIncrX option defines the amount of the Z increment in the X direction of the array. The ZIncrY option defines the amount of the Z increment in the Y direction of the array.

Either or both of these options can be set at any given time. To increment the Z elevation in an array that repeats an entity in the X and the Y directions, set both ZIncrX and ZIncrY for the incremental distance.

To set the Z elevation increments:

1. Choose ZIncrX or ZIncrY from the Angular menu. A list of values is displayed.

2. Choose or type an increment value and press (Enter).

X Repetitions = 1

Y Repetitions = 8

Z Incr X = 0

Z Incr Y = 8"

Creating 3D Stairs with the Z-Increment options

Use the Z Increment options to generate three-dimensional stairs with only a few keystrokes. You can also generate several three-dimensional floors of a building by setting ZIncrX or ZIncrY to the floor-to-floor height for the building and copying a rectangular array with an X and Y distance of zero. This creates an array of floors, stacked one above the other in the 3DViews option in the 3D Menu.



Use the Counter toggle to display the status of the copy; the row and column numbers.

è To copy a circular array:

1. Choose CircArry from the Copy menu.

2. Click on the center point of the array.

3. Click on the center of the object. A list of values appears.

4. Select an angle between items in degrees, minutes, and seconds. To copy an array counterclockwise, enter a positive angle; to copy an array clockwise, enter a negative angle.

5. Select or type the number of objects in the array, including the original. The following options are displayed in the Menu Window:

Entity See “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information

Group See “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information

Area See “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information

Fence See “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information

SelSet See “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information

LyrSrch See “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information

NewCentr Specifies a new center of an array; select a new center point and then select the entity to copy

ObjCent Specifies a new object center

Sep.Angl Sets a new angle of separation; choose or type a value and press (Enter)

No.Objct Sets the number of repetitions in a circular array; choose or type a number of repetitions and press (Enter), then select the entities to copy

Z-Incr Increases the Z elevation with each repetition in a circular array; choose or type a value and press (Enter) (use it to generate 3D circular stairs with a few keystrokes)

Rotate Rotates objects by an angle equal to the angle of separation; when Rotate is off, copy a circular array without changing the orientation of the repetitions from the orientation of the copied entity

Undo Reverses the most recent copy operation

6. Using a selection method, click on the entity or entities you want to copy. The

selected entity is copied about the center point of the array.



Creating a circular array

Mirroring Entities In some projects, being able to copy and mirror part of your drawing would save you a lot of time. for instance, it would be far more efficient to draw only one side of a hotel corridor and mirror that side to create the full corridor than it would be to draw both sides. The Mirror option in the Edit menu mirrors geometry across a reflection line that you define. You can define the entity or entities you want to mirror by entity, group, area, fence, or a predetermined selection set. For more information about selection methods, see “The Drawing Board” chapter.

Use FixText to control the orientation of mirrored text across a horizontal reflection line. Only the position of text is mirrored, not its orientation. When FixText is off, text is mirrored and also rotated 180° (so it appears upside down and backwards).

Mirroring text



The AndCopy option mirrors and copies an entity at the same time.

è To mirror drawing entities:

1. Choose Mirror from the Edit menu.

2. Select the first point along the line of reflection.

3. Select the second point along the line of reflection.

4. Choose a selection method from the Mirror menu, and select the entity or entities you want to mirror. DataCAD mirrors the entities on the screen.

è To define a new reflection line:

1. Choose NewLine from the Mirror menu.

2. Select the first point along the line of reflection.

3. Select the second point along the line of reflection.

4. Choose a selection method from the Mirror menu, and then select the entity or entities you want to mirror. DataCAD mirrors the entities on the screen.

Object Snapping


Object Snapping Object snapping refers to attaching your cursor to a specific point; it is a precise way of selecting a point on an existing entity. Use the middle button on your mouse to object snap to an object that already exists; if you have a two-button mouse, you can substitute pressing (N) on the keyboard for the middle mouse button for object snapping.

If you’re using a three-button mouse, set your middle mouse button to Middle Button; do not set it to Double Click, as you will not be able to use it for object snapping. As an alternative, you can also object snap with your left mouse button while simultaneously setting a reference point: press and hold down (Shift) + (Ctrl) and click with the left mouse button. Another way to do this is to hold down (Ctrl) and click the middle mouse button.

If your middle mouse button doesn’t seem to be snapping to points, check your mouse settings: from the Windows Start menu, choose Settings and then Control Panel. Double-click on Mouse in the Control Panel window to open the Mouse Properties dialog box. Click on the Devices tab and make sure you have a three-button mouse driver installed. Also, click on the Buttons tab and set the middle button to Middle Button.

There are several different options for object snapping to points on lines, circles, and arcs, and you can choose any combination of or all of these options at once.

è To snap to the nearest point of any object:

1. Choose ObjSnap from the Utility menu in the Menu Window, or choose Object Snap from the Tools pull-down menu.

2. Choose Nearest from the ObjSnap menu.

3. Move your cursor close to the point you’d like to snap to and press (N) or click the middle mouse button.

The Nearest option overrides other object snap options in that it will snap to the nearest point, which may or may not be an end point, midpoint, center point, etc., regardless of what other object snap options are toggled on.

è To specify the number of divisions of a line or arc to snap to:


2. Choose No.Pnts from the ObjSnap menu.

3. Choose or type a value and press (Enter).

Object Snapping


Number of divisions for object snapping

è To snap to the nearest end point of a line or arc:


2. Choose EndPnt from the ObjSnap menu.


You can also snap to the endpoints of lines in unexploded symbols.

End-point object snapping

è To snap to the nearest mid-point of a line:


2. Choose MidPnt from the ObjSnap menu.


You can also snap to the midpoints of lines in unexploded symbols.

Object Snapping


Mid-point object snapping

è To snap to the center of an arc or circle:


2. Choose Center from the ObjSnap menu.


Center object snapping

è To snap to the north, south, east, and west quadrants of a circle or arc:


2. Choose Quadrant from the ObjSnap menu.


Quadrant object snapping

Object Snapping


è To snap to an intersection of lines, arcs, or circles:


2. Choose Intsect from the ObjSnap menu.


Intersection object snapping

è To snap to the point on the nearest line, circle, or arc that forms a perpendicular line through the previous point:


2. Choose Perpend from the ObjSnap menu.


90°

Perpendicular object snapping

è To snap to the point on the nearest line, circle, or arc that forms a tangent line through the previous point:


2. Choose Tangent from the ObjSnap menu.

Object Snapping



Tangent object snapping

There are several additional toggles that affect object snapping, regardless of which of the above methods you use. None simultaneously toggles all object snap options off.

The miss distance around the cursor determines how close the cursor must be to a given point to snap to it. This setting is the same one as is in the Settings menu.

è To specify the search area, in pixels, around the cursor point:


2. Choose MistDist from the ObjSnap menu.

3. Choose or type a miss distance value and press (Enter).

Toggle the Aperture option on to graphically display the miss distance as a box around the cursor crosshairs.

Toggle LyrSnap on to snap to entities on all displayed layers or off to snap to entities on just the active layer.

Toggle SrchHch on to be able to snap to hatch lines. If you do not need to snap to hatch lines, toggle SrchHch off to increase the snapping speed.

Increasing Snapping Speed There are several options available to increase object-snapping speed. SelSet is used to snap to entities within an active selection set, searching only for lines within the active selection set.

Use Quick to snap to the first entity in the drawing database (meaning the entity drawn first) eligible for object snapping. When Quick is off, you’ll snap to the nearest point within the miss distance. Because the cursor snaps to the first entity within the miss distance, use Quick only when the entity you want is the only entity within the miss distance.

Object Snapping


Toggle FastSym on to snap only to the insertion point of a symbol rather than to any end point within the symbol. This increases the speed of snapping to symbols. When you toggle FastSym off, you can use all the object snap options to snap to a symbol as well as place a symbol by a point other than the insertion point.

Similarly, you can increase the snapping speed when there are many circular 3D entities in the drawing by using the Fast 3D option. Toggle Fast3D on to select by the center axis marker or control points of circular 3D entities including 3D arcs, cylinders, cones, truncated cones, domes, tori, or contour curves.

When you toggle on Fast3D and then select entities using the area or fence selection method, DataCAD selects an entity if its center axis markers or control points are within the defined area or fence, even if you do not enclose the entire curve by the area or fence.

Identifying and Measuring Entities


Identifying and Measuring Entities DataCAD has two functions that give you information about the entities you’ve drawn: Identify in the Edit menu and Measures in the Utility menu.

Identifying Entities Identify verifies an entity’s attributes. These attributes vary according to the entity type you identify and include entity type, the layer the entity resides upon, and color.

è To identify an entity:

1. Choose Identify from the Edit menu or choose Identify from the Tools pull-down menu.

2. Select the entity you want to identify. The selected entity appears as dashed lines, and the list of attributes appears in the Menu Window with the options SetAll and 3DViews.

The displayed attributes vary depending on the type of entity you want to identify. For example, if you select a line, the following information is displayed:

Entity Type (Line) Layer Name Line Color Linetype Line Spacing Line Weight Line Overshoot Line Z Base Elevation Line Z Height SelSet SetAll 3DViews

If you select text, the following information is displayed:

Entity Type (Text) Layer Name Text Color Font Type Size Angle Weight Slant Aspect Ratio SetAll 3D Views



Use SetAll to change all of the current drawing and cursor attribute settings to match those of the selected entity.

Measuring Entities The Measures option in the Utility menu (also available in the Tools pull-down menu) determines the length of lines, arcs and circles or to measure between two points without dimensioning them. You can compute the area and perimeter of a specified shape as well as the total length of lines in your drawing and then add the information to your drawing.

è To measure the length of a line:

1. Choose Line from the Measures menu.

2. Select the line you want to measure. The exact distance is displayed in the Message Window.

è To measure the distance between two points:

1. Choose PntToPnt from the Measures menu.

2. Select the point to measure from.

3. Select the point to measure to. The exact distance is displayed in the Message Window.

è To measure the diameter of a curve:

1. Choose Diameter from the Measures menu.

2. Select the curve you want to measure. The exact distance is displayed in the Message Window.

è To measure the radius of a curve:

1. Choose Radius from the Measures menu.

2. Select the curve to measure. The exact distance is displayed in the Message Window.

è To measure the chord length of an arc:

1. Choose Chord from the Measures menu.




è To measure the arc length of an arc:

1. Choose ArcLnth from the Measures menu.


è To measure the circumference of a curve:

1. Choose Circumf from the Measures menu.


è To measure the included angle between two lines:

1. Choose InclAngl from the Measures menu.

2. Select the two lines. The exact angle between the lines is displayed in the Message Window.

è To measure the excluded angle between two lines:

1. Choose ExclAngl from the Measures menu.

2. Select the two lines. The exact excluded angle between the two lines is displayed in the Message Window.

è To measure the angle of an existing line:

1. Choose LineAngl from the Measures menu.

2. Select the line. The angle of the line is displayed in the Message Window.

Measuring Areas and Perimeters The Area/Per option computes the area, the perimeter, or both of any existing enclosed shape in the drawing. DataCAD calculates the perimeter and area of any polygon by a polyline you trace around the polygon.

è To trace two-point arcs:

1. Begin your polyline anywhere on the shape and continue it until you select one endpoint of a 2-point arc.

2. Choose 2PtArc from the Area/Per menu.

3. Select the center of the arc.

4. Select the other endpoint of the arc.



5. Right-click to exit the 2PtArc menu.

6. Continue tracing your polyline; choose Close from the Area/Per menu to connect the first point of your polyline with the last point you selected. The area value is displayed in the Message Window.

è To trace three-point arcs:

1. Begin your polyline anywhere on the shape and continue it until you select one endpoint of a 3-point arc.

2. Choose 3PtArc from the Area/Per menu.

3. Select the two end points of the arc and then any other point on the arc.

4. Choose Exit when you finish tracing the arc. The area value appears in the Message Window.

Do not enter the last point to close your shape. Use the Close option or click the right mouse button to close the polygon, and DataCAD closes the shape automatically.

è To trace tangent arcs:

1. Select the first and second points of an arc.

2. Choose Tangent from the Area/Per menu.

3. Finish tracing the arcs.

4. Choose Exit. The area value is displayed in the Message Window.

è To calculate values in different scale types, choose one of the following:

Arch Architectural

Engr Engineering

Decimal Decimal

Inch/Frc Fractional inches

Inch/Dec Decimal inches

Metric Metric

Meters Decimal meters

CentiMtr Decimal centimeters

MilliMtr Decimal millimeters

The scale type chosen from the Area/Per menu is independent from the drawing scale type, set in the Settings/ScaleTyp menu.



The AreaPrec option controls the number of digits of precision to be displayed for area calculations when the ScaleTyp option in the Area/Per menu is set to Decimal, InchDec, Meters, Centimtr, Millimtr, DIN, or AS1100.

è To select the polyline for area/perimeter calculation:

1. Choose Select from the Area/Per menu.

2. Select the polyline or circle for area/perimeter calculation.

Choose Acres to display area units in acres. When you toggle Acres off, the area unit appears in square feet.

Choose AddSnap to automatically enter a snapping point at each vertex of the polygon.

Use Backup to backup one step in the area/perimeter boundary calculation and revert to the previous point. Use Cancel to cancel the entire area/perimeter calculation.

When you finish tracing the perimeter of an area, choose Close. DataCAD calculates the total perimeter and area of the polygon, automatically closes the polygon, and displays the following options:

Volume Calculates the volume of the polygon and displays the value in the Message Window

ToDrwing Places the current area measurement, the current perimeter measurement, and/or the current volume measurement on the drawing as text. You can modify the size, angle, weight, slant, aspect ratio, factor, or font name of the text before placing it on your drawing. See “Measuring a Line” earlier in this section for more information.

Centroid Locates the centroid of the polygon. You can display it as a cross that disappears when you exit the Measures menu (ShowIt) or add it to the drawing as a snapping point (AddIt).

ScaleTyp Enters one of the scale types previously described

Select Selects another polygon for area/perimeter calculation

Acres Displays area units in acres; when off, area units are displayed in square feet

AddSnap Enters a snapping point at each vertex of the polygon

Perim+ Adds the next perimeter measurement from the running total

Perim- Subtracts the next perimeter measurement from the running total

Area+ Adds the next area measurement to the running total

Area- Subtracts the next area measurement from the running total



Calculating Take-Offs Use TakeOffs to calculate the total length of lines in a drawing according to color, linetype, and weight. You can use the color, linetype, and line weight filters individually or in any combination.

Remember, in order to measure the lengths of lines on layers other than the active layer, LyrSrch must be toggled on.

1. Choose TakeOffs from the Measures menu. The following options appear:

ToDrwing Adds the takeoff measurements to the drawing; modify the size, angle, weight, slant, aspect ratio, factor, or font name of text

Color Calculates the total length of all lines of a specified color

LineType Calculates the total length of all lines of a specified linetype

Weight Calculates the total length of all lines of a specified weight

LyrSrch Calculates the total length of lines on all displayed layers

Begin Calculates the length of the lines

2. Set the color, linetype and line weight attributes to define the lines to include in the measurement.

3. Choose Begin. The total line length appears in the Message Window.

ToDrwing appears in most Measures submenus. ToDrwing allows you to incorporate values in the drawing as text. You can modify the size, angle, weight, slant, aspect ratio, factor, or font name of the text before placing it on your drawing.

è To use ToDrwing:

1. Choose ToDrwing from the menu.

2. Choose and modify any of the options in the ToDrwing menu.

3. Select the location to add the dimensioning text to. The text appears on screen. If you set a small display grid, the text appears as a small block.

4. Select another entity to measure or exit the menu.



Setting a Reference Point A reference point is a point in the Drawing Window used as a starting point to draw in a specific place in your drawing. You can choose to display reference points on screen by toggling DrwMarks on in the RefPnt menu, but you cannot plot reference points. You can use the accent key (`) (located in the upper-left corner of most keyboards, just below (Esc)) to set a reference point from anywhere in DataCAD without interrupting your work.

è To set a reference point:

1. Choose RefPnt from the Measures menu or press (`).

2. Select a relative point in the Drawing Window. DataCAD sets the selected point as a reference point.

To set a reference point using the mouse, press and hold down (Ctrl) and click the left mouse button. You can also set a reference point and object snap to that point simultaneously; hold down (Ctrl) + (Shift) and click the left mouse button, or hold down (Ctrl) and click the middle mouse button.

Reference points can provide a quick way to draw very precisely. For instance, to insert a window in a wall 3’-0” from the corner of a room, you could create a reference point at that corner:

1. Choose Windows from the Architct menu.

2. Set attributes for the window as desired. See the “Drawing Walls, Windows, and Doors” section of the “Drawing and Editing” chapter for details on how to set Windows options.

3. Press (`) to create a reference point. If you chose DrwMarks, DataCAD will draw a small, temporary X to mark the reference point.

4. Object snap to the inside corner of the wall to place your reference point exactly at the corner intersection. See “Object Snapping” in this chapter for more information.

5. You are prompted to Select one jamb of window. Press (Spacebar) to enter the distance from your reference point where you’d like to draw the window. You are prompted to Enter relative X-distance:. See “Specifying Angles and Distances” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information on entering distances.

6. Type 3 and press (Enter). You are prompted to Enter relative Y-distance:.

7. Type 0 and press (Enter). Your cursor appears connected to a point on the wall that is 3’-0” from the corner of the room. You are prompted to Select second jamb of window.



8. Press (Spacebar) again and enter a distance to define the width of the window.

9. Click anywhere outside of the wall. DataCAD places the window in the wall.

Setting a Snap Point Use SnapPnt to enter a point that you can snap to with the middle mouse button or the (N) key. You cannot plot snap points.

Editing Drawing Entities


Editing Drawing Entities DataCAD’s Edit menu contains several functions that change visible characteristics of existing entities as well as an entity’s geometry in the X-Y plane.

Cleanup Cleanup in the Edit menu gives you several tools for editing existing entities. Trim room corners with Fillets or Chamfer, trim lines, weld lines and walls, and clean intersections.

You can connect any two nonparallel lines with either an arc or a line. The Fillets option connects two lines with an arc, automatically adjusting the line segments to match the arc radius and, if indicated, cleaning up the line extensions to form a smooth curve. Chamfer clips the corners of rectangular groups, connecting two joined sides with a line. By default, DataCAD uses a distance of 1’-0” for the first and second chamfer distance.

è To connect two lines with an arc:

1. Choose Fillets from the Cleanup menu. The following options appear:

Radius Sets the fillet radius

Clip Trims (erases) the line segments extending past the intersection of the selected lines; set Clip prior to selecting the entities to fillet

LyrSrch Scans all layers during selection operations when toggled on. See the “Selection Menu” section in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information.

2. Select the first line to trim.

3. Select the second line to trim. DataCAD creates a fillet at the intersection.

Creating a fillet

After you set the radius, DataCAD saves it with the drawing file until you modify it again.



To join two nonparallel, nonintersecting lines, accept the standard radius of zero. This extends the lines to intersect.

è To connect two lines with a line:

1. Choose Chamfer from the Cleanup menu. The following options appear:

Distnces Sets the first and second chamfer distance

Clip Trims (erases) the line segments extending the intersection of the selected lines to chamfer

LyrSrch Scans all layers during selection operations when toggled on. See the “Selection Menu” section in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information.

2. Select the first line to trim.

3. Select the second line trim. A chamfer is created at the intersection of the two lines.

Creating a chamfer

In addition to trimming line intersections, you can trim lines as well.

è To either lengthen or shorten existing entities so they terminate at a line you specify:

1. Choose 1LnTrim from the Cleanup menu. You can also choose Line Cleanup from the Edit pull-down menu and then choose 1 Line Trim from the submenu.

2. You must now draw a trim line, a temporary line to which your existing lines will be trimmed. Your existing lines can either be shortened or lengthened, depending on where you place the trim line. Choose Entity to select an existing line to act as the trim line, or select the first point of the trim line.

3. Skip this step if you chose to use the Entity option in step 2. Otherwise, select the second point of the trim line.



4. Click anywhere on the outside of the trim line.

5. Choose a selection method, and then select the entity or entities you want to trim. DataCAD trims the entities as you select them. The number of entities you select is displayed in the Message Window.

One-line trimming

è To trim two lines that cross at an intersection or to extend two lines to their intersection:

1. Choose 2LnTrim from the Cleanup menu. You can also choose Line Cleanup from the Edit pull-down menu and then choose 2 Line Trim from the submenu.

2. Select the first line to trim, clicking on the segment of the line that you want to keep.

3. Select the second line to trim, clicking on the segment of the line that you want to keep. DataCAD trims the lines.

Two-line trimming

è To repair broken lines to form a single, straight, continuous line:

1. Choose WeldLine from the Cleanup menu. You can also choose Line Cleanup from the Edit pull-down menu and then choose Weld Line from the submenu.

2. Click on the first line to weld.

3. Click on the second line to weld. DataCAD joins the lines.



è To repair broken walls to form a single, straight, continuous wall:

1. Choose WeldWall from the Cleanup menu. You can also choose Wall Cleanup from the Edit pull-down menu and then choose Weld Wall from the submenu.

2. Click above and to the left of the wall opening you want to weld. Move your cursor down and to the right until the wall opening is completely within the rubberband box and click. DataCAD joins the walls.

If you have already cut the walls by inserting a window or door, you must first erase the window or door before you can weld the walls. There must be exactly two wall ends within the rubberband box in order for WeldWall to work properly.



è To clean wall lines meeting in a T intersection:

1. Choose TIntsct from the Cleanup menu. You can also choose Wall Cleanup from the Edit pull-down menu and then choose T-Intersection from the submenu.

2. Click above and to the left of the intersection you want to trim. Move your cursor down and to the right until the intersection is completely within the rubberband box and click. Include only two wall ends or one wall intersection within the box.

3. Select the wall edge you want to trim to.

Cleaning up an intersection using TIntsct



T Intersections with different wall types

è To clean wall lines meeting in an L intersection:

1. Choose LIntsct from the Cleanup menu. You can also choose Wall Cleanup from the Edit pull-down menu and then choose L-Intersection from the submenu.

2. Click above and to the left of the L intersection you want to trim. Move your cursor down and to the right until the intersection is completely within the rubberband box and click. Include only two wall ends or one wall intersection in the box. DataCAD trims the lines to restore the correct wall condition.

Cleaning up an intersection using LIntsct



L Intersections with different wall types

An X intersection is the intersection of two perpendicular interior walls. To properly clean an X intersection, XIntsct looks for exactly two wall ends or one wall intersection within the box.

è To remove the interior lines where two walls intersect:

1. Choose XIntsct from the Cleanup menu. You can also choose Wall Cleanup from the Edit pull-down menu and then choose X-Intersection from the submenu.

2. Click above and to the left of the X intersection you want to trim. Move your cursor down and to the right until the intersection is completely within the rubberband box and click. DataCAD trims the lines to restore the correct wall condition.

When you surround the lines you want to clean, make sure you enclose only two wall ends or one wall intersection within the box.

Original Resulting "X" Intersection

Box

Using XIntsct



X Intersections with different wall types

Use FreeTrim to trim 2D lines and 2D arcs to the nearest intersecting line or arc. With Free Trim, you can choose an area to clean up and line and arc segments to trim. Free Trim does not affect Z-height or Z-base settings.

Save your drawing before using FreeTrim in case you get unexpected results.

è To use FreeTrim:

1. Choose FreeTrim from the Cleanup menu. You can also choose Line Cleanup from the Edit pull-down menu and then choose Free Trim from the submenu. The selection menu appears.

2. Choose a selection method, and then select the entities to trim as well as their intersecting entities. All selected entities are highlighted.

3. Choose Begin to start trimming entities.

4. Select the line or arc segment that you want trimmed. DataCAD searches for the nearest points of intersection and trims in between those points. FreeTrim only trims between highlighted entities. The entity to trim must also be highlighted.

5. Continue selecting line or arc segments, or choose Exit to return to the FreeTrim menu. You can select new entities to trim from the FreeTrim menu.



Line to trim using FreeTrim

Trimmed line

Changing Entities Change lets you modify the attributes of an existing entity. You can change linetype, line weight, color, spacing, overshoot, Z-base, and Z-height. You can also change the size, weight, slant, aspect, content, and font type of text.

è To change an entity:

1. Choose Change from the Edit menu. The Change menu is displayed:

Entity Select entities one at a time (see “Selection Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information)

Group Select entities that are associated as a group (see “Selection Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information)



Area Select geometry wholly contained within an area that you define with a rubberband box (see “Selection Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information)

Fence Select geometry wholly contained within a fence that you define with a temporary polygon boundary (see “Selection Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information)

SelSet Select entities that are associated in a selection set (see “Selection Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information)

LyrSrch Editing operations search all layers that are toggled on (see “Selection Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information)

LineType Changes the linetype of a selected entity; choose from a list of linetypes that appears in the Menu Window

LineWgt Sets the line weight of a selected entity

Color Changes the color of a selected entity (see “Color Menu” in “The Drawing Board” chapter for more information)

Spacing Changes the line spacing for a selected entity

OverSht Changes the overshoot for an entity (see illustration below)

Z-Base Changes the Z-base elevation for an entity

Z-Hgt Changes the Z-height elevation for an entity

Match Modify individual attributes to match those of an existing entity

All When Match is on, modify all attributes to match all those of an existing entity

Text Changes an entity’s text size, width, slant, aspect ratio, contents, font type, or match; modify a single line of text or all of the text using the entity, group, area, fence, or selection set selection methods.

Undo Cancels the last change and reverts back to the entity’s original state; available only until you make another change or exit the Change menu

2. Choose LineType, LineWgt, Color, Spacing, Oversht, Z-Base, or Z-Hgt to change

the attribute. A list of values appears.

3. Choose a new value for the attribute from the list or type a value and press (Enter). You can toggle on any combination of attributes at the same time. To toggle off an attribute, choose it again.

4. Choose a selection method, and then select the entity or entities you want to change. The number of entities you select is displayed in the Message Window.



Moving Entities You can move an entity to a different position on the screen by specifying the distance and direction to move. This distance is defined by a vector that indicates a distance and direction and can be entered anywhere in the Drawing Window. Select the entity or entities you want to move by entity, group, area, fence, or a predetermined selection set. When you move an entity, it remains linked to its original group or selection set. Use the Move option in the Edit menu to shift an entity a specified distance, drag an entity dynamically, move an entity in the Z direction, or transfer an entity to a different layer.

è To move an entity:

1. Choose Move from the Edit menu.

2. Choose an option from the Move menu.

3. Select the points of the distance to move.

The points you select can be selected anywhere on the screen; they indicate the distance to move only, and not the beginning and endpoints of the move.

4. Choose a selection method from the Move menu, and select the entity or entities you want to move. The entity moves to the new location. The number of entities you select is displayed in the Message Window.



Moving entities a specified distance

è To dynamically move an entity across the screen (instead of setting a specific move distance):

1. Choose Drag from the Move menu.

2. Choose a selection method from the Drag menu and select the entity or entities you want to move. The number of entities you select is displayed in the Message Window.

3. Click anywhere in the Drawing Window to begin to dynamically drag the entities.

4. Move the cursor the direction and distance you want the entities to be moved. The selected entities move with the cursor.

5. When the entities are in position at the new location, click to complete the move.

è To align entities:

1. Object snap to the entity at a specific point using the middle mouse button, or place the cursor at a specific point and press (N).

2. Object snap to the new location. The selected entity moves to the new location.

To ensure smooth dragging of complex objects, set the maximum number of lines to display when you move entities using MaxLines from the Move menu. When you choose MaxLines, a list of values appears. Choose or type the maximum number of lines and press (Enter).



When your move selection contains more lines than the MaxLines value, a rectangular box will represent your selection when you begin to drag the entities. The entities reappear after you enter a new location. When you set the Maximum Lines value to 0, the rectangular box always appears.

Toggle AndCopy on to simultaneously move and copy an entity on the current layer. AndCopy lets you select entities and place them around the drawing.

To select more than one selection method or a combination of selection methods, choose Multi. A prompt appears asking you to select an entity to move. Continue selecting entities, or choose Begin from the menu to begin moving entities.

è To move an entity in the Z direction:

1. Choose MoveZ. A list of distances appears in the Menu Window.

2. Choose or type a Z distance and press (Enter). The selection menu appears.

3. Choose a selection method.

4. Click on the entities you want to move. The number of entities you select is displayed in the Message Window; the entity moves in the Z direction.

After choosing MoveZ, Invert becomes available in the Move menu. Invert reverses the direction of the specified distance. You can select any number of entities or selection sets to move in the opposite direction. To return to the original direction, use Invert again.

Moving Entities to Another Layer The ToLayer option in the Move menu moves an entity from one layer to another. When you have only one layer, this option does not appear on the menu. To create additional layers, see “Layers” in the “Before You Draw” chapter.

1. Choose ToLayer. A list of available layers appears in the Menu Window.

2. Click on a layer to move the entity to.

3. Choose a selection method from the ToLayer menu and click on the entities you want to move. The number of entities you select is displayed in the Message Window, and the entity moves to the selected layer.

Use NewLyr to specify a new layer to which to move the entity.

Match lets you select a layer by selecting an entity on that layer. Set the active layer, move objects to another layer, or point DataCAD to a specific layer, all without having to use layer names.



è To move entities to another layer using Match:

1. Select ToLayer from the Move menu.

2. You are prompted with Select layer to move to:. Choose Match from the menu.

3. You are prompted with Select entity to match. Select an entity to select the layer it is on.

4. You are prompted with Select entity to move. Select the entity you want to move to the selected layer. The entity is moved to the selected layer.

Use Match with any of the following Layers options: On/Off; SetActiv; ActvOnly; Lock; Name; EraseLyr; DelLayer; SaveLyr; ViewLyr, Select. It is also available when using ToLayer under Move and Copy or when using LyrSrch.

Use the Filter toggle to scan, or filter, for layers with similar names. When you specify a prefix or suffix that the filter searches for, a list of layers with that affix appears. To access a layer that you don’t know the name of, use Filter to search for layers with a similar affix.

For example, if you specify layers by plumbing and electrical, you might have layers named 1FLPLUMB.LYR, 2FLPLUMB.LYR, 3FLPLUMB.LYR, and 1FLELECT.LYR, 2FLELECT.LYR, and 3FLELECT.LYR. To search for a plumbing layer, use ???plumb. You can search for first floor layers using a prefix of 1fl: 1fl* or 1fl?????.

Use the asterisk (*) in place of any number of characters and the question mark (?) in place of each character you’re unsure of.

Any characters following an asterisk are disregarded by the filter. Therefore, if you entered *plumb to search for plumbing layers, all layer names would be displayed.

The Filter toggle only appears when you are prompted to select from the list of layers.

è To filter layers:

1. Choose Filter from the ToLayer menu to toggle Filter on.

2. Type the affix, including the wildcard character(s), for the layer you want to find and press (Enter). A list of layer files with this affix appears.

DataCAD also allows you to scroll through different layer groups with similar affixes. If the group you initially searched for doesn’t contain the layer you wanted, scroll through the remaining groups to find the appropriate layer.



FiltrBack Scrolls back to a group of similarly named layers.

FiltrFrwd Scrolls forward to a group of similarly named layers.

3. Choose the layers you want to use.

DataCAD remembers the last affix for which you filtered. The prefix name appears in the Message Window and the layer names appear in the Menu Window when you re-enter the Filter function.

You can move entities the same distance as the previous move by toggling PrevDist on or move entities by a new distance using the NewDist option.

è To move an entity the same distance as the last time you used Move:

1. Choose PrevDist. The selection menu appears.

2. Using a selection method, click on the entities you want to move. The number of entities you select is displayed in the Message Window, and the entity moves to the new location.

After choosing PrevDist, Invert becomes available in the Move menu. Invert reverses the direction of the specified distance. You can select any number of entities or selection sets to move in the opposite direction. To return to the original direction, use Invert again.

For detailed descriptions of the first six selection menu options, see “The Drawing Board” chapter.

Use NewDist to change the move distance or move additional entities at a different distance without leaving the Move menu. This option does not change the Z distance. NewDist only appears after you set a move distance.

è To move entities by a new distance:

1. Choose NewDist from the Move menu.

2. Choose the first point of the distance to move.

3. Choose the final point of the distance to move.

Rotating Entities Use Rotate in the Edit menu to turn an entity about a specified center at a specified angle. You can define the entity or entities you want to rotate by entity, group, area, fence, or a predetermined selection set.

1. Choose Rotate from the Edit menu.



2. You are prompted to select a center of rotation. Choose PrevCent to position the center of rotation at the last center you indicated, or click on your chosen center of rotation.

3. Choose a selection method.

4. Toggle Dynamic on.

5. Select the entity or entities you want to rotate. The number of entities you select appears in the Message Window.

6. Select a point as the point of rotation.

7. Move the mouse to rotate the entity into position and click. The entity appears at its new location.

Use the NewAngle option to specify a new rotation angle. When you choose New Angle and Match, you can enter:

• the exact angle of rotation to match

• two points which define an angle of rotation to match

• the inverse of an angle of rotation

• the complement of the angle of rotation

• the supplement of the angle of rotation

For example, when your original angle is 30°, the inverse is minus 30°, the complement is 60, and the supplement is 150°. After subsequent selections, you can recall the original 30° angle.

Use Invert to enter an angle of opposite or inverse direction. For example, the inverse of a 30° angle is -30°, or 330° (360° - 30°). To return to the original angle, choose Invert again.

Use NewCentr to define a new center of rotation without leaving the Rotate menu. If you previously set a center, either continue with step 2 below to set a new center or choose PrevCent to use the previous center.

1. Choose NewCentr from the Rotate menu.

2. Select the center of rotation.

3. Select the group to rotate.

4. Select the point by which to rotate.

5. Select the new orientation.

Use AndCopy to rotate and copy entities, groups, selection sets, areas, or fences. Entities retain their original orientation including their new rotated orientation.



Use Dynamic to rotate an entity dynamically rather than by entering a specific angle.

Use MaxLines to specify the maximum number of lines to appear during a dynamic rotation. When more than this number of lines is selected, the selection becomes a box, which speeds screen refreshing.

1. Choose MaxLines from the Rotate menu. A list of values appears.

2. Choose or type a value and press (Enter).

Use Multi to select more than one selection method or any combination of the entity, group, area, or fence selection methods. When you choose Multi, a prompt appears telling you to select an entity to rotate. You can then continue selecting entities or choose Begin to use the Rotate option.

Stretching Entities Use Stretch to increase or decrease the size of a room or object while maintaining its connection to other adjacent entities. For example, you can stretch a wall or closet without breaking it from connected walls and rooms. You can stretch entities by selecting them as a series of points, an area defined by a rectangular box, or as an area defined by a fence.

The stretch distance is entered using a vector, indicating a distance and a direction. You can enter the vector anywhere in the Drawing Window.

è To stretch an entity:

1. Choose Stretch from the Edit menu.

2. Select the first point of the distance to stretch.

The points you select in steps 2 and 3 can be selected anywhere on the screen; they indicate the distance to stretch only, and not the beginning and endpoints of the stretch.

3. Select the second point of the distance to stretch.

4. Using Point, Area, or Fence, select the entity or entities you want to stretch. DataCAD stretches the entities.

Once you’ve entered a stretch distance during a work session, you can choose PrevDist from the Stretch menu to use the previous distance to stretch. Enter a new distance using NewDist.

The Invert toggle reverses the direction of the distance to stretch. To return to the original stretch direction, use Invert again.



Stretching entities

Enlarging Entities The Enlarge option in the Edit menu increases or decreases the actual size of an entity by a specified value. By entering separate values for the X, Y, and Z axes, you can enlarge objects in different ways and in each direction.

You can select the entity or entities you want to enlarge by entity, group, area, fence, or selection set. For more information about the selection method, refer to “The Drawing Board” chapter.

è To enlarge an entity:

1. Choose Enlarge from the Edit menu.

2. Click on your chosen center for the enlargement. The enlargement factor and line spacing value appear in the Message Window.

3. Choose a selection method and select the entity or entities to enlarge. DataCAD enlarges the entities. The number of entities you selected is displayed in the Message Window.



è To position the center of the enlargement at the last center you indicated:

1. Choose PrevCent from the Enlarge menu. The selection menu is displayed.

2. Choose a selection method, and select the entity or entities you want to enlarge. DataCAD enlarges the entities. The number of entities you selected is displayed in the Message Window.

To specify new enlargement factors, set a new value for the X factor, Y factor, Z factor, line factor, or all factors. The line spacing enlargement factor maintains the proper relationship of non-solid lines to the entity.

Use Invert to enlarge by the inverse of the previous enlargement factor. It mathematically inverts all of the current enlargement factors and displays the new factors on the prompt line. For example, when your enlargement factor is set to 2.0 and you enlarge an entity, choosing Invert sets your enlargement factor to 0.5 and the entity is restored to its original size.

Use Center to locate a new center of enlargement without leaving the Enlarge menu.

The AndCopy toggle enlarges and copies an entity, retaining both the original orientation and the new enlarged orientation.

Choose EnlrgeZ to enlarge an entity in the Z direction.

Erasing Entities Erase removes entities or selection sets from the active layer or from displayed layers. Text strings, arcs, circles, ellipses, Bezier, and B-spline curves are known as entities. To erase text as an entity or group, select the text by locating the cursor at the lower left or right corner of the text string.

When LyrSrch is toggled off, Erase only removes entities from the active layer. If you try to erase an entity and a message appears in the Message Window indicating that the cursor is too far from an entity, the entity may be on another layer. To find the layer on which an entity is drawn, use the Identify option in the Edit menu. For more information, see “Identifying Entities” in this chapter. You can use (Tab¿) to scroll through the layers until you reach the correct layer, or you can toggle LyrSrch on.

All elements in an array are identified as a single group. Use the entity or area selection method to erase individual elements in an array.



è To erase an entity:

1. Choose Erase from the Edit menu.

2. Choose a selection method from the Erase menu and select the entity or entities to erase. DataCAD erases the selected entities. The number of entities you selected is displayed in the Message Window.

Avoid selecting a line where it intersects with another line, as it may be difficult for DataCAD to distinguish which line you want to select.

Also, when erasing the end segment of a line, identify the second point of erasure slightly beyond the end of the line. Otherwise, you may leave a single point at the end of the line to plot.

You can also erase only a portion of a line, circle, or arc segment using the Partial option in the Erase menu. However, you cannot partially erase an ellipse, B-spline, or Bezier curve. When you exit the Partial option, you are still in the Erase menu. To stop erasing entities, exit again to return to the Edit menu.

There is no Undo option for partial erase. Use WeldLine in the Edit/Cleanup menu to repair breaks in a line.

ClrUndo in the Erase menu clears the buffer memory of the last group or entity you erased. ClrUndo helps reduce drawing memory requirements.

1. Choose ClrUndo from the Erase menu.

2. Choose Yes to clear the Undo buffer or No to keep the Undo information.

Once you use ClrUndo, the Undo buffer is cleared and you cannot undo the previous action.

Editing Multiple Entities


Editing Multiple Entities DataCAD offers two ways to group drawing entities: by simple linking and by selection sets.

Linking Entities You can combine entities, groups, areas, or selection sets into a single group for editing purposes. To link any combination of entities, groups, areas, or fences:

1. Choose LinkEnts from the Edit menu or choose Link Entities from the Tools pull-down menu.

2. Choose a selection method and select the entities you want to group.

3. Right-click or choose Exit to finish grouping the entities.

Selecting any entity in this group will now select the entire group.

You can also unlink entities previously drawn as a group or linked as a group by toggling Un-Link on and following the same steps used for linking them; unlinked entities appear as dashed lines until you exit Un-Link. Un-Link breaks a group of entities into component groups. It does not undo your last linking operation.

Editing Selection Sets The EditSets option in the Edit menu to group entities into a single collection, or selection set, of objects for editing. Selection sets organize groups of related information and reduce editing time. When using editing options like Move or Copy, you can specify selection sets (SelSet) instead of identifying an entity or group individually, or defining areas to edit. You can define up to eight different selection sets in DataCAD.

è To display the entities or objects in a selection set:

1. Choose EditSets from the Edit menu in the Menu Window, or choose Selection Sets from the Tools pull-down menu.

2. Choose Show from the EditSets menu.

3. Choose the selection set that you want to display. All entities making up the specified set appear on the screen as dashed lines.

Entities can be added to a selection set by entity, group, area, or fence. You can even add another selection set. This helps you to develop nested selection sets.



è To add entities from the drawing to a selection set:


2. Choose AddTo from the EditSets menu.

3. Choose the selection set you want to add to.

4. Choose a selection method and select the entity or entities you want to add to the selection set. The selected entities appear as dashed lines until you exit the AddTo menu.

Entities can also be removed by entity, group, area, fence, or another selection set.

è To remove entities from a selection set:


2. Choose DelFrom from the EditSets menu.

3. Select the selection set you want to delete from.

4. Choose a selection method and select the entity or entities you want to delete from the selection set. The number of entities you select is displayed in the Message Window. Selected entities appear temporarily as dashed lines until you exit DelFrom. DataCAD deletes the entities from the selection set.

Both the AddTo and DelFrom menus contain switches that let you access the other menu. If you choose AddTo from the DelFrom menu, for instance, the AddTo menu is displayed.

The Mask option in the AddTo and DelFrom menus masks out everything that does not meet a predetermined set of criteria. Set the mask to select by entity types, colors, linetypes, and line weights. By default, these four criteria are set to All, and these default settings are reinstated each time you exit the EditSets menu. To create a specific set of criteria for selection, choose the appropriate category from the menu and then activate or deactivate the specific attributes.

Another way to add entities to a selection set is to append them as you draw them. The Append option in the EditSets menu automatically appends all new entities you create to the active selection set.

Before you can toggle Append on, you must activate a selection set. Use SetActive to activate a selection set before you edit it. The name of the active set is displayed in the Message Window. You can only edit a selection set that is active, and only one selection set can be active at a time.



You can set a new active selection set using (Alt) plus a numeric key (1 through 8) corresponding to the number of the selection set. For example, if the selection set you want to indicate is Selection Set 1, then pressing (Alt) + (1) activates SelSet1. Pressing (Alt) + (1) a second time deactivates the selection set.

Because there are a limited number of selection sets available in DataCAD, you may need to reuse one that you’ve already defined. Before you redefine a selection set, you must first delete its current contents.

è To clear the contents of a specified selection set:


2. Choose Clear from the EditSets menu.

3. Click on the selection set you want to clear. A Yes/No menu appears.

4. Choose Yes to confirm that you want to clear the contents. If you choose No you return to the EditSets menu.

Be careful when you use Clear. Once you clear a selection set, you cannot recover it.

Use NameSet to assign an identifying, unique name to selection sets. When you create a new drawing, DataCAD sets the names for the eight selection sets in numerical order: SelSet1, SelSet2, etc.

è To name a selection set:


2. Choose NameSet from the EditSets menu.

3. Choose the selection set you want to name.

4. Type the name and press (Enter).



Documents

Drawing and Editing - DataCAD · are prompted: Select next end point of line/wall. 3. Move the cursor to the right until the coordinate readout shows an X measurement of 28’-0”