`jumping`\skipping inputed distance with line command?

[boothy]

I am a self tutored autocad user and therefore I do not know the full story-

In a other cad software - Robocad I can input a distance and line direction from first point and then using the f10 \ f11 button can `jump` to the input distance piont and direction (second point) without physically drawing line in readiness to draw next line - is there a simple quivalent in any version of autocad without typing in relative co-ordinates in command line ?

Thanks in advance

Boothy

[architech]

Technically you are typing ... you're JUST NOT using your mouse ....
... for example .. type some number and then f11 .. and presto a LINE ...


In AutoCAD, you can type ...

L
(enter key)
0,0
(enter key)
50,50
(enter key)
50,0
(enter key)
C
(enter key)

And now you have a triangle .. without using your mouse.... 8)

Another route would be to use the mouse to define the FIRST POINT ...
Click somewhere on screen ... to begin the line ....

Now type ...

@50,50
(enter key)
@0, -50
(enter key)
C
(enter key)

And now you have a triangle .. without using your mouse.... 8)
again ...

.. more thing ...

try

@50<30

[translation]
@ 50 <30
at that point -go- fifty units - at an angle of 30 degrees


Hope that helps.

:mrgreen:

[Eddie]

8) Actually I believe there is ... using distance/direction method for drawing in combination with temporary tracking points
But this is only available From Autocad 2000 onwards...

Here's how....
Start the line command and pick the start point ... then while holding down the SHIFT key right click on your mouse and in the menu that pops up choose temporary track point ... then drag your mouse in the direction you the wish the line to go and type in the distance and press enter ...this will place an indicator at the theoretical end point ... from you can track of this point in another direction...

Note these indicators are temporary only and will disappear on using zoom realtime ... also these are for tracking purposes only, if you wish to use this point you will have retype the distance and press enter.

Have play with it ... I believe it can be very useful once get the idea on how it works.

[boothy]

Thankyou Eddie and architech

Eddie`s response is nearer to the solution I required - the f11 button in previous cad system stated when pressed moves the first point that relative distance and direction - for example this is ideal when drawing a wall on plan and wish to span a door width - say 900mm without drawing a line and then continue wall on other side of door return - in autocad it seems you have to draw 900 mm line then erase after (other than rely on co-ordinate input which seems a shame when directional input ,polar tracking etc has finally come of age and I am much more efficent and familiar with).

Eddie I have tried temp tracking in the past but have been mystified by use i.e - after creating temp track piont it seems to vanish if one attempts to either undo repeat\new command - using the from command moves it from original start point not required `moved first point` thus I stress in my limited self taught world it seems to render it useless - am I doing something wrong!

Thanks again in advance

Boothy

[Eddie]

8) Boothy...temp tracking is only meant as a point to track from... the other facility you have available is general tracking...but the OTRACK & OSNAP must be active for this... then you can track from points (Set in your osnap) by simply hovering over the point you wish to track from (I wait for tooltip to pop up) ... when you move mouse of the point from a + will left on the point and you begin racking from that point...then simply drag in the direction you require and enter a distance..
Try it..start the line command and instead of actually picking the start point follow the instructions above..what you should get is the startpoint begin from the track point at a set value...

If you combine all this with polar then you will have more options available.

[boothy]

Thanks again Eddie

I did have object snap and tracking on - I was selecting first point before temp tracking - hovering over first point then selecting temp tracking did the trick.I found a second numeric input to be the more accurate way to define `jumped` length - trying to click near or on track point gave fairly inaccurate results (I presume this must be a object snap setup issue-I do remember reading an article on autodesk site about this - I must track down)

Thanks again

Boothy

[boothy]

Hi Eddie

Further to my last email I have since discovered that pressing wheel on mouse (middle button) automatically sets temp tracking and line `jumps` as in previous described cad software and reduces the need for shift input

Boothy

[Eddie]

8) That would depend on whether you prefer to use the running osnap or have pan controlled by the middle button(mouse wheel) ... the variable that controls this mbuttonpan

1 - mouse wheel (middle button) controls pan
0 - mouse wheel (middle button) controls running osnap ... panning disabled