AutoCAD TIP: Perpendicluar

We have all used the PERpendicular Object Snap (no eyeballing!!! right?)

A few thing some people might not know or consider when using this OSNAP.

First, if you have objects (say an arcs, circles, lines, plines, splines ) already drawn and you want to be perpendicular to one of those objects with say a new line segment, try this...

Start the line command, when prompted for the From point: select the PERpendicular OSNAP and then select one of those existing objects and pull away. Notice the line segment (rubberband) is perpendicular to the object you first selected, then select the other endpoint.

Also notice that in the case of staying perp to a straight line or pline segment the other end does not have to be one (or in line with the original line/pline)

BONUS TIP:
If someone has to bubble out a drawing, remember that you can snap PERpendicular to a circle (old school users used to snap to the center of the circle, then trim using the circle).

Good luck, Hope this helps... if you have anything to add using PERpendicular, please reply.

 

Thanks for that Bonus Tip. Just yesterday, I did that "old school" method for a bubble of connecting to the center, then trimming. I will never have to do that again.
Read Ya Later -KLYPH

 

Question on the BONUS TIP...
If later you MOVE the curved object (circle, arc, etc.), and would like that
perpendicular line/leader/etc to again be perpendicular to it, then what?

 

Then you'll have to change it to the cebter and trim, or re-build the line. Or dod what I do, all my bubble blocks have a wipeout built in, so I just draw to the center and the portion under the bubble is hidden. That way I can stretch it around and the line remains apparently perpendicular.

 

egg-zacly!

 

T'would be nice if the Perpendicular osnap would work for such re-editing.

IMO, this is one area where AutoCAD really falls short, and how drawings
often become so difficult to work with.

From what I've seen, the people who can really draw fast and furious
oftentimes produce drawings that are just a PITA to modify afterwards.
Partly (mostly?) due to not thinking ahead, but I think at least part of the
problem lies in objects not understanding how they relate to each other, or
making it easy to 're-relate things', such as the (simple) perpendicular
re-editing example mentioned here. (DIMASSOC=0 Exploded dimensions!? -
C'mon! Who's brainiac idea was THAT?!)

Yes the vertical ACAD products do some to fix this deficiency, but it would
be nice if the flagship had better generic tools for this, too.

I wish I knew what the answer is to this. Parametric relationships could
really work wonders here, it seems to me, but to make such things easy to
implement would take some real genius thinking.

Just my 2c
David Kozina

 

Ok, what am I missing? This isn't happening for me.

Terry S.

 

There's a third option I didn't think about until just now. assuming the circle has moved away from the line somehow. Grip edit the line, heat up the grip you want to move, enter the FROM option, osnap the other end of the line, then PERP the circle.

(is that English)

 

<< T'would be nice if the Perpendicular osnap would work for such re-editing.>>


It will, it's just has to know PERP FROM where? See above.


<< (DIMASSOC=0 Exploded dimensions!? - C'mon! Who's brainiac idea was THAT?!) >>

Hold over from when that's all there was.

 

I think it is still there so that in lean times those employees that you are
looking for an excuse to dump can provide that excuse. File under 'Give em
just enough rope to hang 'emselves.'

Gordon

 

DIMASO is the one that will produce an exploded dimension. DIMASSOC is the
one that associates the dimension with the geometry. Oh, great! Now I just
told all the people who would do it!

--
Bill DeShawn

http://my.sterling.net~bdeshawn

(DIMASSOC=0 Exploded dimensions!? -

 

IIRC, I think the sysvar name changed ~2002 (?)
Old was DIMASO
New is DIMASSOC
Hopefully someone will correct me if this is wrong.
Still gives me the heebie-jeebies thinking of people who actually do that to
their work.

 

After AutoCAD 2002, DIMASO is obsolete, see DIMASSOC... fromt he help files:

DIMASSOC System Variable
Type: Integer
Saved in: Drawing
Initial value: 2

Controls the associativity of dimension objects.

0 Creates exploded dimensions. There is no association between the various
elements of the dimension. The lines, arcs, arrowheads, and text of a
dimension are drawn as separate objects.

1 Creates non-associative dimension objects. The elements of the dimension
are formed into a single object. If the definition point on the object
moves, the dimension value is updated.

2 Creates associative dimension objects. The elements of the dimension are
formed into a single object, and one or more definition points of the
dimension are coupled with association points on geometric objects. If the
association point on the geometric object moves, the dimension location,
orientation, and value is updated.


DIMASSOC is not stored in a dimension style.


Drawings saved in a format previous to AutoCAD 2002 retain the setting of
the DIMASSOC system variable. When the drawing is reopened in AutoCAD 2002
or later, the dimension associativity setting is restored. If a legacy
drawing is opened in AutoCAD 2002 or later, the DIMASSOC system variable
takes on the value of the legacy drawing's DIMASO system variable.


DIMASO = 0 is the same as DIMASSOC = 0
DIMASO = 1 is the same as DIMASSOC = 1

The difference is when DIMASSOC = 2

 

Sounds like a real solution.

Thanks "OLD-CADaver".

W. Kirk Crawford
Rochester Hills, Michigan

 

Works nicely, thanks.

 

Nice.

 

This doesn't work with leaders. If the command is leader or qleader, osnap PER to a circle gives two points you can snap to, neither of which make much sense, and the leader line doesn't stay perpindicular to the circle the way a line does.

Jerry

 

Had reason to use this a bit today, and it worked well. Thanks!

Best regards,
David Kozina

circle has moved away from the line somehow. Grip edit the line, heat up
the grip you want to move, enter the FROM option, osnap the other end of the
line, then PERP the circle.

 

Glad to help.