Use snap tracking to place objects in AutoCAD

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Let's discuss object snap tracking.

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This option is extremely useful when trying to calculate

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new endpoints based on existing endpoints in the drawing.

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Doing this without object snap tracking usually means that the

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designer will offset lines to get to a specific point.

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And then

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the offset lines are typically erased because they were

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drawn only to assist in calculating the new point.

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In this example,

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I'll calculate a point that's perpendicular from the end point of one line

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and perpendicular from the midpoint of another line.

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First,

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ensure that object snap tracking is turned on in the status bar.

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You might also want to go into your o

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snap settings

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and ensure things like endpoint,

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midpoint

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and perpendicular are turned on.

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If we wanted to calculate a point

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based on two midpoints

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of existing geometry,

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we could type in our polyline command

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hover over and acquire the two midpoints.

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And then once we move our cursor away,

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X marks the spot

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to perfectly draw the end point of the line

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calculated from two midpoints.