• AutoCAD

Calculate new endpoints with object snap tracking

Calculate new endpoints with object snap tracking, instead of offsetting lines and then erasing them. 


Tutorial resources

These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:


00:04

Let's discuss

00:05

object snap tracking.

00:08

This option is extremely useful when you're trying to

00:12

calculate new end points based on existing end points

00:16

in the drawing

00:17

doing this without object snap tracking usually means that the

00:21

designer will offset lines to get to a specific point.

00:25

And then the offset lines are typically erased because they

00:29

were drawn only to assist in calculating a new point.

00:34

As mentioned.

00:36

Without using object snap tracking,

00:38

you would typically have to offset lines and

00:41

erase them to achieve what you're about to see

00:44

is done using object snap tracking. So the first thing we need to do

00:49

is come down to the status bar

00:52

and make sure that object snap tracking is turned on.

00:56

Then in this example,

00:59

I will draw a line

01:01

calculating from the endpoint of this line

01:05

up to the top line here. So in other words,

01:09

in order to do that, you would typically draw a line from this end point

01:14

and have it come up perpendicular,

01:16

then trim that line to the size that you want it to be.

01:20

Instead, what we're gonna do is use object tracking for this.

01:25

So I'm gonna start my line command

01:27

and then instead of clicking the end points, I'm gonna hover over them

01:34

like this without clicking

01:37

and notice how I get a projected green line.

01:41

And as they say, with object snap tracking, X marks the spot,

01:46

I can click to start that line.

01:49

And then if it was to be 10 ft in length, for example,

01:53

now I have just created a 10 ft line

01:57

that lines up with the end point of this line on the opposite side of the building.

02:03

And it was calculated using object snap tracking.

02:07

The nice thing here is no erasing or no trimming needs to be done to accomplish this.

Video transcript

00:04

Let's discuss

00:05

object snap tracking.

00:08

This option is extremely useful when you're trying to

00:12

calculate new end points based on existing end points

00:16

in the drawing

00:17

doing this without object snap tracking usually means that the

00:21

designer will offset lines to get to a specific point.

00:25

And then the offset lines are typically erased because they

00:29

were drawn only to assist in calculating a new point.

00:34

As mentioned.

00:36

Without using object snap tracking,

00:38

you would typically have to offset lines and

00:41

erase them to achieve what you're about to see

00:44

is done using object snap tracking. So the first thing we need to do

00:49

is come down to the status bar

00:52

and make sure that object snap tracking is turned on.

00:56

Then in this example,

00:59

I will draw a line

01:01

calculating from the endpoint of this line

01:05

up to the top line here. So in other words,

01:09

in order to do that, you would typically draw a line from this end point

01:14

and have it come up perpendicular,

01:16

then trim that line to the size that you want it to be.

01:20

Instead, what we're gonna do is use object tracking for this.

01:25

So I'm gonna start my line command

01:27

and then instead of clicking the end points, I'm gonna hover over them

01:34

like this without clicking

01:37

and notice how I get a projected green line.

01:41

And as they say, with object snap tracking, X marks the spot,

01:46

I can click to start that line.

01:49

And then if it was to be 10 ft in length, for example,

01:53

now I have just created a 10 ft line

01:57

that lines up with the end point of this line on the opposite side of the building.

02:03

And it was calculated using object snap tracking.

02:07

The nice thing here is no erasing or no trimming needs to be done to accomplish this.

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