Posted: 3/11/2013 11:52:59 AM EDT
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I'm a complete noob. I don't even know what questions to ask/search for to find out how to do what I think is a fairly basic task.
In 2D , I have two rectangles 3.5"H x 40"L and 2"Hx1"W I'd like to join one of the second item to the top of the first, at a specific distance from one end of the first rectangle. Specifically in the ship I have a 3.5" square tube 40" long that has 2"Hx3.5"Wx1"D blocks welded to it at 10" intervals, and I"m trying to draw it up in doublecad and learn a little bit about CAD as I go. I realize I can draw the whole thing as a polyline, but I'd like to join objects. |
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Are you talking about the BLOCK command?
I read it a bit closer, and it sounds like you need to create one object to represent the entire piece? The professional way: * Draw the whole thing in 3D using a linear array * Explode all objects * Block all objects together * Render if you'd like * Use viewports in paperspace (PSpace) to show detail as needed * Dimension it in paperspace viewports |
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Honestly, if I didn't have to leave the office like RFN, I'd take five minutes, throw it together and email it to you.
Don't be afraid of drawing in 3D. Just be mindful of which view orientation you're in and don't get turned around. If all else fails, use 3-part cartesian coordinates. |
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Quoted:
Honestly, if I didn't have to leave the office like RFN, I'd take five minutes, throw it together and email it to you. Don't be afraid of drawing in 3D. Just be mindful of which view orientation you're in and don't get turned around. If all else fails, use 3-part cartesian coordinates. Heh, I'm just trying to do a 2D drawing first, then add the Z later. I looked and BLOCK is not what I need. I need to be able to join or almost like the snap command two rectangles together at set distances. |
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Been a while since I used AutoCad but I'll give it a go. Have you tried the Move Command? Select the objects you want to move then select a point on the objects to move them by. For instance the lower left hand corner. Then use Snap to intersection, or point or etc. to get the objects you selected to move to that location.
AKASL |
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I'm trying to remember lite.
You can draw a line on top of the existing line of the first rectangle for the distance you need it offset from the edge, than "Move" th second rectangle by a corner to the end of that line, and then if needed, "rotate" the second rectangle using your intersecting point as the axis and the line of the first rectangle (that you overlayed that line for distance on) to the correct alignment. If that makes any sense, and if I've imagined your problem correctly. 
Edit to add, if you "explode" the first rectangle, you could also just "offset" one of the sides the distance you need it, and work from there. |
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I completely WAG'ed the measurements, so scale may be off, but you get the idea.
All that is needed is "endpoint" osnap, and Ortho turned on (F8). This is with Acad 2012, but these are very basic things that should work in AcadLT. I don't know what DoubleCad is. 
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I completely WAG'ed the measurements, so scale may be off, but you get the idea. All that is needed is "endpoint" osnap, and Ortho turned on (F8). This is with Acad 2012, but these are very basic things that should work in AcadLT. I don't know what DoubleCad is. http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/david448/1_zps9077dd00.gif http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/david448/2_zps7dec8376.gif http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/david448/3_zpsb2d16b22.gif The only interaction I've had with CAD in the last decade is with a Civil pack. I can't figure out how to explain it without having the program in front of me. Your explanation seems like it's the simplest and should work... |
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I completely WAG'ed the measurements, so scale may be off, but you get the idea. All that is needed is "endpoint" osnap, and Ortho turned on (F8). This is with Acad 2012, but these are very basic things that should work in AcadLT. I don't know what DoubleCad is. http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/david448/1_zps9077dd00.gif http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/david448/2_zps7dec8376.gif http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/david448/3_zpsb2d16b22.gif Is that really the easiest way to do it? ETA: DoubleCAD is a freeware cad program similar to AutoCAD LT, circa say 2010 I think. |
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Is that really the easiest way to do it? 
To do it that way, you need to know how to draw a straight line at a certain distance, and how to use the endpoint snap. Quite possibly the 2 most basic, most important things to know when using Acad. If that is too difficult, drawing things with a computer is probably not your cup of tea. |
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Is that really the easiest way to do it?
To do it that way, you need to know how to draw a straight line at a certain distance, and how to use the endpoint snap. Quite possibly the 2 most basic, most important things to know when using Acad. If that is too difficult, drawing things with a computer is probably not your cup of tea. lines and snaps are definitely important, I get that. It's not too difficult, just a lot of time. It seems like they would have an automated function to do something I would think would be repeated 100's of times. If that's the best/only way to do it, I need to learn it. |
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Is that really the easiest way to do it?
To do it that way, you need to know how to draw a straight line at a certain distance, and how to use the endpoint snap. Quite possibly the 2 most basic, most important things to know when using Acad. If that is too difficult, drawing things with a computer is probably not your cup of tea. lines and snaps are definitely important, I get that. It's not too difficult, just a lot of time. It seems like they would have an automated function to do something I would think would be repeated 100's of times. If that's the best/only way to do it, I need to learn it. If you get the first one in the location you want you should be able to do an array. You can specify spacing and quantity you want to add. This works both in AutoCad 2012 and Draftsight. |
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I completely WAG'ed the measurements, so scale may be off, but you get the idea. All that is needed is "endpoint" osnap, and Ortho turned on (F8). This is with Acad 2012, but these are very basic things that should work in AcadLT. I don't know what DoubleCad is. http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/david448/1_zps9077dd00.gif http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/david448/2_zps7dec8376.gif http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/david448/3_zpsb2d16b22.gif I think I figured out a different way, since I can't seem to get rectangles to snap to their corners, only the center. I created a line half the height of the small rectangle, and put it on the end of the big one, then another horizontal line from there to where the center of the small rectangles will go, then snap the rectangle to that point. Delete line, go to next. |
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Is that really the easiest way to do it?
To do it that way, you need to know how to draw a straight line at a certain distance, and how to use the endpoint snap. Quite possibly the 2 most basic, most important things to know when using Acad. If that is too difficult, drawing things with a computer is probably not your cup of tea. lines and snaps are definitely important, I get that. It's not too difficult, just a lot of time. It seems like they would have an automated function to do something I would think would be repeated 100's of times. If that's the best/only way to do it, I need to learn it. If you get the first one in the location you want you should be able to do an array. You can specify spacing and quantity you want to add. This works both in AutoCad 2012 and Draftsight. "Can't run disabled array command" looks like that's for regular recurrences. My rectangles aren't exactly the same distance apart. |
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Appreciate the help.. Here's what I have so far. Some of this is me doing rectangles, circles, text, tangents, playing with ever single setting I could find in snaps.
It's been fun. I'm drawing up my 20x102mm cannon I'm building. It's complete, up to having the shock re-valved and the slot in the upper machined for the recoil stroke. 
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What you are looking for is the array command if I'm understanding you correctly. Pick the small blocks that you want to copy along the large rectangle then if you are arraying them horizontaly you specify how many columns you want or vertically how many rows and the distance between.
To move the small block so that it is on the large rectangle use the move command and use the end osnap. edit It's been 5 years since I've used AutoCAD so I can't remember the array command to the t but it should be pretty self explanitory while you are in there. another edit 
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Honestly, if I didn't have to leave the office like RFN, I'd take five minutes, throw it together and email it to you. Don't be afraid of drawing in 3D. Just be mindful of which view orientation you're in and don't get turned around. If all else fails, use 3-part cartesian coordinates. Heh, I'm just trying to do a 2D drawing first, then add the Z later. I looked and BLOCK is not what I need. I need to be able to join or almost like the snap command two rectangles together at set distances. offset [enter] specify distance [enter] select line to be offset.....click in the direction the offset is to occur |
They do have an automated command for what you're trying to do, it's called "copy". I left that out because that's just one more thing to confuse you, eventhough copy is probably the 3rd most basic thing in Acad 
I would never use array to simply put objects along a linear line. If their spacings are different, then array wouldn't work at all. Offset would work okay, but only if you are doing straight lines, not an object like a box. If you did a bunch of offsetting, you'd have to come back later and close off the 'tops' of the rectangles. You can create a 'measurement line' and just copy your objects to it, or you can simply type in your distance after you select the copy command. Here, I will make a video. It's incredibly fast and easy. Yes, I know about the rectangle command. I never use it, I prefer all my lines to be seperate, so I manually draw my rectangles. If you cant do an endpoint snap (which seems crazy as that is THE most commonly used one) then you can do the same thing via the center, but you just have to factor that in.
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Quoted:
They do have an automated command for what you're trying to do, it's called "copy". I left that out because that's just one more thing to confuse you, eventhough copy is probably the 3rd most basic thing in Acad
I would never use array to simply put objects along a linear line. If their spacings are different, then array wouldn't work at all. Offset would work okay, but only if you are doing straight lines, not an object like a box. If you did a bunch of offsetting, you'd have to come back later and close off the 'tops' of the rectangles. You can create a 'measurement line' and just copy your objects to it, or you can simply type in your distance after you select the copy command. Here, I will make a video. It's incredibly fast and easy. Yes, I know about the rectangle command. I never use it, I prefer all my lines to be seperate, so I manually draw my rectangles. If you cant do an endpoint snap (which seems crazy as that is THE most commonly used one) then you can do the same thing via the center, but you just have to factor that in.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjZ5O-52r3oSaw a couple of things there to try with my program tomorrow. |