Drawing Lines

When you use the Line tool to draw a line, every line segment is a separate entity that can be modified independently of the others. All the line segments you draw in one operation are given the same group number. Consequently, the line is an entity group, which can be addressed and modified as a whole. To draw lines consisting of a single entity, use the Polyline tool.

An entity group is a group of elements which can be addressed as a whole. Polylines constructed in one step, for example, or symbols are entity groups. A group can be addressed as a whole by clicking one of the elements in the group with the middle and then left mouse button. Alternatively, press and hold down the SHIFT key and then click the element with the left mouse button. Elements can be combined into an entity group even while being created (with the Assign Group Number tool) or later (with the Modify Format Properties tool).

To draw lines consisting of individual elements

1. Click Line (How) and set the line's origin.
   

   Activate Line in one of the following ways

   • Menu bar: Create Draft

   • Keyboard: CTRL+L

   • Toolbar: Basic Tools Draft flyout
   • Palette: Tools Create area in the following module(s):

   Draft

   Site Plan

   A number of tools are provided in the Point Assistant to help you place points with great precision. You can use the drawing aids in the dialog line to define the direction in which the line can be drawn.

   

   When you draw lines and polylines, the following additional drawing aids are provided in the dialog line:
   

   Icon	Function	Use
   	No icon pressed in	The lines can be drawn at any angle. This is the default setting.
   	Enter at right angles	The line can only be drawn at right angles to the current system angle.
   	Cursor snap	The line can only be drawn at specific angles.
   15.00	Cursor snap angle	Define the cursor snap angle here (only possible when is enabled).

   

   You can activate the Point Assistant in the following ways:

   • The Point Assistant is provided on the shortcut menu. To activate it, all you need to do is click in the workspace or on an element with the right mouse button. In addition, various options are provided in the dialog line.
2. Place a point to define the end of the first line section.

   The end of the first line section serves as the start of the following line section.

3. Place a point to define the end of the other line sections or press ESC to quit the tool.