Migrating to AutoCAD LT

[paul]

Hi all,

I'm migrating from Microstation V8XM to AutoCAD LT 2014 (I only do 2D schematics etc...).  I'm an engineer and by no means a Microstation expert, but knew enough to get my work done.

One of the features I most liked/used in Microstation was when moving objects, I could re-zero the relative distance anywhere by simply pressing '0', and then I could also do basic math calculations by typring them straight into the relative distance fields, allowing me to better align new objects in drawings.  Note that I already know how to align off existing objects, but I want to say move or copy an object by displacing it X/Y by zeroing off somewhere and typing straight in...

How do I do that in AutoCAD LT 2014?

Cheers and thanks for reading,

Paul

[dgorsman]

If I read that right, a combination of relative coordinate entry and/or "From..." should do what you are asking.

[paul]

Thanks so much for the reply.  Do I enter the command 'From' into the relative displacement field?  I tried searching for the command 'From' for more information and I can't find it in the manual...?  Where do I find other commands that I can enter into the displacement field?

Perhaps let me better describe the problem...  I was quite tired last night and it didn't make a lot of sense.  I really appreciate you trying to answer this!

I'm more than happy to adjust my workflow for AutoCAD, but perhaps let me better decribe the problem from a Microstation perspective.

1. Draw a box of arbitrary dimensions.  Call it Box 1.

2. Let's call the origin for this problem the upper left corner of Box 1.

3. The goal is to copy Box 1 to a new location.

4. The new box (Box 2) shall be located as follows:

5. Box 2 shall have it's upper left courner displaced a known cartesian distance from the bottom right corner of Box 1. Note that there are no other alignment guides in the drawing to assist.

What is the easiest solution in AutoCAD?  This is my workflow in Microstation:

1. Select Box 1.

2. Select 'Move' command.

3. Select Box 1 upper left corner.

4. Hover Box 1 over its bottom right corner.

5. Type '0' to re-origin the co-ordinates.

6. Type the required cartisian displacement, e.g. X = 400, tab, Y = 400.

7. Left click to finish.

As a side note, how do I change the coordinates system from polar to cartesian (whilst moving an object)?

Thanks so much and I hope that helps describe the basic problem in a more fundamental way...

[hwalker · Accepted solution]

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@paul wrote:

1. Select Box 1.

2. Select 'Move' command.

3. Select Box 1 upper left corner.

4. Hover Box 1 over its bottom right corner.

5. Type '0' to re-origin the co-ordinates.

6. Type the required cartisian displacement, e.g. X = 400, tab, Y = 400.

7. Left click to finish.

As a side note, how do I change the coordinates system from polar to cartesian (whilst moving an object)?

Thanks so much and I hope that helps describe the basic problem in a more fundamental way...

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Steps 1- 3 are fine

Step 4: At the command line type FROM

Step 5. Select the bottom right corner.

@step 6: Type @400,400.

Step 4 tells Autocad that you want to use somewhere as a basepoint

Step 5 tells Autocad what basepoint you want to use

Step 6 tells Autocad that you want the box to be placed RELATIVE to the base point, that you selected.

@step 6a @ is the command for relative distances # s absolute (eg @5,5 would move an object 5 uniits in the x and y axis, where as #5,5 would place the object at 5 units from 0 on the x and y axis)

Step 6b 400 tells Autocad to move the object 400 units to the right in the x-axis. put a minus sign in front to move left.

Step 6c is similar to 6b apart from it moves in the y-axis

[paul]

Thank you so much.