topic Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing in AutoCAD Forum

Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

ddjaworski — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:29:05 GMT

Recently ran into an issue whereby while drawing with a polyline, I'm not able to snap to the current line in order to "close" the shape. This is definitely something I've been able to do previously so I'm assuming its a system variable that got changed somewhere along the way. Attached is a snip of what autocad looks like while using the attached snap settings (cursor close to an endpoint without the snap aperture showing up).

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

pendean — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:36:19 GMT

@ddjaworski wrote:
... in order to "close" the shape...

if your intent is just to "close" the PLINE shape you've drawn, use the CLOSE option in PLINE command since it is already running

https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-11883C70-6435-4F80-8FB4-F6E933B8FD94#:~:text=Connects%20the%20first%20and%20last%20segments%20to%20create%20a%20closed%20polyline.

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

ddjaworski — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:57:28 GMT

By "close" I meant more that I wanted to be able to connect the line back to the beginning of the polyline. As you know, the close command just finishes the line between the current vertex and the first which can lead to some weird lines. For context, I'm typically using this to draw rev clouds around changes made in a drawing and would like to keep them as straight as I can.

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

pendean — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:07:31 GMT

@ddjaworskiThanks for the feedback. I am unable to replicate the issue here is several variants of AutoCAD on my PC, can you confirm if this is a problem in ALL of your DWG files, or just this one?
And what year-version of AutoCAD are you running as listed in the program's ABOUT command pop-up please?

REVCLOUD has a rectangle option for "straight" shapes, are you not using that because your shapes are never rectangular? Or are you running a much older year-version of AutoCAD that does not have this?

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

cadffm — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:10:17 GMT

Hi,

I say, no it didn't and doesn't work. EDIT

With THIS kind of a polyline.

Please select your polyline, I guess it isn't a

Polyline, but a 2D-Polyline (properties palette) or

Polyline, but LWPolyline (command LIST)

Check your PLINETYPE setting, it it set to 0, you create Polylines(2D-Polylines), instead of LWPolylines(Polylines)

But about revclouds: You know about the REVCLOUD command!?

(What version are you using?)

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

ddjaworski — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:08:02 GMT

This is happening across the board yes. I'm using autocad 2021 version R.163.0.0 AutoCAD 2021.1.2 and semi-recently (4-5 months ago) switched to a new computer when I started seeing this behavior. Is there a system variable that dictates snapping patterns for polylines that you know of?

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

ddjaworski — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:09:23 GMT

I typically use the revcloud command to transform these polyline shapes into revclouds when I'm trying to encapsulate a weirdly shaped change. Especially when trying to get everything to fit in a tight space. As far as version, I'm using R.163.0.0 AutoCAD 2021.1.2

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

ddjaworski — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:15:49 GMT

Sorry about my last reply, missed the middle part of your message. Yes after looking at plinetype I'm using 2D-polylines.

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

pendean — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:20:15 GMT

Would you be able to show us the result you are trying to create with PLINE command? Feel free to FUDGE it here needed, just add text notes indicating what the intent of the "fudge" as you expected it to work.

I suggest you reduce these selections too since not all apply anyway or your stated task of creating a revcloud outline to convert

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

cadffm — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:28:56 GMT

>>" Yes after looking at plinetype I'm using 2D-polylines. "

You have the answer now.

This feature is not available while drawing 2D-polylines

(Standard/default is LWPolylines, since R2000)

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

ddjaworski — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:29:16 GMT

This clouding is kind of what I want to end up with. Ultimately I am able to close the polyline by manually grabbing the vertices after I finish drawing it but my question was concerning why I'm no longer able to snap to the line while I'm drawing it so I don't have to do the additional steps needed to close it.

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

ddjaworski — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:30:36 GMT

That was exactly my issue! Thank you so much! Also thanks to @pendean, appreciate your help in trying to troubleshoot.

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

pendean — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:57:40 GMT

@ddjaworski wrote:
That was exactly my issue! Thank you so much! Also thanks to @pendean, appreciate your help in trying to troubleshoot.

Wonder how you activated that old option unintentionally: any clues?

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

ddjaworski — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 21:00:27 GMT

Might have something to do with changing computers? I've also recently gotten involved with writing lisp routines so its possible that something ran awry and changed that variable but I can't be sure. If it changes again and I can pinpoint when I'll try to update you here.

Re: Polyline not snapping to itself while drawing

rmcfarland — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 18:00:06 GMT

I was looking for a solution to this problem as well. I believe the system variable you're looking for is "REVCLOUDGRIPS". By setting it to "OFF" or "0" (zero) this made them behave the way I needed. Since your drawing looks similar to the ones I make, I think this will help if it's not too late.