topic Re: how to get back function that creates guide for lining up new geometry to existing in AutoCAD Forum

how to get back function that creates guide for lining up new geometry to existing

jetted4 — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 17:32:04 GMT

What is the feature (option) that enables your to mouse over a point on an existing shape and then move your cursor away from it and Autocad will automatically create a temporary guideline so that you can then draw a new object aligned with it?

Somehow I managed to turn it off by accident but I don't know what it is called in order to get it back.

For example, I draw one rectangle. Then I need another one that lines up with the left edge and midpoint of the first. I can click on the corner of the existing rectangle for starting, but mousing over the midpoint and then moving upward from there is no longer generating the temp guideline so I am having to draw temp polylines instead in order to make sure items line up the way I need.

Re: how to get back function that creates guide for lining up new geometry to existing

pendean — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 17:54:28 GMT

Did you toggle POLAR off? F10 on your keyboard, ensure DYNMODE is set to 3 as well.

Re: how to get back function that creates guide for lining up new geometry to existing

jetted4 — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 18:03:05 GMT

I checked DYNMODE...it is set to 3.

I have polar tracking turned on but that's not what I am trying to get back.

The guideline that I lost is something that Autocad will generate while you are in the middle of drawing something so that you can line up a vertex that you want to place with an existing geometry.

So I am drawing a shape that I want the left edge of to line up with and be above a vertex on an existing shape. I should be able, while in the middle of drawing this new shape, to just mouse over the existing shape's vertex and the drag north of it and the guideline appears so that I can place my vertex for the new shape in perfect alignment with the one that I had moused over.

The polar tracking doesn't do that. That provides a tracking guide that originates from my current geometry's previous point whereas I am trying to create a guide using a vertex or midpoint on some other pre-existing object in my drawing as the reference.

Re: how to get back function that creates guide for lining up new geometry to existing

user181 — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 18:22:43 GMT

Maybe you are looking for object snap tracking (F11)?

Re: how to get back function that creates guide for lining up new geometry to existing

jetted4 — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 18:24:33 GMT

That's it!

(I thought I had tried all the function keys but I guess I missed that one)

Thanks 🙂