topic Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon in AutoCAD LT Forum

Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

Anonymous — Tue, 12 May 2015 20:44:19 GMT

Hi,

Is there a way in AutoCAD LT 2014 to convert a polyline that has width to a polygon?

Thanks.

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

pendean — Wed, 13 May 2015 12:22:05 GMT

A polygon is a uniform shape and in AutoCAD/LT it is made up of a PLINE.
Try it yourself, start POLYGON command, draw a shape, then start LIST: AutoCAD reports you selected a POLYLINE. PEDIT works on it to assign a width, so does PROPERTIES command.

Do you mean something else perhaps? Or do you have a picture of what you have vs. what you want?

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

Anonymous — Wed, 13 May 2015 13:10:18 GMT

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. I was given a drawing that is made up of polyines of width. I would like to have the outline of the polyline be a polygon. Is that possible?

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

pendean — Wed, 13 May 2015 21:58:02 GMT

Please post a picture of the problem and what you want the solution to be, your second post remains unclear. Sorry.

In AutoCAD... POLYLINEs are lines and POLYGONs are shapes made with lines,, and you can't turn lines into shapes with a command in AutoCAD.

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

Anonymous — Fri, 22 May 2015 20:57:11 GMT

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

pendean — Sun, 24 May 2015 12:59:19 GMT

POLYLINEs are lines: like string, you can have a thin piece of string or you can have a rink piece of string (like a rope)

POLYGONs are shapes: like a plate. No thin or thick string option unless you want to glue it on (draw a thick pline over the polygon and group them together which may add more problems).

What you are asking for is not an option in AutoCAD. You can't do it. Time to move on my friend 😉

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

steven-g — Mon, 25 May 2015 06:10:15 GMT

A polygon by definition is straight sided, but from the look of what you have posted, you just want an outline of the polyline. There is no direct command or magic button for doing this, but as a workaround you could use the wmfout / wmfin commands, It will require a bit of work, because wmfin scales everything down, you will need to explode the inserted image (twice) and then do some manual tidying up, before using the pedit command to turn it all back into a polyline, or use the boundary command. Basically it takes a screen shot of the selected objects and inserts it back into the drawing as a series of outlines.

Start the wmfout command and select the objects you want, you will be asked to give a file name to save as, then start the wmfin command and pick the file you just saved, you will be asked for an insertion point, scale factors and rotation angle, I'll let you figure all that out. When you have the object inseted explode it all twice and you will see what needs editing.

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 19:24:41 GMT

I came upon this thread looking for the same answer. I see there is no answer here, but I found it on another thread

I know it's a couple years late, but if anyone needs the answer, use FLATTEN command to change PLines with thickness into a PLine that OUTLINES this thickness.

FLATTEN, the choose YES.

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

pendean — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 19:25:07 GMT

FYI there was no FLATTEN command in the LT version of AutoCAD back in the year 2015 https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-lt-forum/flatten-command-in-autocad-lt/td-p/6619106

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 19:26:44 GMT

If it didn't exist, say it can't be done. Simple.

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

cadffm — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 19:28:14 GMT

@Anonymous

"I came upon this thread looking for the same answer. I see there is no answer here, "

That's wrong, you answered direct under the answer&solution in #7 from Steven !

And your answer is wrong because, as pendean wrote, flatten is not available in this software, also not in 2021.

You are talking about another software that doesn't help in this case. What you said: If it didn't exist, say it can't be done. Simple.

As first it was just unsure what OP have and what he want, that's usual. After clarification the answer was:

"What you are asking for is not an option in AutoCAD. You can't do it. Time to move on my friend"

What isn't wrong. Stevens way is a workaround to reach the goal, but there is no command to do it perfectly in one step.😉

Oh, 12:37 am, time to sleep

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

jrogulski — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 07:39:32 GMT

I do not know if LISPs works with LT. If so, try this:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/converting-wide-polylines-to-polygon-shape/td-p/5900529

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

steven-g — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 16:33:06 GMT

@jrogulski No there is no LISP in LT, none of the programming API's are available to LT users.

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

federico.ringeling — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 19:06:36 GMT

Thank you sooo much

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

federico.ringeling — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 19:08:37 GMT

Thank youuuuuuuuuu!!!!

Re: Convert a polyline that has width to a polygon

mattmanuel046 — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 06:54:04 GMT

You are my hero. I am using ZWCAD and this solved my problem perfectly. Thank you!