How move an object to an exact displacement from another object?

[SVanDee]

Just learning AutoCAD. I don’t understand how to move an object to be an exact displacement from another object. The attached file illustrates.

I figured out I can Move Block 1 so the corners coincide and then Move it again the required displacement but isn’t there a way to do it in one step?

(I'm running AutoCAD LT 2020 on a Mac but I thought this probably works the same in all editions to I'm posting to the AutoCAD forum. If that's not so, please tell me which forum to move this to. Thanks.)

[MbMinx · Accepted solution]

Check out the "From" osnap - that allows me to start my movement "from" another point. I'm not sure if that's in ACAD LT, but if it is, I think that's what you want

[pendean · Accepted solution]

MAC forum is... well, see your other post that is in the wrong forum.

Consider taking classes, explore Youtube videos, and buy a book on how to use AutoCAD, these forums are not the place for noobs with basic questions like yours.

here is a quick tutorial to get you started https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=486MJhJPisM

[Pointdump · Accepted solution]

Dean,
"...these forums are not the place for noobs with basic questions like yours."
Um, why not? And @SVanDee is not asking a "basic" question. Stephen is asking a specific, well stated question about how to do his move operation in one step.
Stephen,
I guess I'd do it the same way as you did.
Dave

[MbMinx]

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@Pointdump wrote:

Dean,
"...these forums are not the place for noobs with basic questions like yours."
Um, why not? And @SVanDee is not asking a "basic" question. Stephen is asking a specific, well stated question...

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Thank you.

Definitely check out the "From" osnap. I grab my elements, pick my basepoint, Pick the "From" osnap from the menu that comes up with CTRL+RtClick, then select the point I want to start from and move from there. I was so happy when I noticed that option!

[SVanDee]

"From" with osnap works great. Think it solves https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/how-change-length-of-polyline-segment-to-an-exact-value.... Thanks.

I hadn't seen any mention of using "from" to specify displacements in the knowledgebase, Youtube tutorials  or the Omura/Benton "Mastering AutoCAD 2019" book I'm studying and still can't find a description. Would you care to suggest other tutorial material I should be looking at? (How did you find out about "from"?)

Thanks.

[MbMinx]

I found out about "From" by trial and error actually.

In the software that I normally use, I have a snap "origin" command that I can use to specify displacement from some known point. I was looking for the same sort of thing in AutoCAD, and I noticed the "From" option.

If I want to move a block to "5' over and 3' up" from the endpoint of a line, I can start the Move command and select my block, then pick my base point. I CTRL-RtClick to bring up the osnap menu, I choose From, then I choose Endpoint and I select the end of my line. Now I can use that heads-up display to key in my distance.

I'm very happy to have found this. I don't know where it might be in the documentation...Most of the time I live and die by the Help file, but sometimes I just try things to see what happens.

[SVanDee]

Osnaps are a lot more powerful than I realized. Thanks for prompting me to go study them.