changing axis while in another command

[Anonymous]

Is there a way to rotate the axis x,y, or z while still in another command?  I can't count how many times I've picked objects to rotate, move, etc.. only to find that the axis is not the axis that I need to perform the task.  It seems like common sense that the operator could change the axis while something is selected but I'm finding not the case, yes?

Thanks,

[dgladfelter]

Are you simply wanting to change the view while you're inside of a command? If so you can press the Shift button on your keyboard and the Middle mouse button at the same time to change the 3D view of AutoCAD.

If you're trying to work with different planes in 3D, I would recommend looking at Dynamic UCS (DUCS) in the Status Bar. You can **** DUCS (if it's not already there) by clicking the Customize hamburger icon at the far right of the Status Bar.

[Anonymous]

What I'd like to be able to do is: Select an object, like a box, then revolve it around the x-axis. But it only revolves around the z axis so I have to rotate the z- axis into the x-axis plane then revolve it. I seem to forget that I have to select the plane that I'm going to revolve something around before I select the object or the command. In other words, I have to rotate the axis before I select Rotate and then my objects. I will, 99.9% of the time, pick teh command first, like Rotate, then select the objects that I will rotate, and then discover that my rotation axis in incorrect. So i have to cancel the command, rotate the axis and then rotate command, select objects.

I was wondering if there is a way that if I have selected fifty items and then realize that my rotation axis is incorrect, if there is a way to keep the items selected and to be able to rotate the axis?

[Patchy]

It never failed me because it highlights the axis to rotate after given the base point, do you use this command?

[Kent1Cooper]

Be careful about your terminology.... If you're talking about the REVOLVE command, that has axis-designation options inside it.  If you really mean Rotate, rather than Revolve, check out the ROTATE3D command, which also does.

[Anonymous]

Yes, like rotate3D but without resetting the selection set after the command becomes active. See you can select multiple objects then type RO for rotate. with rotate3d I have to type ROTATE3D then select the objects. It's counterintuitive since every other command you can basically select the objects first and then the command:. Copy, move, rotate, etc.. It's like painting, you look at the canvas, select the area you want to work on then pick the paintbrush you're going to use. Here I'm picking the brush first then selecting what I can do with it. It's a backwars command. It works though.

[Kent1Cooper · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:
.... with rotate3d I have to type ROTATE3D then select the objects. .... every other command you can basically select the objects first and then the command.....

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I didn't notice this other command until I went into the command-alias file to see whether there's at least a shortcut for calling up ROTATE3D other than auto-completion.  I don't know why there are two commands that are so similar [at least here in 2016], though they operate a little bit differently, but check out the 3DROTATE command [@Patchy didn't specify the command name, but their image shows its axis-picker "globe"], which not only accepts pre-selection of objects, but has a nice short 3R command alias already defined.

If there's something else about the way ROTATE3D works that's better for your particular usage, a custom command [with a shorter name -- R3 perhaps?] could be made to accept a pre-selection if there is one, and throw that to the command, or otherwise to just call up the command.

[Anonymous]

That's a very workable command, thanks. Being able to type in an axis would be nice but the graphic works as well. Now I just have to remember to type "3" to rotate in 3d instead of "RO". Thanks for the help!

[Anonymous]

In this post you state:

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@Anonymous wrote:
But it only revolves around the z axis so I have to rotate the z- axis into the x-axis plane then revolve it. I seem to forget that I have to select the plane that I'm going to revolve something around before I select the object or the command. In other words, I have to rotate the axis before I select Rotate and then my objects.

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Sorry but that isn't the case here when using ROTATE3D, I get prompted to:

Specify first point on axis or define axis by
[Object/Last/View/Xaxis/Yaxis/Zaxis/2points]:

and can select any axis for rotation.

Additionally, don't forget about the PREVIOUS function for selection sets; if you've manipulated a collection of entities and wish to further modify that same selection set simply ent P for previous when prompted to select objects.