Object Snap Problems

[Anonymous]

So I'm working on a section where there's lots of lines, intersections, and various other snap points in the area.  I'm noticing that when I'm trying to snap to a point to get dimensions (ie.  intersections or the end of a dash) my cursor starts bouncing all over the place and snaps to places nowhere near where I'm trying to go.  My snap options are set to what they've always been and haven't had this problem before.  My boss thinks its something in the options but isn't sure as to what the problem is.  

I have 3D snapping turned off and I have the following 2D snapping options turned on:  Endpoint, Midpoint, Center, Geometric Center, Node, Quadrant, Intersection, Extension, Insertion, Perpendicular, and Tangent. 

I linked a copy of the project in question, if you look at section 105.01 and go to the bottom counter top, you'll see several products.  Right above where product 1058.01 is is where I'm having the snap problems.

I should note that I'm using Microvellum v7 (with the most current updates).  But I don't think Microvellum is causing a problem in an AutoCAD command. 

[gotphish001]

That's just too many running snaps. All those snaps might work good for you when there aren't a ton of snaps close together but there's no way to avoid it snapping to random things if there's many snap points really close. There's no variable to change to fix it. Making your pick box smaller might help, but that will affect all your other drafting. I'd either shut off some of the running snaps. I use 4 only (center, end, int, ext.) Most teachers stress no more than 6. (center, end, int, ext, mid, quad). The other option when you have that many running snaps turned on in tight areas is to shift+right click and just pick the exact snap you need to override running snaps for that one selection.  Basically either shut some snaps off and use shift+right click for the ones you shut off, or leave snaps on you have and use shift+right click for tight areas. Either way is probably the same.

[Anonymous]

Considering I use most of them equally in different areas and projects, I'll try the shift-right click option and see if that helps, I'm going to turn some of the lesser used ones off (Tangent, Node, and Geo Center).

Thanks for the input.  😄

[rkmcswain]

Note that with running object snaps enabled, if you pick and "miss" the snap, then AutoCAD still returns a point, in effect giving you incorrect coordinates.

If you disable running object snaps and only use object snap overrides, then a "missed" pick will not return a point, and AutoCAD will ask you to select again, ensuring that your picked points are accurate.

[Anonymous]

I'm noticing that the problem happens if I try to adjust existing dimensions.  If I delete it and make a new dimension I don't seem to have the problem.

[gotphish001]

I just thought of another option. You can have a lisp that turns on lets say center, end, and mid running snaps and turns the rest off. Then have another lisp that turns on those snaps but add a couple more running snaps and so on. You could have as many sets as you needed. So it would be like having snap sets for different parts of your work. You could make a button for the lisp and put it on the quick access toolbar or just make it some hotkey that isn't used.  There are a few threads about how to do it. Search the forum for "snap lisps" or google it. Shouldn't be hard to find. If you found one lisp that did it, it wouldn't be hard to make a copy of it and change which snaps it turns on or off for each set.

Thought of another one as I was typing that. You could make a snap palette. You could set it up to work like the shift-right click snaps work but it would be a palette if you like that better. I vaguely remember that being on a default palette with other standard tools but I might be imagining that. 

I also think I saw a few snap palettes or snap tools in the extensions store a while ago. One of those might be useful. Simple things like that are usually free or like 5 bucks. If it works for you 5 bucks is nothing. I'd pay it myself even if my company wouldn't, if I thought it would help me a good amount to be more efficient. 

[Kent1Cooper]

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@gotphish001 wrote:

.... Making your pick box smaller might help....

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Actually, you would want to make your Osnap Aperture box smaller [APERTURE System Variable, not PICKBOX].

But the other thing you can do is hover in the vicinity and hit the Tab key, repeatedly as necessary, and it will move around among all the potential Osnappable points within the Aperture area.  When one is an INTersection, it highlights the intersecting objects, when it's a MIDpoint, it highlights the one object it's on the MIDpoint of, etc.  When it's marking the one you want, left-click and carry on.

[Anonymous]

I'm not familar with the store setup to look for extentions of toolkits, where do I go?  Depending on what's there I may make a small investment in a toolkit for snaping.

[RobDraw]

This is really about getting comfortable with your drawing environment. There are many ways to control running object snaps. You can zoom in to increase the distance between running snap points, assign temporary snap overrides, use a little creative layer management, or temporarily hide objects that are not being worked with. There are many more.

[gotphish001]

Up in the top right corner where you can sign into autocad there is a button that takes you too the app store. I don't have autocad open but I believe the button is an "X". Usually if something isn't free, then it has a trial version to test it out.

[GrantsPirate]

You should audit your drawing.  Then remove all those annotative scales, you don't need all those do you?.  Maybe use blocks instead of groups, at least as an experiment.  As mentioned, don't use all those osnaps at once, I don't generally use osnaps, selecting the one I need from my defined F keys as I move along.  If I have a lot of repeat picks the I will set osnap to on for that duration.

[JoeVernice]

@Anonymous

I noticed that grid snap (gridmode) is on in your file, this will affect all picked points, try turning it off (F9). Something else to try is to set UCSDETECT to 0, this has caused problems in the past on complex drawings.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/erratic-cursor-movement-with-draw-commads/td-p/6259285

JMV

[ArchD]

I also like running more than the average snaps and come across issues where they are just a bit too much. My solution was to find my ideal OSMODE number then create a button out of it up on the ribbon with the macro:

'OSMODE;6379;

I created two others, one without perpendicular and another without extension.

This works well because the macro starts with a ' meaning that if you are in the middle of a command you can switch to the set you want without cancelling. 

[Anonymous]

I noticed the grid snap was on after I posted, I've turned it off and snapping has become easier.  I may setup up a few snap setting for various situations so I don't have this problem again.