trim is not working

[Anonymous]

hello, i am using AutoCAD 2013, and was planning, then suddenly my trim command stopped working, i dnt know what i pressed by mistake on my keyboard but now i am not able to trim, please help! thank you 🙂

[pendean · Accepted solution]

Is there an error message at the commandline when you select the first or second line or Pline? Expand it to show more than one line if necessary.

[Patchy · Accepted solution]

Trim an object on LOCKED layer?

[ToddRogers-WPM]

Type in PICKADD and make sure it is set to 1.

[murray-clack]

Another trick is to look at the objects you are trimming or trimmig to.  If they are listed as "2D Polylines", then they have to be converted.  use the CONVERTPOLY command.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@murray-clack wrote:

....  If they are listed as "2D Polylines", then they have to be converted. ....

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I disagree [and even though I knew they would work, I just tried again to be sure].  2D Polylines work as Trim boundaries, and can be Trimmed to appropriate boundaries, just as with Lightweight Polylines, unless something else is at play, such as a locked Layer, their being part of a Block, etc.  So do 3D Polylines.  Likewise with the Extend command.

[murray-clack]

I'll have to expand on what I was getting at....

"Back in the Day" (pre AutoCAD R14, in 199?) AutoCAD had "old fashioned" polylines that were coded differently from how they are coded now.  

AutoCAD products have POLYLINES, Lightweight Polylines, and 3D Polylines.  If you open an old drawing (pre AutoCAD 2000 or R14) in a newer version of AutoCAD, the old polylines wouldn't translate properly and be created as "2D Polylines" (which is how they are listed in the Properties Manager) and they don't react well (i.e. trimming or trimming to, as well as object snapping to)

[wispoxy]

TRIM (Command)

Jul 08 2014  |  In-Product View

Applies to AutoCAD 2015, AutoCAD Architecture 2015, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015, AutoCAD Electrical 2015, AutoCAD MEP 2015, AutoCAD Map 3D 2015, AutoCAD Mechanical 2015, AutoCAD P&ID 2015, AutoCAD Plant 3D 2015, AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2015, and AutoCAD Utility Design 2015

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Trims objects to meet the edges of other objects.

Find

To trim objects, select the boundaries. Then press Enter and select the objects that you want to trim. To use all objects as boundaries, press Enter at the first Select Objects prompt.

The following prompts are displayed.

Select cutting edges

Specifies one or more objects to be used as a boundary for the trim. TRIM projects the cutting edges and the objects to be trimmed onto the XY plane of the current user coordinate system (UCS).

Note: To select cutting edges that include blocks, you can use only the single selection, Crossing, Fence, and Select All options.

Select objects Specifies objects individually. Select all Specifies that all objects in the drawing can be used as a trim boundary.

Object to Trim

Specifies the object to trim. If more than one trim result is possible, the location of the first selection point determines the result.

Shift-Select to Extend

Extends the selected objects rather than trimming them. This option provides an easy method to switch between trimming and extending.

Fence

Selects all objects that cross the selection fence. The selection fence is a series of temporary line segments that you specify with two or more fence points. The selection fence does not form a closed loop.

Crossing

Selects objects within and crossing a rectangular area defined by two points.

Note: Some crossing selections of objects to be trimmed are ambiguous. TRIM resolves the selection by following along the rectangular crossing window in a clockwise direction from the first point to the first object encountered.

Project

Specifies the projection method used when trimming objects.

None

Specifies no projection. The command trims only objects that intersect with the cutting edge in 3D space.

UCS

Specifies projection onto the XY plane of the current UCS. The command trims objects that do not intersect with the cutting edge in 3D space.

View

Specifies projection along the current view direction. The command trims objects that intersect the boundary in the current view.

Edge

Determines whether an object is trimmed at another object's extrapolated edge or only to an object that intersects it in 3D space.

Extend

Extends the cutting edge along its natural path to intersect an object in 3D space.

No Extend

Specifies that the object is trimmed only at a cutting edge that intersects it in 3D space.

Note: When trimming hatches, do not set Edge to Extend. If you do, gaps in the trim boundaries will not be bridged when trimming hatches, even when the gap tolerance is set to a correct value.

Erase

Deletes selected objects. This option provides a convenient method to erase unneeded objects without leaving the TRIM command.

Undo

Reverses the most recent change made by TRIM.

Related Concepts

• About Trimming and Extending Objects

Related Reference

• Commands for Resizing Objects

[Kent1Cooper]

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@Anonymous wrote:

.... suddenly my trim command stopped working, i dnt know what i pressed by mistake on my keyboard but now i am not able to trim....

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Can you give us more information?  What does "stopped working" mean?  When you call for the Trim command, do you not get a prompt to select cutting edges?  Do you get that, but can't select objects to use as cutting edges?  Can you select those, but the things you pick to Trim don't lose anything?  Do they lose something, but not to the point you expect?  Are you not able to Trim anything at all, or only certain things or in certain conditions?  Does Extend work?  Can you Extend things in the Trim command by holding the Shift key down, or can you Trim them in Extend with the Shift key?  Etc., etc.

How many conditions have you tried?  In addition to the question of locked Layers already mentioned, are you trying to Trim parts of Blocks or Xrefs?  Other un-Trimmable objects [Text, Dimensions, Solids, Regions, Mlines, etc.]?  Are you in Paper Space trying to trim something in Model Space in a Viewport that you're not "in"?  Etc.

[pendean]

The OP has "left the building" 😞 I think we can all stop throwing guesses out until their return.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@murray-clack wrote:

....  

AutoCAD products have POLYLINES, Lightweight Polylines, and 3D Polylines. .... the old polylines ... don't react well (i.e. trimming or trimming to, as well as object snapping to)

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I'm well aware of the different kinds of Polylines.  But using AutoCAD since Version 1.4 in 1984, I have never had any problems with any of them such as what you describe, so I wonder what could have been causing them for you [not that I have any ideas...].

[Anonymous]

Is it in all drawings or just one? If it's just one, is it possible that the objects are not on the same Z plane? You can try to Flatten the objects and then see if it works.

[drjohn]

... or the UCS is not correct for the trim  ... OR ... the view angle LOOKS like it is crossing but really isn't if viewed from a diff angle.

2 cents

Regards,

DJ

[wispoxy]

Please share a basic censored sample so we can play with it  🙂

[Anonymous]

I'll jump in and take over for OP (: I've been getting my CAD on for a decade now and have never run across a hatch I couldn't trim. I tried all suggested solutions. It's a tiny area (bubbled) that needs to be trimmed it's ridiculous, but nonetheless it needs to be trimmed. And I COULD re-hatch and then re-trim everything but man it was a b*tch to get lined up and everything trimmed and cooperating. Attached is a dummed down version of the file. PLEASE. HELP.

Erin

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

and which hatch from 60 could not be trimmed against which edge?

I tried some just to test, no issue, all working well.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

In the file I attached I bubbled the orange polyline that I need to trim the grey vertical roof hatch from.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

let AutoCAD recreate the boundary of that hatch and you'll find that the boundary self-intersects. I guess that is why no modifications can be done to that hatch.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Hi, 

I have the simelar problem. my trim command stoped working. is does not trim or exstend line or polylines, if they have a Z value. even when they are crossing over. Please could someone help. 

[Anonymous]

I have found this tipe from someone, and this helped me a lot. hope this sorts out your problems.

"After selecting your cutting/boundary edges, select the Project option and switch the setting to View.  This will tell AutoCAD to use the current view to determine the end result.  You can also cut to the chase by setting the system variable PROJMODE to 2."

Regards,