Unable to draw rectangles

[Anonymous]

I am following a AutoCAD 2016 module and Youtube videos to draw a basic rectangle but it doesn't work. No rectangle appears what am I doing wrong?

[ennujozlagam]

@Anonymous hello, huh, why you cannot draw rectangle any reason? in command prompt type REC pick and move your mouse. Or in the command prompt type Polygon and move your mouse. that's it you can create rectangle already. thanks

[imadHabash]

Hi and Welcome to AutoDesk Forum,

i'm afraid that you are draw on a current layer that turns off. check your current layer if it's ON or OFF...

attached screencast movie will explain what i mean >> Link << 

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

Welcome to the Autodesk Community!

I made a quick video just for you. In it you will see that I first create a layer and make it current ( I also assign it a color).

Then, I select the rectangle tool icon from the ribbon. I select my bottom corner and then the  corner of my rectangle. Voila!

Let me know if I can provide additional help. The forums in this community are a great way to learn and solve problems - Enjoy!

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi there

Thank you so much for making a video for me. Am I able to use AutoCAD on a laptop with a built-in mouse? I am wandering if this is why when I follow instructions in print and YouTube videos and press the "Enter" to complete the rectangle it disappears. Would you agree? Is it necessary to use a PC not a laptop?

Kind regards

Jasmine

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous,

A laptop with trackpad shouldn't make any difference (that is what I used to create my video).

Watch the command line carefully as you walk through the rectangle creation.

[jggerth]

Desktop PC  or Laptop doesn't matter.  check the current layer, and make sure it's not off, and that the color is visible against your screen.

Can you draw a line and have it show up?

[Anonymous]

I can draw a line it's just when I add dimensions the rectangles disappear. Thank you for your video, I'll look again. Is it supposed to have sound?

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

Can you prepare a Screencast video of what you are doing? That would help me understand the issue better.

[Anonymous]

Sorry no I don't know how to do that. I gather there is no sound then? 

[Anonymous]

Hi, I can see the Layer is on "0" with a tick before it. I have tried to change it but am unable? What do you suggest?  

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

I am sorry but no I did not record the sound.

Here is a link to Screencast but it should be included in your AutoCAD already in the Add-Ins Ribbon menu.

To make a layer current (the one with a check mark) you can double-click the one you want or rt-click for a whole bunch of additional choices.

[Anonymous]

Ok so I followed the video, right clicked and put in the first dimension 1.750 and pressed enter. I saw a red rectangle forming and put in a second dimension of 1.250 pressed enter and the rectangle disappeared. 

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

When you see the little boxes for dimensions on the screen (called Dynamic Input) make sure that you use the TAB key to move between them. I made another video (with sound) for you that shows you how to do this with dimensions instead of just picking points on the screen as I did in the first video.

I hope this helps.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hey John

We had "Lift off'!!!

Thank you so much for the videos. They made it so much easier....they worked! I can see what I was doing wrong. I was pressing 'Enter' at the wrong place. I've learnt the importance of taking the 'Default' back to 10,000 units. Your tutoring about the "Layers' thing was completely knew to me. I never knew this. It's been much trial and error over a much longer period of time than I anticipated. Nonetheless we had success.

I feel much more confident in pressing forward with the rest of this AutoCAD module now.

So once again thank you so much.

Kind regards

Jasmine

[Anonymous]

I want to draw a rectangle but it always showed up

[cadffm]

Look into your Textscrren or better: Resize your commandline to see more lines..

There is set a width (>0) for the rectang command, set it back to zero.

[john.vellek]

HI @dexterbersola78,

Are you trying to draw a 2D rectangle or a 3d box?  Can you share your drawing file so I can see what you area trying to do?

I made a quick video that shows how to create both of these objects.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

Im just trying to draw a rectangle on z axis for 3d window but it always
land on xy surface and I thought thats the one and only problem i am going
to mind but when it land to to xy axis and start clicking the first
point(which is the reference point) and dragging my mouse to the 2nd point
intersecting lines inside the rectangle suddenly appears

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

Try this for me.

Type UCS then x then 90.  This should rotate your user coordinate system. Now when you draw your rectangle you will see it appear in the same orientation as this new UCS.

You can also rotate your rectangle using 3dAlign or 3drotate.