using properties to change the length of a line

[davidhigginbotham1]

I was a regular Autocad user many years ago and I think I recall being able to change the length of a line by clicking on the line and changing it's properties. I am not finding the length of the line in the properties dialog box. Am I misremembering this? Is there another way to do this?

[cadffm]

Hi,

1.

2.

You used another AutoCAD than millions other users,

or you remember wrong.

The only way to edit the length by using properties palette ist to change the Start or Endpoint position.

3. HINT

Use Command LENGTHEN

[serkancavuslar]

@davidhigginbotham1 Hi,

Line length cannot be changed with properties,
Of course there is a method
It can be done with the "Length" "Total" command.

[Valentin_CAD]

@davidhigginbotham1 ,

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@davidhigginbotham1 wrote:

 Is there another way to do this?

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Try this: 

1. Turn ON the Dynamic Input. 
2. Place your cross-hairs over the endpoint of the line.
3. Select Lengthen. 
4. Use Tab to cycle between Stretch and Lengthen.

 

[julia3683]

You are not misremembered that function.  I used to use that quite often! But that function stopped working with AutoCAD 2024. I missed that so much, I want that function back!

[davidhigginbotham1]

I would like that function back also.

[cadffm]

You both should remember what Softwareproduct you used or what kind of object it was.

Product

Mechanical?

Civil3D?

Properties Panel or quickproperties or any other dialog?

Lines? I can't think so. Realy a LINE?

If it whould work this way, which end changes, which stays?

I am just trying to help, but simple lines and properties palette?

I can't remember ... what year version you are talking?

[pendean]

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@julia3683 wrote:

You are not misremembered that function.  I used to use that quite often! But that function stopped working with AutoCAD 2024. I missed that so much, I want that function back! @davidhigginbotham1 

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How far back a version did you change from? what's being asked for in this post is not an option in AutoCAD2022 and AutoCAD2023 either for example. You can test it in AutoCAD2021 if you wish, the download is in your Autodesk Account page.

[julia3683]

Hi, The Software is AutoCAD, And it is Property Panel. I used be able to type in the "Length" value and change the length of a line. 

Select a existing line shown in the below image then go to property panel, change the length value.

This worked in up until AutoCAD 2023, but not AutoCAD 2024.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@julia3683 wrote:

Hi, The Software is AutoCAD, And it is Property Panel. I used be able to type in the "Length" value and change the length of a line. .....

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It has never worked that way in regular AutoCAD, in my memory, going back 40 years [actually less, since the Properties palette hasn't been around nearly that long].  Maybe you were using some overlay program that had some special feature....

The length Property is only a result of the locations of the endpoints -- you can change those in Properties, if you know where to change them to, or one of them, if you know which one.  The Properties palette shows it, but only because it calculates it from the endpoints -- it is not something that is stored in any way in the Line's data.  As @cadffm asked in Message 7, if you were to be able to do this, which end of the Line would move to result in your desired length?  Or would both of them, with the midpoint staying where it was?

[cadffm]

Until 2023, in AutoCAD (for Windows), okay - I am out.

Please install AutoCAD 2023 or go to another PC with AutoCAD2023 and show us this feature.

It hide from me for decades with success, and for most of others too.

I like too see it (Screencast) and learn new things (for me).

Thanks in advance!

[julia3683]

I am not allowed to downgrade to 2023 due to my office policy. But I can do the same for arcs in 2024.

Here's the screen shots

Draw an arc and select radiustype a new radiusHit enter and the radius changes

The same steps worked for line in 2023 and older. With 2024, you can change radius as shown in above.

That's why I've been wondering why I cannot change the length of lines in this way with ACAD 2024.

[pendean]

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@julia3683 wrote:

Hi, The Software is AutoCAD, And it is Property Panel. I used be able to type in the "Length" value and change the length of a line. 

Select a existing line shown in the below image then go to property panel, change the length value.

This worked in up until AutoCAD 2023, but not AutoCAD 2024.

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Friend, did you miss the part where I stated that's not a thing in AutoCAD2023 in my last reply.

"...I am not allowed to downgrade to 2023 due to my office policy..." ask your boss and your IT person to put back AutCAD2023 on your PC, it's free and legal to do, and see for yourself. Do that same with AutoCAD 2022 and 2021, also legal and free to install and run on your PC.

Here is the link to the Autodesk provided AutoCAD 2021-2022-2023 (where your 2024 came from I suspect), find out for yourself, don't take my word for it

https://manage.autodesk.com/products/ACD?version=2024&platform=WIN64&language=EINT

[pendean]

That's an ARC radius: you cannot change the arc LENGTH

[julia3683]

I know what I showed you was radius.  But what I meant was I can change value of object from there. I am not allowed to downgrade my AutoCad version here in my office. That's why I try to explain my comments with AutoCad that is available to me. If you really do not want to believe me saying I was able to change the length of line from the properties, that's fine with me. I was happy to read someone notice the function of using properties to change the length of a line missing from the latest version.  And I am looking for the ways to get the function back. That's all.

[cadffm]

"If you really do not want to believe me"

I want to believe you! But obe or more statements are wrong and like to know why you think you can remember it.

As we wrote (three of us with total ~100years expierence and all know properties palette, starting in 2000):

If somebody remember about this feature, he misremembering, or it wasn't Acad, or it wasn't a line object, or not the length.

(Or a 3rd party plug-in, but I am not sure if that is possible).

[Kent1Cooper]

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@julia3683 wrote:

.... what I meant was I can change value of object from there. ....

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You can change some values in the Properties palette, but you have never been able to change just any value you like.  As pointed out, you can't change the length of an Arc that way, any more than you can for a Line, because it is only the result of the combination of several things you can change -- the radius and the starting and ending angles.  That's why some values are "greyed out" in the Properties palette -- those are the merely-reporting entries, not the object-defining ones.

If you want to get a sense of what you can and can't change there [apart from the visible indication of greying out], study the DXF Reference for the object type in question.  It shows you what pieces of information are stored in the entity data for the object, which is what AutoCAD uses to put it on the screen, and to generate what is needed to plot it.  Basically, those are the things you can change in Properties.  The length of a Line [or an Arc] is not among them, because they are only results from the information that is stored.

[pendean]

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@julia3683 wrote:

...If you really do not want to believe me...

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All I'm stating is I am in AutoCAD 2023 and what you want does not exist. Why would I lie to you? What would that achieve?

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@julia3683 wrote:

...I am not allowed to downgrade my AutoCad version here in my office...

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Sadly, that's the only way you are going to be able to convince yourself of what everyone is responding to you. Sorry.

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@julia3683 wrote:

...I was happy to read someone notice the function of using properties to change the length of a line missing from the latest version....

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Sadly, they were mistaken.

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@julia3683 wrote:

...And I am looking for the ways to get the function back. That's all.

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You had some other tool to do what you want: sorry. And only you can prove it to yourself.

Here is how to open a support case with Autodesk if you are on subscription to seek out Autodesk Support's help: ask your IT and Boss to initiate it, you might as well hear it from Autodesk direct instead of us fellow end users just like you
https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-find-my-sup...

Best wishes.