What's the difference between "line" and "wire" commands in the footprint editor?

[os94]

Library Basics Part 1: Creating Packages | EAGLE | Blog (autodesk.com) 

says to use "line" when drawing the component outline in "tdocu", but to use "wire" when drawing the silkscreen on "tplace"

Why? and what's the difference?

(also, line is on my left hand menu, but wire is not. I have to type wire into the command bar at the top)

[one-of-the-robs · Accepted solution]

It's an error in the blog, possibly from incomplete updating.

Eagle was originally a German product. The menus and commands were translated from German. The command for drawing lines was called "wire", which was a slight mis-translation. It didn't matter, except that people got confused in the schematic editor, where the "wire" command was used to draw general documentation lines, and should not be used for electrical connections (wires!), which need to be drawn with the "net" command.

Autodesk updated quite a lot of the references to the "wire" command to read "line", to reduce confusion. However, the actual command was retained so as not to break customers' scripts.

[os94]

Thank you, that clears it up. Last thing, does the retained command do the same thing as the newly labeled "line" button? (or are there some subtle differences between them?)

[one-of-the-robs]

They do the same, outside of the standard "subtle differences" of being able to specify exact coordinates on the command line (and complete the command if desired) rather than just activating the mouse operating mode. Although it's also possible to click the tool button and then type coordinates in the command line, if you so desire.