Determining origin of new drawing, box, etc., reference another line or point

[Anonymous]

How do you accurately determine the start point for another simple polygon reference the distance from a side or corner of another polygon?

For example, I draw a simple rectangle. I want to create two slots in said rectangle that are equally spaced from each side. Right now, my workflow involves drawing two more appropriately sized rectangles and moving them little by little until they are in the right spot. Obviously this takes far too long for such a simple operation, it basically involves breaking out a calculator. I can't seem to find any function that allows me to place the start point of a rectangle a defined distance from a point, corner or line of another object. 

[davebYYPCU]

Draw the 2nd rectangle, and use dimensions to bring it to position.

[Anonymous]

That's basically what I'm doing now. It takes me 10 minutes to do what should take 10 seconds. I'm doing an inspect, measure between the lines, move it over. I know exactly where I need to place it, but I can't find any way to do this quickly in 360. 

Is there anything that follows this workflow:

1. Select draw rectangle

2. Select reference point

3. Place start point a defined distance from that point. 

I'm just pulling (what is left of) my hair out trying to do such a simple task. 

[laughingcreek]

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@Anonymous wrote:

That's basically what I'm doing now....

it doesn't sound like it.  Can you make a screen cast, or even just a few screen shots showing what yo want to end up with?  I suspect some ideas are getting muddled because of the different use of terminology.

[davebYYPCU]

There are lots of ways to do what your want, 

you just can't do it the way you are attempting to - easily - draw a point at the start point, then snap to it.  The point will have those dimensions, so no point going that way.

2 dimension will place both internal boxes because they are mirrored.

If you know where the new start point is, why can it be so hard to add that dimension, as second step?

[Anonymous]

Here is what I currently do that takes way too long...

I draw rectangle A. 

I draw rectangle B to make my slot. I measure between one side of rectangle A to one side of rectangle B to see what relative position it is from that side. Then I measure from the other side of each rectangle. Figure out what the difference is between the two, do a Move. Measure again to verify. That's what I've been doing every time, and it is just very time consuming and frustrating when I know exactly where I need to place the start of the next rectangle, and can't find an obvious way to do this. 

I just want to figure out how to Draw Rectangle A, select a corner of Rectangle A, then start Rectangle B a defined distance from that corner of rectangle A. That's it. 

[Anonymous]

That is almost exactly what I'm currently trying to do. I'm designing a holder for my prybars to attach to the side of my toolbox, the drawing you just posted I just want to repeat those holes at given distances along a rectangular object that serves as the base of the holder. I just can't figure out how to draw that first hole accurately without a ton of trial and error. 

[davebYYPCU]

Only half a story get wrong guesses.

Then it's Rectangular pattern, spacing equals gap plus hole.

Might help....

[Anonymous]

But say I just want a single slot. What is the easiest way to center it in another rectangular object, or offset it from one end by a known dimension without having to draw, then move it to the desired location? Or is there no way to do what I'm asking. 

[laughingcreek · Accepted solution]

sketch entities don't get accurately placed by where you draw it and/or move it to, but rather their position gets solved by how you constrain it.  either with one of the sketch constraints or with dimensions.  you shouldn't need to use "move" ever to position something.  see screen cast.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/4238dc40-7d76-4e9a-a156-36ee762dfdd3

[Anonymous]

Awesome. I think I can follow that. Thanks for the help. 

[davebYYPCU]

That would be use both midpoints.

Put the midpoint of this, on the midpoint of that.