From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #113
Originally published: May 2012
Irregular-Shaped Viewports
When you need a viewport shape other than a rectangle, the first order of business is to be able to view the objects in Model Space at the desired scale. From there, you can create a polyline to essentially ‘crop’ the objects in Model space, then turn it into a viewport.
In the next exercise I'm using the drawing db_samp.DWG found in the ..\Sample\Database Connectivity folder of your AutoCAD installation.
How to Create an Irregular Shaped Viewport
Right-click on a layout tab and make a new layout with a large viewport.Double-click in the viewport, then set the desired scale from the scale list on the right side of the Status bar.
Return to Paper space and create any closed polyline, spline or circle to be the viewport. In this illustration, I created a polyline around the perimeter of the floorplan.
Note: You must use the Close option of the Polyline command if it is to be converted into a viewport. If you did not use the Close option, use Pedit and select the polyline, then use the Close option.
On the Viewports panel [], click Clip.Note: If you're using AutoCAD 2013, go to the Layout tab
Layout Viewport panelClip, as shown in the figure.When prompted to select the ‘viewport to clip’, select the rectangular viewport.
When prompted to select the ‘clipping object’, select the polyline (or whatever object you created in Step 3, above.)
AutoCAD will convert the polyline into a viewport and erase the original rectangular viewport!
See all the articles published in May 2012
See this article in the May 2012 Corner
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