Beginner here. Subject: Modifying the shape of a line

Hello all,

I have been fortunate enough to have been given access to use a plasma cutter at a local community college, of which I am employed. It is a new Torchmate system (4'x8'), The design computer is loaded with Torchmate 5 CAD. I wanted the ability to design at home and then import the .DXF file into the torchmate to burn my designs. I have loaded Autocad 2012 and only work in the 2d mode, which leads me to my question.

If I draw straight line and want to modify the line in Torchmate CAD/CAM I can edit the nodes and pull the line into whatever shape I would like.

Can this be accomplished with Autocad as straightforward as this? If so can you explain how I would do this? I have played around with this for a few hours but the closest I can get is using a the Polyline tool, but I am not able to add or delete nodes that allow me to customize my line.

Hope this makes sense, any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Jay

You should look also to PEDIT command that allow you to modify the properties/shape of polyline entities or to build a polyline from simple entities (lines and/or arcs). To add extra vertexes to a polyline may use the routines from those threads:

• http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?22989
  
• http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?58461
  

Played with PEDIT a little bit and it does allow me to add additional vertex. I was hoping for something a little simpler, but with a program as powerful as this I just need to adapt.

I did look at those other threads, but with my limited knowledge of Autocad I don't think I can implement them (especially the one with programming). Thanks for your help.

If anyone else has insight I would be grateful.

If you find the command difficult to use PEDIT to add a new vertex, an alternative is to break the polylines at desired point and use PEDIT or JOIN to re-join the items.

Regarding usage of AutoLISP routines maybe this tutorial will be useful for you.

In AutoCAD 2012 you can add a new vertix (Straight or curved) simply by clicking on an existing node. Check this out:

http://heidihewett.blogs.com/my_weblog/2010/04/polyline-editing-in-autocad-2011.html

clarification: you cannot add vertex for "line". in order to add, it is then where PEDIT applies which will convert the line to polyline. granting it is already a polyline, you just need to click the object then right click on the vertex then select the option you want: (stretch, add, remove or convert to arc in if its in the mid)