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Rotating a line that is at an angle to align with another


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I Have been using autocad for a quite a while and so far have:? not figured this one out.

 

1.How do I rotate a line so that is comes horizontal. Ie on the line exactly.

 

I need this 'skill' when I bring in my ordnance survey plans. The angle of the house plans come in at an angle and I just want to get them into a orthagonal view ie all the lines either horizontal or vertical.

 

Similarly

 

2. how do I align a line ( Ie this may be in relation to rotating a whole drawing. Like especially when drawing a section through a roof and getting the angle of the roof right) that is at one angle to align precisely over another. Currently I measure the angle and rotate the angle- but. it never lines up precisely- there must be an easier way.

The other way I try is by trying to align it but when I hit the mouse, invariable it jolts a bit and it is all a bit of a hit an miss affair.

 

I would look forward to hearing from anyone who has an alternative and more accurate solution.

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The Rotate command has an option called Reference. Are you familiar with it? The following is from your AutoCAD Help file:

 

 

Reference

Rotates objects from a specified angle to a new, absolute angle.

 

Specify the reference angle : Specify an angle by entering a value or by specifying two points

 

Specify the new angle or [Points] : Specify the new absolute angle by entering a value or by specifying two points

 

 

 

Also note that greater accuracy in denoting rotation angles can be attained by changing the precision of your angle units via the Units command.

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Another option is to create a macro and assign it to a button. Refer to syntax listed below. It is basically a poor man's (LT user) version of the ALIGN command found in the full version of AutoCAD. It will move and rotate objects thus aligning them. Note that it uses the "reference" option of the rotate command.

 

ID_ALIGN [Align Objects] ^C^C_select;\_move;_p;;\\_rotate;_p;;@;_ref;@;\\

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Becuase I had so much trouble figure out exactly how the Reference-option worked at the start, I'll write out a bit more as a complement to what ReMark wrote from the Help.

 

This is what it says on the Commandline, with my (hopefully) clarifying comments in red:

 

ROTATE

Current positive angle in UCS: ANGDIR=counterclockwise ANGBASE=0

 

Select objects: 1 found Click on your object to rotate

Select objects: hit enter

Specify base point: click the point to rotate around

Specify rotation angle or [Copy/Reference] : r type R for Reference

Specify the reference angle : click at the same point as your basepoint Specify second point: click further along the line that you in the end want as horizontal, here you are basically changing the baseline for the rotation

Specify the new angle or [Points] : click along a point horizontal to the basepoint, use polar or ortho.

 

 

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One way to rotate a line so that it is horizontal is to turn on ORTHO, then when you rotate with reference, the new alignment is automatically horizontal (or vertical).

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Thanks you every one for the quick response- for which I am currently in the process of practicing right now!

 

With the rotate command I think the both lines would have to be at the same stat point (obviously as the command is ROTATE :))

 

I m gotta to go and practice all methods and will report back when I have succeeded- this may take a while ...

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They "refernce-line" and the line that you want to rotate does not have to have the same basepoint - just that for me most often it is. But the best way is to have a play with the command, good luck :)

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Hello

I have practiced ReMark s ( my sister lives in Cos Cob by the way) first method and with the detailed help of Tiger - yes this works Perfectly.

 

Eldons method worked instantly as my ortho was on and I had to switch it off to make sure the method worked with the lines at various angles.

 

 

With regard to ReMarks other option, this looks more complex and I will have to pursue this- perhaps later tonight when I have more time!

 

Another question to tag onto this

 

3. Is there another way to rotate the line to the same angle as another line (ie make it parallel) where the lines dont start at the same point.

 

Is this possible? or do you alway have to MANUALLY superimpose the lines over each other?

 

Thanks very much and something I have pondered over for along time.

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Is there another way to rotate the line to the same angle as another line (ie make it parallel) where the lines dont start at the same point.

 

The only way i can think is if you KNOW where the base point of the rotation has to be, otherwise, you could try offsetting the line you want the other line parralell to.

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3. Is there another way to rotate the line to the same angle as another line (ie make it parallel) where the lines dont start at the same point.

 

Is this possible? or do you alway have to MANUALLY superimpose the lines over each other?

 

Thanks very much and something I have pondered over for along time.

 

You can start with the Rotate-Reference and instead of ending with it as horizontal you can activate the PARALLELL-snap (either tick it before you start the command, or type PAR inside the command to invoke it just this once), mouse over the 'correct' line to get the snap going and then you move your line till you get a polar tracking kind of line and you see the parallell-snap-icon again. You have to have one or both lines completely visible on the screen when doing this, so if it doesn't work the first time, zoom out and try again.

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Make sure you have increased the precision of your angle units. If you are using Decimal angles then try increasing the Precision to four places (0.0000). Now using either the List command or Properties select one of the two lines you're trying to match up. Note the angle. Select the second line and note its angle as well. Subtract one angle from the other and note the difference. That should be the angle of rotation you will provide AutoCAD when prompted.

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3. Is there another way to rotate the line to the same angle as another line (ie make it parallel) where the lines dont start at the same point.

 

Is this possible? or do you alway have to MANUALLY superimpose the lines over each other?

 

Thanks very much and something I have pondered over for along time.

 

If you set up a UCS based on the other line. Then use my method with ORTHO turned on. It may sound long winded, but if you start the UCS command, then use option "e" (for entity), and click on the line. It is not one of the stated options and AutoCAD may have cancelled this undocumented useful option, but it works for me. Then to cancel the UCS afterwards, use the default World option.

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I Have been using autocad for a quite a while and so far have:? not figured this one out.

 

1.How do I rotate a line so that is comes horizontal. Ie on the line exactly.

 

I need this 'skill' when I bring in my ordnance survey plans. The angle of the house plans come in at an angle and I just want to get them into a orthagonal view ie all the lines either horizontal or vertical.

 

Similarly

 

2. how do I align a line ( Ie this may be in relation to rotating a whole drawing. Like especially when drawing a section through a roof and getting the angle of the roof right) that is at one angle to align precisely over another. Currently I measure the angle and rotate the angle- but. it never lines up precisely- there must be an easier way.

The other way I try is by trying to align it but when I hit the mouse, invariable it jolts a bit and it is all a bit of a hit an miss affair.

 

I would look forward to hearing from anyone who has an alternative and more accurate solution.

 

The easiest way to manually make a line horizontal is to mirror it and then rotate it, using any 2 point on the mirrored line as base and reference. If you are drawing a cut through a roof and know the slope I would draw a 12 by what ever the slope is triangle and use that.

 

If you want a line to match the angle of another, make it horizontal as above and rotate using two points on the line you are matching as reference points.

 

Hope this helps!

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I Have been using autocad for a quite a while and so far have:? not figured this one out.

 

1.How do I rotate a line so that is comes horizontal. Ie on the line exactly.

 

I need this 'skill' when I bring in my ordnance survey plans. The angle of the house plans come in at an angle and I just want to get them into a orthagonal view ie all the lines either horizontal or vertical.

 

Similarly

 

2. how do I align a line ( Ie this may be in relation to rotating a whole drawing. Like especially when drawing a section through a roof and getting the angle of the roof right) that is at one angle to align precisely over another. Currently I measure the angle and rotate the angle- but. it never lines up precisely- there must be an easier way.

The other way I try is by trying to align it but when I hit the mouse, invariable it jolts a bit and it is all a bit of a hit an miss affair.

 

I would look forward to hearing from anyone who has an alternative and more accurate solution.

 

UCS, Object, pick line. Set Ortho on, use CHange command, pick other line, pick an end point.

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  • 7 years later...

I am new to AutoCAD, and have been just playing with the various buttons before doing a beginners course soon.

Had a lot of trouble rotating a line to be parallel with another ( reference ) line, but finally worked it out.

 

Hope this helps someone:

 

AutoCAD 2016

Rotate an object to be parallel with a reference line

 

1. Click on Rotate in Modify panel

2. Click on object to be rotated

3. Enter

4. Click on Base Point on object to be rotated

5. Click on [Reference] in Command Line

6. Click on Base point and End point of object to be rotated

7. Click on [Points] in Command Line

8 . Click on both ends of reference line that is to be used as a parallel direction

 

The object to be rotated will be automatically rotated to be parallel with the reference line

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