how to join these 5 lines/arcs?

3 lines. 2 arcs. All coplanar, all meet end-to-end.

 

I set "Units/precision" to 0.00000000 and inspected them. They are all x=0 for each endpoint, therefore coplanar. I also did a point "ID" command and checked each endpoint approaching from both sides and confirmed that each pair of results was identical, so all the ends meet exactly.

 

I was under the impression that Join or at least PEDIT should be able to combine coplanar lines/arcs that all meet end to end into a polyline. What's wrong?

Also, using the Express Tool's "FLATTEN" command doesn't help.

 

The reason I'm doing this is because I've drawn lines/arcs that trace along the midpoint of a sheet metal's material thickness, and this sheet metal has two bends in it and isn't flat anymore, so converting the lines/arcs to a single polyline will tell me how long the flat plate needs to be that will be ordered to create it.

439-why won't these lines join.dwg

The two arcs have Normals (Extrusion Directions) pointing in opposite directions. Recreate the arcs via fillet, then combine.

The two arcs have Normals (Extrusion Directions) pointing in opposite directions. Recreate the arcs via fillet, then combine.

The arcs now have the same normal direction, yet they still don't join. Once again, x=0 for all points and all endpoints meet.

 

In fact, I can't even get one arc to join to it's adjacent lines, much less both arcs joined to all 3 lines.

439-why won't these lines join (arcs now have same normal).dwg

The arcs are now aligned to the RIGHT UCS/View. Activate that UCS/View to PEDIT.

The arcs are now aligned to the RIGHT UCS/View. Activate that UCS/View to PEDIT.

Worked! I'm going to have to look into that last tip some before I understand it completely, but thanks.

 

Having said that, boy is AutoCAD picky. I guess it could've been worse in terms of hoops to jump through, but still...

Yes, Polylines are very particular about geometry orientation. Adding the fillets after creating the sharp cornered poly would help coordinate the process.

Yes, Polylines are very particular about geometry orientation. Adding the fillets after creating the sharp cornered poly would help coordinate the process.

That's why I usually use a continuous 2D pline for tasks such as this one, switching between arc and line as I trace the path out. I have to do a LOT of custom millwork profiles, for crown molding and the like, and I would go insane drawing them out with pline segments, fillets, and arcs, and then still have to figure out how to get them to join up. Yes, I do have to manipulate the arcs a little from time to time, but I already have a closed pline for my profile.

That's why I usually use a continuous 2D pline for tasks such as this one, switching between arc and line as I trace the path out. I have to do a LOT of custom millwork profiles, for crown molding and the like, and I would go insane drawing them out with pline segments, fillets, and arcs, and then still have to figure out how to get them to join up. Yes, I do have to manipulate the arcs a little from time to time, but I already have a closed pline for my profile.

 

Me too. I hate when the arcs go in the opposite direction from what I want, but I just let them. Grip stretching to correct polylines has gotten a lot easier since the addition of the grip hover menus, and I particularly like the convert to arc option.

That's why I usually use a continuous 2D pline for tasks such as this one, switching between arc and line as I trace the path out. ...

I've tried it your way and I actually I think that may work out for me in the future. There's a website that suggested drawing everything as straight polylines only, then going back and choosing convert to arc where needed, but probably I'll stick with switching between arc and line options as I go unless I know I'll have a ton of arcs to draw.

I've tried it your way and I actually I think that may work out for me in the future. There's a website that suggested drawing everything as straight polylines only, then going back and choosing convert to arc where needed, but probably I'll stick with switching between arc and line options as I go unless I know I'll have a ton of arcs to draw.

You might want to try and "offset" a center line also, depending on the drawing object.

 

The poly arcs are a pain either method. Usually 50% of them think I want them to go the other way, so at the end, I have to go back and chase the midpoints to the correct radius.

You might want to try and "offset" a center line also, depending on the drawing object.

 

The poly arcs are a pain either method. Usually 50% of them think I want them to go the other way, so at the end, I have to go back and chase the midpoints to the correct radius.

Yeah, I'm finding drawing the arcs to be the problem, but not so much in the sense of having to manually reverse their normals 50% of the time, but in getting their radius to be exactly, for example, 1/8" while also ensuring each end of the arc is 90 degrees relative to each other (because the sheet metal is a 90 degree bend). My order of operations is: I start a 2D polyline at the midpoint of an edge at the very end of the sheet metal, then I go to place the end of the straight first segment (which will be near the first 90 degree bend) and realize I don't know where to end at...because there's no 1/8" arc drawn already for me to use as a reference. I know once I've set the end of the first straight segment that I can switch to arc mode and set the radius to 1/8", but by then it's too late, I've already set the arc's start point at the wrong location, most likely.

draw with lines, use fillet, finally pedit to join them together.

 

I took your drawing, exploded everything, joined everything with the pedit command.

draw with lines, use fillet, finally pedit to join them together.

 

I took your drawing, exploded everything, joined everything with the pedit command.

That works, yes, but Dana suggested doing it another way that seemed intriguing. Though I tried his way out and hit a snag, so that's why I was replying specifically to Dana W. ...was wondering if he was doing something I was missing.

 

Anyway, I'm actually not confused about how to do it using PEDIT anymore and unless Dana has anything more to add, that's the method I'll be using.

That works, yes, but Dana suggested doing it another way that seemed intriguing. Though I tried his way out and hit a snag, so that's why I was replying specifically to Dana W. ...was wondering if he was doing something I was missing.

 

Anyway, I'm actually not confused about how to do it using PEDIT anymore and unless Dana has anything more to add, that's the method I'll be using.

If you are needing dead on accurate dimensions, I suggest using the polylines/fillet/pedit methods.