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circles tangent to 3 points


432lightbeam

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Hello everybody, I am BRAND new to AutoCAD and am currently trying out the free 30 day trial of AutoCAD 2016 LT. I am trying to draw a circle tangent to 3 points, however, I can't figure out how. I have seen other people do this on youtube tutorials etc however I don't seem to have that functionality. When I click on the circle tool I only have these options: 1) specify center point and radius (default option) 2) specify two points on diameter. 3) specify three points on circumference. And 4) Specify two tangent points and a radius

 

Why can't I construct a circle tangent to three points? My best guess is that this is not available in AutoCAD LT but i really have no idea..

 

Thanks!

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3) specify three points on circumference.

 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the question, but this doesn't work?

 

Just select the 3 Point option, set your object snap to Tangent and then pick the 3 tangent points.

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Maybe I'm misunderstanding the question, but this doesn't work?

 

Just select the 3 Point option, set your object snap to Tangent and then pick the 3 tangent points.

 

The concept of tangent does not apply to a point. Object snap should not be set to Tangent. I think the OP just wants to create a circle that passes through 3 points.

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The concept of tangent does not apply to a point. Object snap should not be set to Tangent. I think the OP just wants to create a circle that passes through 3 points.

 

Perhaps the OP is so new to AutoCAD that the word point may not have the same significance as to a practised user.

 

The Object Snap should be set to Tangent, and then pick the three lines to which the circle should be tangential.

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eldon, You may be correct and the OP may not be trying to "draw a circle tangent to 3 points" as he/she states and in fact wants to draw a circle tangent to 3 lines. We may never know;)

 

~Lee

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The concept of tangent does not apply to a point.

 

By definition a tangent is a point. You can't be tangential TO a point but the result of being tangential is a point.

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Ignoring the '3 points' issue for now, if you use the menubar or ribbon one of the circle options is tan,tan,tan. So if you instead want a circle tangent to three objects like lines or circles use that menu option for circle.

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The concept of tangent does not apply to a point. Object snap should not be set to Tangent. I think the OP just wants to create a circle that passes through 3 points.

 

Thanks, but I am perfectly aware that the concept of tangent does not apply to points. I was trying to show the OP that he does in fact have the tools he needs in order to make this work. He just needs to understand how to use them.

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