Another gap.... in my understanding

[ASH_CAD]

When I want to move an object a certain distance from the original location, I go to long winded trouble of drawing a line and attaching it to say, for example, the centre of a circle. Then MOVE the circle, selecting the base line as the centre to the end of the LINE using OSNAP.

 

Is this how you Pro's do it, I'm guessing not.

[BlackBox]

You could always use direct distance entry instead... Invoke the MOVE Command, selecting the entities that you're intending to move, and after you right click (completing the entity selection), you're prompted by:

 

Specify base point or [Displacement] <Displacement>:

 

... Select your start point, then motion your cursor in the direction you want to go (with, or without ORTHOMODE on), and at this prompt:

 

Specify second point or <use first point as displacement>:

 

... Simply enter a numerical distance (i.e., 10.0), followed by the Enter key (or right click), and done.

[ReMark]

I too use the method RenderMan has specified. Dragging one's mouse in the direction of the move and entering the distance directly at the command line (or onscreen via Dynamic Input) is an easy, fast and accurate way of moving, copying, stretching, etc. objects.

[BIGAL]

A move parrallel to another object not say in x y axis,

ortho on F8,

ucs ob pick object to parallel,

pick object

move drag mouse distance

UCS W

[Dana W]

I too use the method RenderMan has specified. Dragging one's mouse in the direction of the move and entering the distance directly at the command line (or onscreen via Dynamic Input) is an easy, fast and accurate way of moving, copying, stretching, etc. objects.

 

That's my way too. However, sometimes I can't get a release from the origin osnap and I don't get a tracking vector to show. Then it tells me my input is invalid while I am looking at the keyboard to make sure I hit the right number keys. I thought I understood tracking and osnapping but sometimes I just can't get it to work either. I thing it has something to do with hovering long enough at the right place and not getting too close to the next osnap in order to get the tracking vector to turn on. It can be touchy. When this happens to me, I just turn Osnap off, leave ortho on and it works right away.

[Tiger]

Fourth for direct distance entry, with Polar tracking as described above.

 

But I will add that I draw lots and lots of help lines, of the type you describe Ash. I always have a layer called HEPL (yes, mispelled) that is set to non-plot and a very glaring color (cyan or magenta) for help lines, and they usually cover more or less all of my drawing.

[ASH_CAD]

Thanks all, I only wished I asked sooner.

 

Not sure on Polar tracking?

 

Also, does this method say work when I want to move an object but place it at, say, X which is displaced Y distance from Z?

[Tiger]

Combine Polar Tracking (hit F10 to turn it on or off) with OSnaps and you should be able to do what you describe.

[ASH_CAD]

Tiger, thanks. Useful tool