Using @ with dimensions

[Dana W]

I've had to do a number of survey drawings using vanilla AutoCad. When producing the typical House Location survey required for residential real estate transactions, the ONLY survey information furnished is a pre existing hard copy survey, and confirming field measurements personally taken with a 100 foot engineer's tape measure. Relative angle and distance in surveyor's units is the only way to get the property lines into CAD. The "@" sign is my dear, dear friend.

[Ski_Me]

I was shown the @ method of draw lines and what not but I always had trouble keeping track of which way the angle needs to be. If I had to draw a line that was 45d relative to the line I just drew but relative to the ucs is 135d I would type in @45 then the distance. Of course my line would go the wrong way so I would just select it then move it. But then polar tracking came out and all I had to do was snap to where ever I was starting my line drag out in the general direction hit tab put in the correct angle and I'm done. The @ is a hold over from when the first versions of AutoCAD were being used. I don't know how many of the original commands of those earlier versions are still in the later versions but maybe it's time to exorcise them from future releases.

[RobDraw]

The @ is a hold over from when the first versions of AutoCAD were being used.

 

Negative. As stated by more than one of us. It still is useful when the newer tools don't do the trick. Your example is too limited to make your statement valid. Dana's example is perfect for showing that it still has merit.

 

What about angles other than what is in your polar settings?

[Ski_Me]

You can put in any angle that you want if your using dynamic input just because you have polar tracking on or even ortho doesn't mean your stuck with just those choices.

[RobDraw]

What's the difference, if you still need to input an angle and distance?

 

Does one option negate the need for the other?

[tombu]

I also added a command with the

macro: ^P(ai_onoff "dynpicoords") ^P

& name: Relative

bitmap: #.bmp

 

After adding it to a Ribbon panel set the Display name to: $(if,$(getvar,dynpicoords),!.)Relative

It toggles between Relative & Absolute coordinate entry. If Relative is current it's highlighted.

@ for Relative coordinate entry has not changed, but since we can now set either Relative or Absolute coordinate entry as the default entering either @ or # isn't necessary anymore.

 

Of course for those of us with Civil 3D there are much easier options.

[Ski_Me]

No but a whole generation of cad users have never heard of using @ for anything else but e-mail. So why confuse them even more?They will after all end up running the world it's one less distraction. Just trying to save us all from total destruction.

[RobDraw]

Why is it people think that just because there is a newer way to do the exact same thing in the same amount of time that the older way should not be taught and thrown out like an old newspaper? (SMH)

 

When I went to school for AutoCAD, the first project was on the board. I learned a lot about drafting during that month that I still use today.

[Ski_Me]

Why is it people think that just because there is a newer way to do the exact same thing in the same amount of time that the older way should not be taught and thrown out like an old newspaper? (SMH)

 

When I went to school for AutoCAD, the first project was on the board. I learned a lot about drafting during that month that I still use today.

My first CAD class we spent the whole semester doing drawings by hand. Back then learning the basics of drafting was still relevant and I think it is still today. But it seems it's more of a history class than a drafting class now. Placing symbols on a piece of paper to represent something being built or the layout of the land or road will be a thing of the past, how soon nobody knows but it will happen and a lot of us wont be ready for it.

[tombu]

Why is it people think that just because there is a newer way to do the exact same thing in the same amount of time that the older way should not be taught and thrown out like an old newspaper? (SMH)

 

When I went to school for AutoCAD, the first project was on the board. I learned a lot about drafting during that month that I still use today.

 

2nd that! While I've been using Civil 3D for a while I used Vanilla for many years and have fond memories of all the ways I've done this task in the past including creating a set of macros using 'Cal functions for survey lines and arcs. I still have my Engineering Graphics book from taking Technical Drawing 34 years ago as a reference. I may do things differently now, but I'll never let go of all the things I learned along the way that got me here.

[Dana W]

Why is it people think that just because there is a newer way to do the exact same thing in the same amount of time that the older way should not be taught and thrown out like an old newspaper? (SMH)

 

When I went to school for AutoCAD, the first project was on the board. I learned a lot about drafting during that month that I still use today.

 

This is exactly why I will never buy a car with those stupid flappy paddles behind the steering wheel. Newer is not better every time.