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select 1 segment of a polyline?


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Hello. Im trying to ween myself off of bobcad, and teach myself autocad 2017. Its difficult, as nothing is even similar. I have drawn a rectangle as a polyline, and I need to select only 1 line segment, the top line, and make a parallel line 5 units down. When I try to do this, it selects the entire rectangle and offsets it. I dont want that. I just want to make a simple single parallel line. Surely im just missing a step here. it cant be a difficult thing to do. Must I somehow explode the polyline into segments? If so, how? I tried pedit, but nothing seemed to work. Is there a way to manually select a single segment of a polyline?

 

Thanks for your time!

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Use the OFFSET command and offset the rectangle 5 units. Then EXPLODE the offset rectangle and delete the segments you don't want.

 

Or you could try this lisp routine created by Lee Mac: http://www.lee-mac.com/offsetpolysection.html

 

Here's another lisp routine: https://autocadtips1.com/2011/07/04/autolisp-offset-polyline-segments/

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I was thinking to explode the original rectangle so I could select a single line, but cannot figure out how to make the explode function work. In bobcad, every line segment is picked as a single, or as a polyline by using the shift key. So, its easy to just pick a line, and do what ever with it. Shouldnt there be a way to select just 1 line segment without jumping through hoops?

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Ok, there must have been a glitch? I just got the explode function to work. On a side note, the drawing recovery manager would not work. It froze up and would give a preview of the desired drawing, but when double clicked, it would freeze up and then render the old un saved version. I think may be thats why i couldnt get explode to work. So, I closed down, did not try to recover, and just proceeded to try the explode function. Thanks very much for the help!

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Shouldnt there be a way to select just 1 line segment without jumping through hoops?

 

If you want to delete a line segment from a Polyline, you can initiate the ERASE command, then hold down the Ctrl key and click on the line segment you want to remove, but this functionality doesn't work if you want to Copy, Move, Offest etc. That's where you need a custom lisp routine like the ones I linked in my previous post.

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If the pline is drawn square then a simple way to do 1 side is draw a line picking the 2 pline points, then use move pick line or L for last make sure ortho is on F8 pick a point then drag in direction required with mouse, then type offset distance, all done. If its on angle again same method but using a UCS OB to set ortho angle. Do same again then UCS W

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I def appreciate all your guys help! In the future, I may have to plan my drawings more carefully to try and avoid redundant key strokes. For example,, having to hit enter to repeat a function, then having to reenter the numerical value for that function every time. What if I need fifty holes in a panel? Do I need to hit return a total of 150 times, and reenter the numerical value 50 times?!

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I was thinking to explode the original rectangle so I could select a single line, but cannot figure out how to make the explode function work. In bobcad, every line segment is picked as a single, or as a polyline by using the shift key. So, its easy to just pick a line, and do what ever with it. Shouldnt there be a way to select just 1 line segment without jumping through hoops?

 

If you wanted every single line to be a separate entity then you should have used the Line command not the Polyline command.

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In reference to the holes question, yes all holes the same size. Location would normally be snap to an intersection, or to the center of another radius.

 

Also, yes I figured that using the line function would have been better to start with then join them.

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Hmm. Perhaps I will investigate placing points instead of holes. The points represent drill points in the final g code output, and so they dont actually need to be a curved drawn hole. It is nice to see the holes though so spacial relationships can be seen and not imagined.

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If the "Circles" are in a line etc and some form of repeated distances required you could make some shortcuts that ask for spacing and copy an object multiple times you could do something like 3x40L followed by 5x20U.

 

ie copy 3 times at spacing of 40mm the u d r l up down right left

 

Sorry just an idea no code. It may be out there already.

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Back tracking to the original question, holding down the Ctrl key and selecting a polyline will allow you to select individual segment(s), you can delete the selected segments even non continuous parts, unfortunately offset only still works on the whole polyline but after selecting and then using the shift key you can get some nice transformations.

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Thats fantastic! At least its another option when an entire polyline is offset. Its still too bad though that instead of being able to pick 1 segment of a polyline for offset, one must jump around the issue either with better planning, or by work around procedures. All these tips presented are excellent fixes for when there is needed a work around. I guess next drawing will be done without the polyline command as much as possible then it shouldnt be a problem. Hoping that will not present any problems!

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