MODIFY TOOLS IN AUTOCAD

1. Offset – Creates a duplicate object parallel with the original object

2. Trim – Shorten or lengthened objects.
3. Extend – Shorten of lengthen objects to meet the edges of other objects.
4. Erase – Remove objects from drawing.
5. Move – Moves one or more objects to specified location.
6. Stretch - Resize objects to make them longer or shorter in only one direction.
7. Rotate – Rotate objects with an absolute or relative angle.
8. Copy – Copies one or more objects
9. Array – Create copies of objects in a rectangular or polar pattern.
10. Mirror – Create a mirror image of an object.
11. Scale – Resize an object in a specified base point, size and length.
12. Chamfer – Connect two objects with an angled line.
13. Fillet – Connect two objects with an arch in a specified radius.
14. Join – Combine similar objects into one single object.
15. Break – Creates a gap in an object.
16. Explode – Convert polylines, hatches or blocks into individual element.

COMPLETE CONCEPT OF MODIFY TOOLS IN AUTOCAD

Erase

You can erase objects from your drawing using several methods.

 Erase them with ERASE.

 Select them and then cut them to the Clipboard with CTRL+X.
 Select them and press DELETE.

You can restore accidentally erased objects using UNDO. The OOPS command
restores all objects deleted by the most recent use of ERASE, BLOCK, or WBLOCK.

Copy

You can create duplicates of objects at a specified distance and direction from the
originals.

Use coordinates, grid snap, object snaps, and other tools to copy objects with precision.

Specify Distance with Two Points

Copy an object using the distance and direction specified by a base point followed by a
second point. In this example, you copy the block representing an electronic
component. After clicking Copy on the Edit menu, select the original object to be copied.
Specify the base point for the move (1) followed by a second point (2). The object is
copied the distance and direction of point 1 to point 2.

Specify Distance with Relative Coordinates

Copy an object using a relative distance by entering coordinate values for the first point
and pressing ENTER for the second point. The coordinate values are used as a relative
displacement rather than the location of a base point.

Note Do not include an @ sign as you normally would for relative coordinates, because
relative coordinates are expected.

To copy objects a specified distance, you can also use direct distance entry with Ortho
mode and polar tracking. For more information, see Enter Direct Distances.

Create Multiple Copies

The COPY command repeats for convenience. To exit the command, press ENTER.

Mirror

You can flip objects about a specified axis to create a symmetrical mirror image.
Mirroring is useful for creating symmetrical objects because you can quickly draw half
the object and then mirror it instead of drawing the entire object.

You flip objects about an axis called a mirror line to create a mirror image. To specify
this temporary mirror line, you enter two points. You can choose whether to erase or
retain the original objects.

By default, when you mirror text, attributes, and attribute definitions, they are not
reversed or turned upside down in the mirror image. The text has the same alignment
and justification as before the object was mirrored. If you do want text to be reversed,
set the MIRRTEXT system variable to 1.

MIRRTEXT affects text that is created with the TEXT, ATTDEF, or MTEXT commands;
attribute definitions; and variable attributes. Text and constant attributes that are part of
an inserted block are reversed when the block is mirrored regardless of the MIRRTEXT
setting.

Mirror in 3D

With MIRROR3D, you can mirror objects across a specified mirroring plane. The
mirroring plane can be one of the following:

 The plane of a planar object

 A plane parallel to the XY, YZ, or XZ plane of the current UCS that passes
through a specified point
 A plane defined by three specified points (2, 3, and 4)
Offset

creates a new object whose shape parallels the shape of a selected object. Offsetting a
circle or an arc creates a larger or smaller circle or arc, depending on which side you
specify for the offset.

A highly effective drawing technique is to offset objects and then trim or extend their
ends.

You can offset

 Lines
 Arcs
 Circles
 Ellipses and elliptical arcs (resulting in an oval-shaped spline)
 2D polylines
 Construction lines (xlines) and rays
 Splines
Special Cases for Offset Polylines and Splines

2D polylines and splines are trimmed automatically when the offset distance is larger
than can otherwise be accommodated.
Closed 2D polylines that are offset to create larger polylines result in potential gaps
between segments. The OFFSETGAPTYPE system variable controls how these
potential gaps are closed.

Array

You can create copies of objects in a rectangular or polar (circular) pattern called an
array.

For rectangular arrays, you control the number of rows and columns and the distance
between each. For polar arrays, you control the number of copies of the object and
whether the copies are rotated. To create many regularly spaced objects, arraying is
faster than copying.

Create Rectangular Arrays

A rectangular array is built along a baseline defined by the current snap rotation angle.
This angle is zero by default, so the rows and columns of a rectangular array are
orthogonal with respect to the X and Y axes. The default angle 0 direction setting can
be changed in UNITS.
Create Polar Arrays

When you create a polar array, the array is drawn counterclockwise or clockwise,
depending on whether you enter a positive or a negative value for the angle to fill.

The radius of the array is determined by the distance from the specified center point to a
reference or base point on the last selected object. You can use the default reference
point (usually an arbitrary point that coincides with a snap point), or you can specify a
new base point to be used as the reference point.

Array in 3D

With 3DARRAY, you can create a rectangular array or a polar array of objects in 3D. In
addition to specifying the number of columns (X direction) and rows (Y direction), you
also specify the number of levels (Z direction).

Limit the Size of Arrays

If you specify a very large number of rows and columns for an array, it may take a long
time to create the copies. By default, the number of array elements that can be
generated by one command is limited to approximately 100,000. This limit is controlled
by the MaxArray setting in the registry.

You can change the limit by setting the MaxArray system registry variable using (setenv
“MaxArray” “n”) where n is a number between 100 and 10000000 (ten million).

Note When changing the value of MaxArray, you must enter MaxArray with the
capitalization shown.
Move

You can move objects at a specified distance and direction from the originals.

Use coordinates, grid snap, object snaps, and other tools to move objects with
precision.

Specify Distance with Two Points

Move an object using the distance and direction specified by a base point followed by a
second point. In this example, you move the block representing a window. After clicking
Move on the Edit menu, select the object to be moved (1). Specify the base point for the
move (2) followed by a second point (3). The object is moved the distance and direction
of point 2 to point 3.

Specify Distance with Relative Coordinates

You can move an object using a relative distance by entering coordinate values for the
first point and pressing ENTER for the second point. The coordinate values are used as
a relative displacement rather than the location of a base point.

Note Do not include an @ sign as you normally would for relative coordinates, because
relative coordinates are expected.

To copy objects a specified distance, you can also use direct distance entry with Ortho
mode and polar tracking. For more information, see Enter Direct Distances

Use a Stretch-Move

You can also use STRETCH to move objects if all their endpoints lie entirely within the
selection window. Turn on Ortho mode or polar tracking to move the objects at a
specific angle.

A practical example is moving a door in a wall. The door in the illustration is entirely
within a crossing selection, while the wall lines are only partly within the crossing
selection area.
The result is that only the endpoints that lie within the crossing selection move.

Rotate

You can rotate objects in your drawing around a specified base point.

To determine the angle of rotation, you can enter an angle value, drag using the cursor,
or specify a reference angle to align to an absolute angle.

Rotate an Object by a Specified Angle

Enter a rotation angle value from 0 to 360 degrees. You can also enter values in
radians, grads, or surveyor bearings. Entering a positive angle value rotates the objects
counterclockwise or clockwise, depending on the Direction Control setting in the
Drawing Units dialog box.

Rotate an Object by Dragging

Drag the object around the base point and specify a second point. Use Ortho mode,
polar tracking, or object snaps for greater precision.

For example, you can rotate the plan view of a house by selecting the objects (1),
specifying a base point (2), and specifying an angle of rotation by dragging to another
point (3).

Rotate an Object to an Absolute Angle

With the Reference option, you can rotate an object to align it to an absolute angle.

For example, to rotate the part in the illustration so the diagonal edge rotates to 90
degrees, you select the objects to be rotated (1, 2), specify the base point (3), and enter
the Reference option. For the reference angle, specify the two endpoints of the diagonal
line (4, 5). For the new angle, enter 90.

Rotate an Object in 3D

To rotate 3D objects, you can use either ROTATE or ROTATE3D.

 With ROTATE, you can rotate objects around a specified base point. The axis of
rotation passes through the base point and is parallel to the Z axis of the current
UCS.
 With ROTATE3D, you can specify the axis of rotation using either two points; an
object; the X, Y, or Z axis; or the Z direction of the current view.

Scale/Stretch

You can resize objects to make them longer or shorter in only one direction or to make
them proportionally larger or smaller.

You can also stretch certain objects by moving an endpoint, vertex, or control point.

Lengthen Objects

With LENGTHEN, you can change the included angle of arcs and the length of the
following objects:

 Lines
 Arcs
 Open polylines
 Elliptical arcs
 Open splines.

The results are similar to extending and trimming. You can

  Drag an object endpoint dynamically
 Specify a new length or angle as a percentage of the total length or angle
 Specify an incremental length or angle measured from an endpoint
 Specify the object's total absolute length or included angle
Stretch Objects

With STRETCH, you relocate the endpoints of objects that lie across or within a
crossing selection window.

 Objects that are partially enclosed by a crossing window are stretched.

 Objects that are completely enclosed within the crossing window, or that are
selected individually, are moved rather than stretched.

To stretch an object, you specify a base point and then a point of displacement.

To stretch with precision, use object snaps, grid snaps, and relative coordinate entry.

Scale Objects Using a Scale Factor

With SCALE, you can make an object uniformly larger or smaller. To scale an object,
you specify a base point and a scale factor. Alternatively, you can specify a length to be
used as a scale factor based on the current drawing units.

A scale factor greater than 1 enlarges the object. A scale factor between 0 and 1
shrinks the object.

Scaling changes the size of all dimensions of the selected object. A scale factor greater
than 1 enlarges the object. A scale factor less than 1 shrinks the object.
Scale Objects Using a Reference Distance

You can also scale by reference. Scaling by reference uses an existing distance as a
basis for the new size. To scale by reference, specify the current distance and then the
new desired size. For example, if one side of an object is 4.8 units long and you want to
expand it to 7.5 units, use 4.8 as the reference length.

You can use the Reference option to scale an entire drawing. For example, use this
option when the original drawing units need to be changed. Select all objects in the
drawing. Then use Reference to select two points and specify the intended distance. All
the objects in the drawing are scaled accordingly.

Trim/Extend

You can shorten or lengthen objects to meet the edges of other objects.

This means you can first create an object such as a line and then later adjust it to fit
exactly between other objects.

Objects you select as cutting edges or boundary edges are not required to intersect the
object being trimmed. You can trim or extend an object to a projected edge or to an
extrapolated intersection; that is, where the objects would intersect if they were
extended.

If you do not specify a boundary and press ENTER at the Select Objects prompt, all
displayed objects become potential boundaries.

Note To select cutting edges or boundary edges that include blocks, you can use only
the single selection, Crossing, Fence, and Select All options.
Trim Objects

You can trim objects so that they end precisely at boundary edges defined by other
objects.

For example, you can clean up the intersection of two walls smoothly by trimming.
An object can be one of the cutting edges and one of the objects being trimmed. For
example, in the illustrated light fixture, the circle is a cutting edge for the construction
lines and is also being trimmed.

When you trim several objects, the different selection methods can help you choose the
current cutting edges and objects to trim. In the following example, the cutting edges are
selected using crossing selection.

The following example uses the fence selection method to select a series of objects for
trimming.

You can trim objects to their nearest intersection with other objects. Instead of selecting
cutting edges, you press ENTER. Then, when you select the objects to trim, the nearest
displayed objects act as cutting edges. In this example, the walls are trimmed so that
they intersect smoothly.
You can extend objects without leaving the TRIM command. Hold down SHIFT and
select the objects to be extended.

Extend Objects

Extending operates the same way as trimming. You can extend objects so they end
precisely at boundary edges defined by other objects. In this example, you extend the
lines precisely to a circle, which is the boundary edge.

You can trim objects without leaving the EXTEND command. Hold down SHIFT and
select the objects to be trimmed.

Trim and Extend Wide Polylines

2D wide polylines trim and extend at their centerlines. The ends of wide polylines are
always square. Trimming a wide polyline at an angle causes portions of the end to
extend beyond the cutting edge

If you trim or extend a tapered 2D polyline segment, the width of the extended end is
corrected to continue the original taper to the new endpoint. If this correction gives the
segment a negative ending width, the ending width is forced to 0.
Trim and Extend Spline-Fit Polylines

Trimming a spline-fit polyline removes the curve-fit information and changes the spline-
fit segments into ordinary polyline segments.

Extending a spline-fit polyline adds a new vertex to the control frame for the polyline.

Trim or Extend in 3D

You can trim or extend an object to any other object in 3D space, regardless of whether
the objects are on the same plane or parallel to the cutting or boundary edges. In the
TRIM and EXTEND commands, use the Project and Edge options to select one of three
projections for trimming or extending:

 The XY plane of the current UCS

 The plane of the current view
 True 3D, which is not a projection

Break/Join

You can break an object into two objects with or without a gap between them. You can
also join objects to make a single object.

Break Objects

Use BREAK to create a gap in an object, resulting in two objects with a gap between
them. BREAK is often used to create space for block or text.
To break an object without creating a gap, specify both break points at the same
location. The fastest way to do this is to enter @0,0 at the prompt for the second point.

You can create breaks in most geometric objects except

 Blocks
 Dimensions
 Mlines
 Regions
Join Objects

Use JOIN to combine similar objects into a single object. You can also create complete
circles and ellipses from arcs and elliptical arcs. You can join

 Arcs
 Elliptical arcs
 Lines
 Polylines
 Splines

The object to which you want to join similar objects is called a source object. Objects to
be joined must be located in the same plane. Additional restrictions for each type of
objects are described in the JOIN command.

Chamfer

A chamfer connects two objects with an angled line. It is usually used to represent a
beveled edge on a corner.

You can chamfer

 Lines
 Polylines
 Rays
 Xlines
 3D solids

CHAMFER can be used to bevel all corners of a polyline using a single command.
Note Chamfering a hatch boundary that was defined from line segments removes hatch
associativity. If the hatch boundary was defined from a polyline, associativity is
maintained.

If both objects being chamfered are on the same layer, the chamfer line is created on
that layer. Otherwise, the chamfer line is created on the current layer. The layer affects
object properties including color and linetype.

Use the Multiple option to chamfer more than one set of objects without leaving the
command.

Chamfer by Specifying Distances

The chamfer distance is the amount each object is trimmed or extended to meet the
chamfer line or to intersect the other. If both chamfer distances are 0, chamfering trims
or extends the two objects until they intersect but does not create a chamfer line. You
can hold down SHIFT while selecting the objects to override the current chamfer
distances with a value of 0.

In the following example, you set the chamfer distance to 0.5 for the first line and 0.25
for the second line. After you specify the chamfer distance, you select the two lines as
shown.

Trim and Extend Chamfered Objects

By default, objects are trimmed when chamfered, but you can use the Trim option to
specify that they remain untrimmed.

Chamfer by Specify Length and Angle

You can chamfer two objects by specifying where on the first selected object the
chamfer line starts, and then the angle the chamfer line forms with this object.

In this example, you chamfer two lines so that the chamfer line starts 1.5 units from the
intersection along the first line and forms an angle of 30 degrees with this line.

Chamfer Polylines and Polyline Segments

If the two objects you select for chamfering are segments of a polyline, they must be
adjacent or separated by no more than one arc segment. If they are separated by an
arc segment, as shown in the illustration, chamfering deletes the arc and replaces it with
a chamfer line.

Chamfer an Entire Polyline

When you chamfer an entire polyline, each intersection is chamfered. For best results,
keep the first and second chamfer distances equal.

In this example, the chamfer distances are set to equal values.

When you chamfer an entire polyline, only the segments that are long enough to
accommodate the chamfer distance are chamfered. The polyline in the following
illustration has some segments too short to be chamfered.

Fillet

A fillet connects two objects with an arc that is tangent to the objects and has a
specified radius.

An inside corner is called a fillet and an outside corner is called a round; you can create
both using the FILLET command.

You can fillet

 Arcs
 Circles
 Ellipses and elliptical arcs
 Lines
 Polylines
 Rays
 Splines
 Xlines
 3D solids

FILLET can be used to round all corners on a polyline using a single command.

Note Filleting a hatch boundary that was defined from line segments removes hatch
associativity. If the hatch boundary was defined from a polyline, associativity is
maintained.
If both objects being filleted are on the same layer, the fillet arc is created on that layer.
Otherwise, the fillet arc is created on the current layer. The layer affects object
properties including color and linetype.

Use the Multiple option to fillet more than one set of objects without leaving the
command.

Set the Fillet Radius

The fillet radius is the radius of the arc that connects filleted objects. Changing the fillet
radius affects subsequent fillets. If you set the fillet radius to 0, filleted objects are
trimmed or extended until they intersect, but no arc is created.

You can hold down SHIFT while selecting the objects to override the current fillet radius
with a value of 0.

Trim and Extend Filleted Objects

You can use the Trim option to specify whether the selected objects are trimmed or
extended to the endpoints of the resulting arc or left unchanged.

Control the Location of the Fillet

Depending on the locations you specify, more than one possible fillet can exist between
the selected objects. Compare the selection locations and resulting fillets in the
illustrations.
Fillet Line and Polyline Combinations

To fillet lines with polylines, each line or its extension must intersect one of the polyline
line segments. If the Trim option is on, the filleted objects and the fillet arc join to form a
single new polyline.

Fillet an Entire Polyline

You can fillet an entire polyline or remove fillets from an entire polyline.

If you set a nonzero fillet radius, FILLET inserts fillet arcs at the vertex of each polyline
segment that is long enough to accommodate the fillet radius.

If two polyline line segments converge as they approach an arc segment that separates
them, FILLET removes the arc segment and replaces it with a fillet arc.
If you set the fillet radius to 0, no fillet arcs are inserted. If two polyline line segments are
separated by one arc segment, FILLET removes that arc and extends the lines until
they intersect.

Fillet Parallel Lines

You can fillet parallel lines, xlines, and rays. The current fillet radius temporarily adjusts
to create an arc that is tangent to both objects and located in the plane common to both
objects.

The first selected object must be a line or a ray, but the second object can be a line, an
xline, or a ray. The fillet arc connects as shown in the illustration.

Explode

If you need to modify one or more objects within a block separately, you can
disassemble, or explode, the block reference into its component objects. After making
the changes, you can

 Create a new block definition

 Redefine the existing block definition
 Leave the component objects uncombined for other uses

You can automatically explode block references as you insert them by selecting the
Explode option in the Insert dialog box.