Creates a 2D polyline, a single object that is composed of line and arc segments.
Access Methods
Tool Set:
.
Menu: .
The following prompts are displayed.
- Specify start point
- Sets the starting point for the polyline.
- A temporary plus-shaped marker displays at the first point.
- Pressing Enter starts a new polyline from the last endpoint specified in creating a polyline, line, or arc.
- Specify next point
-
- If you specify a second point, you create straight segments.
- If you enter a (for Arc), you create arc segments.
Prompts Common to Line and Arc Segments
- Close
- Connects the first and last segments to create a closed polyline.
- Halfwidth
- Specifies the width from the center of a wide segment to an edge.
- Width
- Specifies the width of the next segment.
Some things to keep in mind when defining the half-width or width of a polyline.
- The starting width becomes the default ending width.
- The ending width becomes the uniform width for all subsequent segments until you change the width again.
- The starting and ending points of wide line segments are at the centerline of the segment.
- Typically, the intersections of adjacent wide polyline segments are beveled.
- No beveling is performed for nontangent arc segments, very acute angles, or when a dot-dash linetype is used.
- Undo
- Removes the most recently added segment.
Line-Only Prompts
- Arc
- Begins creating arc segments tangent to the previous segment.
- Length
- Creates a segment of a specified length at the same angle as the previous segment. If the previous segment is an arc, the new line segment is tangent to that arc segment.
Arc-Only Prompts
- Endpoint of arc
- Completes an arc segment. The arc segment is tangent to the previous segment of the polyline.
- Angle
- Specifies the included angle of the arc segment from the start point.
Entering a positive number creates counterclockwise arc segments. Entering a negative number creates clockwise arc segments.
- Center
- Specifies an arc segment based on its center point.
Note: For the Center option of the PLINE command, enter ce; for the Center object snap, enter cen or center.
- Direction
- Specifies the tangent for the arc segment.
- (2) Tangent direction from the start point of the arc. Specifies a point that establishes a tangency of the curve to the start point. The arc curves away from the vector between the start point and the tangent point.
- (3) Endpoint of the arc. Specifies the endpoint of the arc segment.
Tip: Press Ctrl to draw in a clockwise direction. - Line
- Switches from drawing arc segments to drawing straight segments.
- Radius
- Specifies the radius of the arc segment.
- Second pt
- Specifies the second point and endpoint of a three-point arc.
Linetype Pattern
The PLINEGEN system variable controls how linetype patterns generate around the vertices of a 2D polyline.
- 0. Generates linetypes that start and end with a dash at each vertex of the polyline
- 1. Generates linetypes in an uninterrupted pattern through the vertices of the polyline
Note: Changing this value does not affect existing polylines. Change the Linetype Generation setting on the Properties palette to update existing polylines.