The Polyline tool converts raster lines to vector lines or polylines.
AutoCAD Raster Design toolset creates an AutoCAD entity with the same position and dimensions as a raster line you select. Once AutoCAD Raster Design toolset has vectorized a line, you can verify its geometry (including angle and length), switch the start point and endpoint, and trim or extend the line. Depending on the settings you specified on the VTools General tab of the Raster Design Options dialog box, the Polyline tool can remove the underlying raster when you exit the command, force the vector polylines to conform to current drafting settings, or assign layers to the vectors based on the width of the underlying raster lines.
When you use the Polyline tool, you can select the raster line for vectorizing using one of two selection methods:
- The default, or one-pick method, vectorizes a bitonal raster line with a single click. The endpoint nearest the point you select is considered the start point (an arrow glyph points away from the start-point). Depending on which AutoCAD drafting settings are active, SmartCorrect automatically corrects the resulting polyline to conform to current drafting settings.
- The multi-pick method vectorizes any raster line that you define by clicking a start point and an endpoint. After you select the first start point, you are prompted to enter subsequent endpoints to create a single polyline with multiple segments.
After you select a raster line to vectorize, the AutoCAD command line displays a number of choices. You can select another entity to vectorize using the one-pick method, or you can use any of the following options on the vector line segment you just created:
- 2P, to select another entity using the multi-pick method.
- Angle, to adjust the angle. You can enter an angular value, or match the angle of another vector line.
- Length, to adjust the length. You can enter a length value, or match the length of another vector line.
- Undo, to remove the line.
If you used the one-pick method to select the raster line, the following options are available to modify the vector line segment you just created:
- Start, to change the start point.
- End, to change the endpoint.
- Switch, to reverse the direction, moving the start point to the other end.
- Trim, to shorten the line by clicking an intersecting vector entity to trim to, or by clicking another entity that, if extended, would intersect the line you are trimming. AutoCAD Raster Design toolset moves the endpoint to the apparent intersection.
- Extend, to lengthen the line by clicking an intersecting vector entity to extend to, or by clicking another entity that, if extended, would intersect the raster line you are extending. AutoCAD Raster Design toolset moves the endpoint to the apparent intersection.
Note: To make the most efficient use of vectorization tools, you should adjust the settings on the
VTools General tab on the
Raster Design Options dialog box.