OBJECTS

• Object Snaps 
• Isolate Objects 
• Move/Copy/Rotate 
• Associative Arrays 
• Dimensions

1. Object Snaps 

Use Object Snaps (OSNAP) to draw objects precisely in relation to other objects in your drawing. For example, you can use object snaps to create a line from the center of a circle to the midpoint of another line. 

You can specify an object snap whenever you are prompted for a point. By default, a marker and a tooltip are displayed when you move the cursor over an object snap location.

To specify an object snap at a prompt for a point, you can: 

• Press Shift and Right-click to display the Object Snap shortcut menu 
• Right-click and choose an object snap from the Snap Overrides submenu 
• Enter the name of an object snap 
• Click an object snap button on the Object Snap toolbar. This will turn on running object snaps that will persist through all subsequent commands.

2. Isolate Objects

Isolate a selected group of objects for easier editing in complicated or busy drawings. The Isolate Objects tool (ISOLATEOBJECTS) makes non-selected objects in the drawing temporarily invisible.

Start this command from the Right-click menu or by typing ISOLATEOBJECTS into the command line. When you are finished editing or working in the cleaned area of your drawing, you can end your object isolation and bring back any hidden objects simply by using the UNISOLATEOBJECTS command or End Object Isolation rightclick option.

BONUS #1: Hide objects instead to clear up an area of a busy drawing by using the HIDEOBJECTS command or in the right-click menu to temporarily suppress selected objects.

BONUS #2: By default, hidden or isolated objects are temporary during your current drawing session. However, if you set OBJECTISOLATIONMODE to 1, the hidden or isolated objects will persist between sessions.

3. Move/Copy/Rotate

Use Express Tools, like Move/Copy/Rotate, located in the Express Tools tab of the Ribbon to speed up your workflow. Move/Copy/Rotate allows you to perform any or all of these operations by only selecting the basepoint once.

Go to the Express Tools tab of the Ribbon and click the Move/Copy/ Rotate tool. Select the object you want to move, copy, rotate, or scale. Select a basepoint, and then follow the options on the Command line or cursor menu to select the operation you want to perform.

Each time an operation is completed, the options reappear allowing you to choose another operation using the same selected object and basepoint. If needed, you can change the basepoint by selecting the Base option.

BONUS: To find more Express Tools beyond the “Express Tools” Ribbon tab: Use the drop-down widget in the Menu Bar or type MENUBAR and setting it to 1. Click Express Tools on the far right side, and it will expand to show 10 categories of tools.

4. Associative Arrays

Use associative arrays, where objects within arrays retain their relationships. It’s incredibly easy to make adjustments to an array pattern, spacing, and location – and much faster than changing the location of individual objects.

Many designs contain symmetrical or repeatable patterns. Repeatable patterns, also known as arrays, can be created using the ARRAY command. Associative arrays make it easy to create rectangular and polar patterns along with distributing items along a 2D path.

Once an associative array has been created, you can: 

• Replace all instances of the original object 
• Replace or edit individual objects in an array 
• Update the number of and distance between items in an array

BONUS: When working in 3D, you can also specify the vertical distance between items in an array.

5. Dimensions

Save time by using the single DIM command to create one dimension after another without interruption and without typing multiple commands.

Type DIM into the command line or find the Dimension tool in the Annotate tab of the Ribbon. This command allows you to achieve different results with a combination of: 

• The DIM option you choose 
• The type of object you hover over 
• Where you hover over an object 
• Where you pick or click 
• What direction you move the cursor

BONUS: Cut more time out of your workflow by using the QDIM command to apply dimensions to an entire series of objects at once