Specifying Drafting Options

Use the DraftingOptions command to configure the drawing environment including EntitySnaps, snaps, grid display, EntityGrips, and entity selection.

To set up drafting tools and preferences:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Pointer Control, Display, Entity Selection, Dimension Palette, Heads-up Display, or other tree view items to set up drafting tools and preferences.

Pointer Control

To set up EntitySnaps:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Pointer Control > EntitySnaps.
3. Select Enable EntitySnaps (ESnaps) to enable or disable the use of entity snaps.
4. Select Geometry ESnaps and Reference ESnaps so you do not need to invoke them as you draw. See Understanding EntitySnap Modes.

To set up snap options:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Pointer Control > Snap Settings.
3. Select Enable Snap to enable or disable snaps.
4. Under Type, set:
   • Standard (snaps to grid): Causes the pointer to snap to points at specified horizontal and vertical spacings.
   • Radial (RSnap): Causes the pointer to snap to points along a radial vector. Polar guides must be on for this functionality to work.
5. Under Spacing, set:
   • Match Grid spacing: Forces the pointer to snap along vertical or horizontal grid points when specifying points.
   • Horizontal Snap spacing: Sets the horizontal spacing of the snap grid.
   • Vertical Snap spacing: Sets the vertical spacing of the snap grid.
   • Match horizontal spacing: Transfers the value for horizontal spacing to the value for vertical spacing, so that grid display is evenly spaced in the X and Y directions.
   • RSnap spacing: Specifies the spacing when using the RadialSnap type.

Note: You can customize snap and grid settings for each ViewTile.

Display

To set up EntityTrack guides:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Display > ETrack and set:
   • Enable EntityTracking (ETrack): Displays orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) tracking guides when the pointer moves over EntitySnap points. (EntitySnap guides must be enabled).
   • Display ETrack guides across screen: Displays tracking guides. (EntitySnap guides must be enabled). When cleared, tracking paths display between the EntitySnap location and the pointer position.
   • Enable Shift to acquire reference points: Displays tracking guides when you hold down Shift and move the pointer over an EntitySnap point.

To set up polar guides:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Display > Polar guides.
3. To enable polar guides, select Enable Polar guides (Polar). This option applies polar guide settings to EntitySnap pointers. The guides display along polar alignment angles from EntitySnap points (if ETrack is on).
4. To display polar guides, select Display Polar guides. This option displays alignment paths.
5. In Incremental angles for Polar guide display, select the angle increment to display and apply polar guides.
6. Optionally, select or clear Display Polar guides at specific angle(s), and click:
   • Add to specify individual values of angle increments for the use of polar guides.
   • Delete to remove specified individual values from the list.

   See also: Using Polar Guides.

To set grid settings:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Display > Grid Settings:
3. Select Enable Grid to enable or disable the display of a pattern of evenly spaced dots that serve as a visual distance reference.
4. Under Orientation, set:
   • Rectangular: Orients the snap grid and grid display rectangularly.
   • Isometric: Orients the snap grid and grid display at a 60° angle.
5. Under Spacing, set:
   • Match Snap spacing: Sets the grid spacing so that it matches the Snap settings.
   • Horizontal display spacing: Sets the horizontal spacing of the grid.
   • Vertical display spacing: Sets the vertical spacing of the grid.
   • Match horizontal spacing: Transfers the value for horizontal spacing to the value for vertical spacing, so that grid display is evenly spaced in the X and Y directions.

To set drafting settings:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Display > Pointer Cues and set:
   • Display ESnap cues: Displays ESnap markers when the pointer encounters ESnap points. The highlighting shows the ESnap mode you can apply. You can also set the cue color.
   • ESnap cue size: Sets the display size of ESnap markers.
3. Expand Display > Gravity Box and set:
   • Enable ESnap gravity: Pulls the pointer to an EntitySnap point when the pointer moves near the point.
   • Display GravityBox: Displays a box inside the crosshairs when you snap to an entity. When snap points come within this box, they become candidates for ESnaps. Adjust the GravityBox size.

Entity Selection

To set entity selection methods:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Entity Selection > Selection Settings and set:
   • Automatic window/cross selection. Creates a selection window when you specify a point outside an entity.
   • Enable entity selection before commands. Lets you select entities first, then issue modifying commands on the selection set. If entities are not yet selected, you are prompted for entities. To clear the current selection set, press Esc. Pre-selection has no effect on Split, Trim, Extend, Chamfer, and Fillet commands.
   • Enable hatch/boundary relations. Selects Hatch entities and boundary entities when you select a related Hatch.
   • Enable EntityGroup selection sets. Selects all entities in an EntityGroup when you select one entity in that EntityGroup.
   • EntityGroup display mode. Controls which EntityGrips are displayed for an EntityGroup selection.
     • All entities. Displays all EntityGrips on all entities of the specified EntityGroup. You can modify each entity using its EntityGrips.
     • Bounding box. Displays only one central EntityGrip for the entire EntityGroup, and a bounding box.
     • Egroup. Displays only one central EntityGrip for the entire EntityGroup.
   • SelectionBox size. Defines the display size of the SelectionBox (the pointer used to select entities).

To set entity selection highlighting:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Entity Selection > Pre-selected highlighting and set:
   • When prompted to specify entities or points. Previews selections when a command is active and prompts you to specify entities.
   • Between commands. Previews selections when no commands are active.

To set preview filter:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Entity Selection > Preview filter.
3. In Exclude, select the entity type to exclude from selection previews:
   • Entities on locked layers. Excludes entities on locked layers.
   • Notes. Excludes Notes.
   • References. Excludes entities in externally referenced drawings (References).
   • Hatches. Excludes Hatches and Gradients.
   • Tables. Excludes Tables.
   • EntityGroups. Excludes entities in EntityGroups.

To set EntityGrips (EGrips) preferences:

• For EGrips Options, EGrips Color, and EGrips Size, see Setting EntityGrips Preferences.

Dimension Palette

(Professional, Premium, Enterprise & Enterprise Plus)

To set Dimension palette preferences:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Dimension Palette.
3. Click Enable Dimension palette to turn on or off the Dimension palette.
4. In Favorites library path, set the path for Dimension text favorites files (*.dimfvt files). Click Browse to browse for the Dimension text favorites file folder.

Heads-up Display

(Professional, Premium, Enterprise & Enterprise Plus)

To show or hide the Heads-up Display toolbar:

1. Type DraftingOptions at the command prompt.

   In the Options dialog box, the User Preferences page opens and Drafting Options expands.

2. Expand Heads-Up Display.
3. Select or clear Enable Heads-up toolbar. When selected, the toolbar displays when you select entities.

Quick Input

(Professional, Premium, Enterprise & Enterprise Plus)

To adjust Quick Input methods:

• See Quick Input Preferences.
• See Professional Help > Using Quick Input Methods > Quick Input Preferences.

Access

Command: DraftingOptions