Creating Patterns of Entities

The copied entities inherit all properties of the original entities such as Layers, LineColors, LineStyles, and LineWeights.

Circular patterns

To create a circular pattern:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the ribbon, click Home > Modify > Pattern.
   • On the menu, click Modify > Pattern.
   • Type Pattern.
2. In the dialog box, under Pattern type, select Circular.
3. Click Specify entities , select the entities to generate the pattern, and press Enter to complete the selection.

   The dialog box disappears when your selection is complete.

   In the dialog box, the collection of specified entities is referred to as elements.

4. Under Settings, set:
   • Associative. Specifies whether the pattern is created associatively or non-associatively.
   • Clockwise. Specifies whether the direction of the polar array is clockwise or counterclockwise. The option is available only for associative circular patterns.
   • Base pattern on. Select an option:
     • Angle Between and Total Number of Elements
     • Fill Angle and Angle Between Elements
     • Fill Angle and Total Number of Elements
   • Angle between (if required). Specifies the included angle between the base points of the pattern entities and the center of the pattern. Type a positive value or click Pick angle between items .
   • Fill angle (if required). Type a positive or negative value or click Pick angle to fill . The default for the angle to fill is 360° - a full circle pattern. A value of zero is not allowed.
   • Total number (if required). Specifies the resulting number of copies in the circular patten (including the source).
5. Under Element base point, set:
   • Use last entity selected. Uses the base point from the last entity you specified.
   • X and Y. Type values or click Pick base point  to specify the base point in the graphics area.
6. Under Axis point, for X and Y, type values for the center point of the pattern or click Pick center point .
7. Select Orient elements about axis to rotate the copies as they are patterned, otherwise they maintain the alignment of the source entities.
8. Click OK.

  Note: In the Pattern dialog box, click Preview to check the resulting pattern without creating it. You can use this option and return to the dialog box as many times as needed, then click OK to generate the pattern.

Linear patterns

To create a linear pattern:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the ribbon, click Home > Modify > Pattern.
   • On the menu, click Modify > Pattern.
   • Type Pattern.
2. In the dialog box, under Pattern type, select Linear.
3. Click Specify entities , select the entities to generate the pattern, and press Enter to complete the selection.

   The dialog box disappears when your selection is complete.

   In the dialog box, the collection of specified entities is referred to as elements.

4. Under Settings, set:
   • Associative. Specifies whether the pattern is created associatively or non-associatively.
   • For Horizontal axis and Vertical axis, type the number of copies.
   • For Spacing between elements on, define spacing between the copies and an angle for the pattern:
     • Horizontal axis. Specifies the distance between columns. Click Select column offset  to identify the offset using two points in the drawing. If the column offset is a negative value, columns are added to the left.
     • Vertical axis. Specifies the distance between rows. Click Select row offset  to identify the offset using two points in the drawing. If the row offset is a negative value, rows are added downward.
     • Pattern angle. Specifies the angle to control how the copies are arranged. Click Select angle  to specify the angle using the pointer.

  Note: In the Pattern dialog box, click Preview to check the resulting pattern without creating it. You can use this option and return to the dialog box as many times as needed, then click OK to generate the pattern.

Access

Command: Pattern

Ribbon: Home > Modify > Pattern

Menu: Modify > Pattern