Creating Circular Patterns

You can create a circular pattern by copying a specified entity around a specified center point. You control the number of copies. Additionally, you can rotate the copies as they are patterned, otherwise they maintain the alignment of the source entities.

DraftSight determines the radius of the circular pattern based on the distance between the specified axis point and a base point on the entity. You can use a snap point as the base point or you can specify another point.

For 3D circular patterns, you can specify the axis of rotation with any two points in space.

Example: A circular pattern with 8 items, fill on 360°.

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 Pattern 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.

    The collection of specified entities is referred to as elements.

  4. Under Element base point, define:
    • 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.
  5. Under Axis point, for X and Y, type values for the center point of the pattern or click Pick center point.
  6. Select Orient elements about axis to rotate the copies as they are patterned. Otherwise they maintain the alignment of the source entities.

  7. Under Settings, define:
    • 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
    • Optional. Angle between. 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.
    • Optional. Fill angle. 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.
    • Optional. Total number. Specifies the resulting number of copies in the circular pattern, including the source.
    • Levels. Specifies the number of levels in the 3D circular pattern.
    • Spacing on levels. Specifies the distance between the levels.
    • Rows. Specifies the number of rows in the circular pattern.

      The following example shows a circular pattern with two rows. Each row has eight items and fill on 360°.

    • Spacing on rows. Specifies the distance between the rows within the circular pattern.
  8. Click OK.
In the Pattern dialog box, click Preview to check the pattern without generating it. You can use this option as required and click OK to generate to pattern.