-Pattern

Use the -Pattern command to create copies of specified entities in a circular pattern, in a linear matrix, or along a path.

It is the command window variant of the Pattern command.

To create a circular pattern:

1. Type -Pattern at the command prompt.
2. Specify the entities that constitute the elements to copy, and press Enter.
3. Specify the Circular pattern option.
4. Specify the Element base point option if needed.
5. Specify the axis position of the array.
6. Specify the total number of elements of the circular pattern (including the source).
7. Specify the angle to fill. Press Enter to accept the 360° default.
8. To specify whether to orient the copies about the axis, type Yes or No.

To create a linear pattern:

1. Type -Pattern at the command prompt.
2. Specify the entities that constitute the elements to copy, and press Enter.
3. Specify the Linear pattern option.
4. Specify the number of copies on the vertical axis (including the source).
5. Specify the number of copies on the horizontal axis (including the source).
6. Do one of the following:
   1. Specify the spacing between the vertical copies of the array.
   2. Specify the spacing between the horizontal copies of the array.

   - or -

   • Specify two opposite points to define the cell size between the horizontal and vertical copies of the array.

To create a pattern along a path:

1. Type -Pattern at the command prompt.
2. In the graphics area, specify the entities that constitute the elements to copy, and press Enter.
3. Specify the entity that defines the path to align the specified entities along.

   The path can be a Line, PolyLine, Arc, Circle, Ellipse, or Spline.

4. Optionally, specify the Element base point option to determine a reference point for the selected entities. Elements in path patterns are positioned relative to the base point.
5. Specify one of the following options:
   • Distance and number. Allocates the pattern elements along the path at specified intervals with the specified total number of elements.
   • Divide. Allocates the number of elements you specify evenly spaced along the total length of the path.
   • Measure. Allocates the elements along the path at intervals of a certain length you specify.
6. Specify the distance between the pattern elements. This prompt does not appear if you chose the Divide option.
7. Specify the number of pattern elements. This prompt does not appear if you chose the Measure option.
8. Specify the number of rows. The default is one row.
9. If you specified more than one row, specify the spacing between the rows.
10. To specify whether to align the pattern elements to be tangent to the path direction, type Yes or No. Otherwise the copied entities maintain the orientation of the source pattern elements.
11. If you specified Yes to align the elements:
    1. To specify whether to define the tangent direction, type Yes or No.
    2. If you specified Yes to define the tangent direction:
       1. In the graphics area, specify two points which represent the tangency of the pattern elements relative to the path. Use EntitySnaps to refer to the geometry of the source pattern elements.
       2. Specify the angle from tangent. This angle defines the amount of rotation of the pattern elements relative to the specified tangent direction.

    The specified entities are copied in a path pattern.

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

Access

Command: -Pattern