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, EntitySnap Options, Entity Selection, Dimension Palette, Heads-up Display, or other tree view items to set up drafting tools and preferences.
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 Settings:

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.

7. To display a base angle guide, select Display zero angle base guide. This option displays a path line along the zero base angle according to the current Custom Coordinate System (CCS).
8. In Polar Angle measurement, specify how to measure the elect settings for polar guides.
   • Absolute. Measures the polar angle relative to CCS.
   • Relative. Measures the polar angle relative to the last entity you create.

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.
   • Window/Crossing selection. Enables automatic window and crossing entity selection.

     If the option is cleared, automatic window and crossing selection is disabled. This is rarely required, for example if you want to avoid object selection in presentations.

     • Click and drag on entity. This option is available only if Window/Crossing selection is selected.

       If cleared: When you click and the pointer is not directly located above an entity, the selection is initiated.

       If selected: Enables automatic window and crossing selection even if the pointer is directly over an entity. Applies only when you use the click and drag method to select entities before you run a command.

     • Click and drag for Lasso. This option is available only if Window/Crossing selection is selected.

       If cleared: To specify the selection windows method.

       If selected and Click and drag on entity is cleared: Enables a lasso selection. If you use the click and drag method and the pointer is not directly located above an entity, the selection is initiated.

       If selected and Click and drag on entity is selected: Enables a lasso selection even if the pointer is directly over an entity. Applies only when you use the click and drag method to select entities before you run a command.

   • Window/Crossing selection (Professional, Premium, Enterprise & Enterprise Plus).

     Enables automatic window and crossing entity selection.

     If the option is cleared, automatic window and crossing selection is disabled. This is rarely required, for example if you want to avoid object selection in presentations.

     • Click and drag on entity. This option is available only if Window/Crossing selection is selected.

       If cleared: When you click and the pointer is not directly located above an entity, the selection is initiated.

       If selected: Enables automatic window and crossing selection even if the pointer is directly over an entity. Applies only when you use the click and drag method to select entities before you run a command.

     • Click and drag for Lasso. This option is available only if Window/Crossing selection is selected.

       If cleared: To specify the selection windows method.

       If selected and Click and drag on entity is cleared: Enables a lasso selection. If you use the click and drag method and the pointer is not directly located above an entity, the selection is initiated.

       If selected and Click and drag on entity is selected: Enables a lasso selection even if the pointer is directly over an entity. Applies only when you use the click and drag method to select entities before you run a command.

   • Enable cycling selection. Lets you selectively specify entities that are close to or on top of other entities.

     When you hover the pointer over entities that are close to each other or overlap, the stack icon  appears. Pressing Ctrl + W when the cursor is on overlapping entities hides the icon. The last created entity is the first in the list. In front of the entity names, the entity color is displayed, which helps to distinguish the entities. When you move the cursor over the list, the entity highlighted in the list will also be highlighted in the drawing.

   • 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.
   • Use Shift-key to add to selection. Lets you add entities to a selection using the Shift key.
   • Number of entities to display properties. Limit the number of entities that can be changed at one time with the Properties palette. Specify a number between 0 and 32767. The default value is 25000. The value 0 turns the limitation off. Exceeding the limit grays out the property fields in the palette to indicate that they cannot be changed.

     Note: When you specify the value 0 the limitation is turned off. Turning off the limitation can affect the performance of very large drawings.

   • 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.

To set ribbon options:

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 > Ribbon Options and set:
   • Display Contextual Ribbon. Displays the contextual ribbon tab when selecting an entity in the graphics area. For example, when you hatch an area, the Hatch Creation tab appears on the ribbon. All options from the Hatch dialog box are available on the contextual tab. The contextual tab is always the last tab on the ribbon and closes when you end the command.
   • Retain pickfirst selections when commands are invoked from a contextual tab. Specifies whether the pickfirst selection set remains selected after starting a command from the contextual ribbon.
   • Maximum entity selection for contextual tab display. Lets you specify the maximum number of entities that can be changed at one time with the property fields in the contextual ribbon tab. The initial value is 2500. Exceeding the limit of 32767 grays out the property fields in the contextual ribbon tab to indicate that they cannot be changed. The value 0 turns the limitation off. Turning off the limitation can affect the performance of very large drawings.

Dimension

(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.
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.
4. In Heads-up toolbar display time, set a time (in milliseconds) before the Heads-up toolbar disappears from display.

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