Help drawing lines in layout please?

Penguin2 · 21 Nov 2011, 11:52

I am now trying to produce some work in 'Layout' and every time I draw a new line from a previous endpoint it starts to draw like it's producing a shape and joins with the previous line to form a polyline. Pressing Esc (cancel) key doesn't always cancel either.

I must be doing something stupid but the lack of a good book for Layout means I have to rely on the help files which don't explain what I am doing wrong.

Any help gratefully received.

Many thanks
Andrew

Dave R · 21 Nov 2011, 13:03

It sounds like you have Fill turned on in the Shape Style inspector box. Turn that off and you won't get that.

Penguin2 · 22 Nov 2011, 08:06

Thank you Dave,

Have switched off fill but only partly solved I'm afraid.

I can now draw a line without the stretched triangles appearing but when I try to draw a separate line from a previous end point it highlights both the old and new lines which become grouped and act like polylines. Also if I click escape to exit line command nothing happens. The only way out of line command is to select another tool button.

Still feel there is a hidden setting somewhere I have tripped without knowing.

Fingers crossed you can enlighten me.

Regards,
Andrew

Dave R · 22 Nov 2011, 10:32

Another way to stop drawing and that is to use Esc. This will stop the tool without exiting it.

Well, as far as keeping lines from being connected, you could do the same thing you do in SketchUp. Make a group of the first line. The trick is you need more than one entity to create a group. You could draw a temporary unconnected line and select it with the first line. Make a group of those two then open the group and delete the temporary line.

david. · 22 Nov 2011, 15:30

@dave r said:

The trick is you need more than one entity to create a group.

That's interesting. I've heard other people say the same thing. However, I am able to group a single line entity in both Layout and SketchUp.

Penguin2 · 22 Nov 2011, 19:17

Right thanks everyone but still not sorted this out. My apologies if I am not explaining myself clearly but this is what happens:-

I have two layout drawings open.
LAYOUT A
I draw 1st line
press Esc
I draw 2nd line from end of 1st line
press Esc
Result>> 2 lines connected but still individual entities (This is what I requie and have been used too). I believe the Help files suggest that this is correct.

LAYOUT B
I do exactly the same as for Layout A but in this drawing the lines are inseparable (just like polylines). I have also noticed that when drawing the lines there is a feint green dashed line whilst stretched between the blue end points.

Q. What settings do I change so that the lines can be drawn as in Layout A.

Hope this is clear and look forward to being embarrased with an answer that is probably so obvious.

Your help is appreciated.

Regards,
Andrew

Dave R · 22 Nov 2011, 19:27

You could help us to help you if you posted the files or at least screen shots. Is it possible that in LayOut A, your second line isn't actually terminating at the end of the first line?

You could use the Split tool to separate the lines.

Dave R · 22 Nov 2011, 19:36

@david. said:

@dave r said:

The trick is you need more than one entity to create a group.

That's interesting. I've heard other people say the same thing. However, I am able to group a single line entity in both Layout and SketchUp.

In SketchUp you can use a keyboard shortcut or Edit>Make Group (or Edit>Make Component) on a single line entity but Make group doesn't show in the Context menu when only a single line entity is selected. In LayOut, with a single line entity selected, There is no Context menu item for Group. In the Edit menu, Group is grayed out and not thus not available and the keyboard shortcut doesn't make a group either. At least that's the behavior I am seeing on my Mac with LO3

Penguin2 · 22 Nov 2011, 20:20

OK I think I've found a solution.

If I turn Object Snap 'Off' I am able to draw non-contiguous lines. Perhaps someone will tell me I should have known this.

Also I am assuming the green dashed lines are indicating the green axis. A red dashed line appears at 90deg telling me I am on the red axis. Turning object snap off also makes the red and green dashes disappear when drawing lines. I'm in Layout remember and not Sketchup.

I will try to find some more information about some of the less obvious effects turning Object Snap On & Off.

Feel free to comment. I can take it!!

Regards,
Andrew

Dave R · 22 Nov 2011, 21:54

I didn't know you wanted non-contiguous lines so....

The green and red dashed lines are axis specific inferencing indicators just as they are in SU.

Glad you sorted it out.

david. · 23 Nov 2011, 00:30

@dave r said:

@david. said:

@dave r said:

The trick is you need more than one entity to create a group.

That's interesting. I've heard other people say the same thing. However, I am able to group a single line entity in both Layout and SketchUp.

In SketchUp you can use a keyboard shortcut or Edit>Make Group (or Edit>Make Component) on a single line entity but Make group doesn't show in the Context menu when only a single line entity is selected. In LayOut, with a single line entity selected, There is no Context menu item for Group. In the Edit menu, Group is grayed out and not thus not available and the keyboard shortcut doesn't make a group either. At least that's the behavior I am seeing on my Mac with LO3

I'm running on Win 7. The Make Group option doesn't show up on the context menu in SU or LO. I am able to make a group of a single line entity on both SU and LO using a keyboard shortcut.