Edit Bar controls: Construction, Interactive, Offset Distance, Number, Both Ends, Angled, Angle, Fillet Radius, Create Duplicate Entities, Palette Group, Palette.
This tool allows you to draw one or more entities parallel to two picked points, (the points may be imaginary or defined by an existing entity) with the added feature of being able to close the shape with a projection angle (effectively creating a glue flap) and an optional radius value. The tool allows you to interactively specify which side of the specified points the new entities will be drawn on.
Construction - determines if the new entities are to be construction lines/circles.
Interactive - this option allows you to pick the position of the new entity, rather than entering an offset distance.
Offset Distance - you can either enter the required offset on the edit bar or use the Left/Right Nudge keys to adjust the offset interactively.
Number - enter the number of new entities required or use the Up/Down Nudge keys; each new entity will have the same offset distance.
Both Ends - if checked, then the new entities will be linked to the original at both ends.
Angled - if checked, then the new entities are drawn in accordance with the angle specified in the Angle entry field.
Angle - specify the angle between the new & original entities.
Fillet Radius - this option is only available if the Both Ends option is checked. If checked, the new entities will be linked to the original at both ends, with the specified radius.
Constraint Manager
If you have the Constraint Manager active whilst using this tool you will experience the following differences:
- Coincident constraints will be added between each adjoining offset entity
- If Both Ends is checked and if either of the clicks are on existing entities then a coincident constraint is added between the end lines and those entities
- If Fillets are included then a tangent constraint will be added at either end, a radius dimension will be added to one of the fillets and an equal radius constraint will be added to both fillets
- In Interactive mode the tool infers when the offset distance gets close to a previously used offset and it snaps to use that distance unless the Control modifier is used - if the offset is placed whilst inferring to another offset then an equal distance constraint is added for the two offset distances
When both clicks are on the same line entity:
- A parallel constraint is added between the original line and the offset line - if multiple offsets are created then all the offset lines go into one parallel constraint
- If Both Ends is checked and Angled is not checked then perpendicular constraints are added between the end lines and the original line as well as between the end lines and the offset line
- If Both Ends and Angled are both checked then an angle dimension is added to one of the end lines and an equal angle constraint is added to both end lines
- In Non-interactive mode a linear dimension is added for the distance between the original line and the offset line - if multiple offsets are created then an equal distance constraint is added between each neighbouring pair of offset lines - also, if one or both of the clicks are on the line itself, rather than points on the line, a distance dimension is added between the ends of the two end lines for the width of the offset
Related topics: Notes On Draw Tools, Interactive, Draw - Offset