AutoCAD Pocket Reference. Cheryl R. Shrock

as a practicing Mechanical Engineer and has taught AutoCAD to Engineering and Architectural students at the college level. He is an authorized AutoCAD beta tester and member of the AutoCAD Customer Council. Steve lives near Canterbury, England, and welcomes your questions or comments. You can reach him at [email protected].

Section 1

       Action Commands

ARRAY

      The ARRAY command allows you to make multiple copies in a RECTANGULAR or Circular (POLAR) pattern and even on a PATH. The maximum limit of copies per array is 100,000. This limit can be changed but should accommodate most users. (Refer to the Help menu if you choose to change the limit)

      RECTANGULAR ARRAY

      This method allows you to make multiple copies of object(s) in a rectangular pattern. You specify the number of rows (horizontal), columns (vertical) and the spacing between the rows and columns. The spacing will be equally spaced between copies.

      Spacing is sometimes tricky to understand. Read this carefully. The spacing is the distance from a specific location on the original to that same location on the future copy. It is not just the space in between the two. Refer to the example below.

      To use the rectangular array command you will select the object(s), specify how many rows and columns desired and the spacing for the rows and the columns.

      Refer to step by step instructions on page 1-3.

       Example of a Rectangular Array:

      How to create a RECTANGULAR ARRAY

      1. Draw a 1” (Inch) Square Rectangle.

      2. Select the ARRAY command using one of the following:

       Ribbon = Home tab / Modify panel / Array

       or

       Keyboard = Array <enter>

      3. Select Rectangular Array.

      4. Select Objects: Select the Object to be Arrayed

      5. Select Objects: Select more objects or <enter> to stop

      The Array Creation tab appears with a 3 × 4 grid array of the object selected.

      6. Make any changes necessary in the Array Creation tab, then press <enter> to display any changes.

      7. If the display is correct select Close Array.

      How to edit a RECTANGULAR ARRAY

      1. Select the Array to edit.

      The Array panel is displayed. (The Quick Properties will also be displayed if you have the QP button ON in the Status bar.)

      2. Make any changes necessary in the Array Creation tab, then press <enter> to display any changes.

      3. If the display is correct select Close Array.

      How to edit a RECTANGULAR ARRAY

       Using Grips to edit.

      You may also use the Grips to edit the spacing. Just click on a grip and drag.

      A. The first

or

allows you to change the spacing between the columns or rows.

      B. The last

or

or

and also to add extra columns or rows, or change the axis angle.

      C. The

allows you to change the total row and column spacing simultaneously, and also to add extra columns and rows simultaneously.

      D. Use the Base Point grip

to MOVE the entire Array.

      How to edit a RECTANGULAR ARRAY

       Using Grips to edit.

      POLAR ARRAY

      This method allows you to make multiple copies in a circular pattern. You specify the total number of copies to fill a specific Angle or specify the angle between each copy and angle to fill.

      To use the polar array command you select the object(s) to array, specify the center of the array, specify the number of copies or the angle between the copies, the angle to fill and if you would like the copies to rotate as they are copied.

       Example of a Polar Array

      Note: The two examples shown above use the objects default base point.

      The examples below display what happens if you specify a basepoint.

      How to create a POLAR ARRAY

       Using “Number of Items.”

      1. Draw a 3” Radius circle.

      2. Add a .50 Radius 3 sided Polygon and place as shown.

      3. Select the ARRAY command using one of the following:

       Ribbon = Home tab / Modify panel / Array