Adjusting the AutoSnap Feature

Adjusting the AutoSnap Feature
When you click the Options button in the Object Snap tab of the Drafting Settings dialog box, you’ll see the
Drafting Settings tab of the Options dialog box. This tab offers a set of options pertaining to the AutoSnap
feature. AutoSnap looks at the location of your cursor during osnap selections and locates the osnap point
nearest your cursor. AutoSnap then displays a graphic called a marker showing you the osnap point it has
found. If it’s the one you want, you left-click your mouse to select it.
The AutoSnap settings enable you to control various features:
Marker turns the graphic marker on or off.
Magnet causes the Osnap cursor to jump to inferred osnap points.
Display AutoSnap Tooltip turns the Osnap ToolTip on or off.
Display AutoSnap Aperture Box turns the old-style Osnap cursor box on or off.
AutoSnap Marker Size controls the size of the graphic marker.
Colors controls the color of the AutoSnap marker. This option opens the Drawing Window Colors
dialog box, which lets you select a color.
WARNING It’s easy for new users to select points inadvertently. If you accidentally select additional
points after the last exercise and prior to step 1, you may not get the results described here.
If this happens, issue the Arc command again; then, use the Endpoint Osnap, and select the endpoint
of the last arc.
3. Type E↵ to tell AutoCAD that you want to specify the other end of the arc instead of the next
point. Or, you can right-click anywhere in the drawing area and choose End from the shortcut
menu.
4. At the Specify end point of arc: prompt, use the Intersection osnap to pick the intersection
of the two lines in the lower-left corner of the tub. See the middle image in Figure 3.10
for the location of this point.


5. Type D↵ to select the Direction option. You can also right-click anywhere in the drawing area
and then choose Direction from the shortcut menu. The arc drags as you move the cursor,
along with a rubber-banding line from the starting point of the arc.
6. Move the cursor to the left of the dragging arc until it touches the middle line on the left side
of the tub. Pick that, as shown in the middle image in Figure 3.10.
TIP In step 3, the rubber-banding line indicates the direction of the arc. Be sure Ortho mode is off,
because Ortho mode forces the rubber-banding line and the arc in a direction you don’t want.
Check the status bar; if the Ortho button looks like it’s pressed, press F8 or click the Ortho button
to turn off Ortho mode.
Now, you’ll draw the bottom of the tub:
1. Click the Arc tool in the 2D Draw control panel again. You can also press ↵ to replay the
last command.
2. Using the Endpoint Osnap marker, pick the endpoint of the bottom of the arc just drawn.
3. Using the Midpoint Osnap marker, pick the middle horizontal line at the bottom of the tub.
4. Pick the intersection of the two lines in the lower-right corner of the tub (see the image at the
bottom in Figure 3.10).


Next, create the right side of the tub by mirroring the left side:
1. Click the Mirror tool on the 2D Draw control panel. You can also choose Modify  Mirror
or enter mi↵ at the Command prompt.
2. At the Select objects: prompt, pick the long arc on the left side of the tub to highlight the
arc. Press ↵ to indicate that you’ve finished your selection.
3. At the Specify first point of mirror line: prompt, pick the midpoint of the top
horizontal line. By now, you should know how to use the automatic osnap modes you
set up earlier.
4. At the Specify second point of mirror line: prompt, use Polar Tracking mode to pick
a point directly below the last point selected.
5. At the Erase source objects? [Yes/No] : prompt, press ↵ to accept the default (No).
A mirror image of the arc you picked appears on the right side of the tub. Your drawing
should look like Figure 3.11.


In this exercise, you were able to use osnaps in a Running Osnap mode. You’ll find that you’ll
use osnaps constantly as you create your drawings. For this reason, you may want Running Osnaps
on all the time. Even so, at times Running Osnaps can get in the way. For example, they may be a
nuisance in a crowded drawing when you want to use a zoom window. The osnaps can cause you
to select an inappropriate window area by automatically selecting osnap points.
Fortunately, you can toggle Running Osnaps on and off easily by clicking the Osnap button
in the status bar. If you don’t have any Running Osnaps set, clicking the Osnap button opens the
Object Snap settings in the Drafting Settings dialog box, enabling you to select your osnaps.