Craig Batchelor | Applications Expert
If you are like me, there is a chance you execute Autodesk commands by route, not thinking about it. Sometimes extra steps are created by not reading the command line, and seeing the options that are available. A simple example is the AutoCAD Offset command.
Type “O” in the command line then select Enter, the command line will read:
Command: O
OFFSET
Current settings: Erase source=No Layer=Source OFFSETGAPTYPE=0
Specify offset distance or [Through/Erase/Layer] <Through>:
Or select the Offset icon in the Home ribbon tab, the command line will read:
Command: _offset
Current settings: Erase source=No Layer=Source OFFSETGAPTYPE=0
Specify offset distance or [Through/Erase/Layer] <Through>:
At this point, a distance is entered, then on to the next screen:
Specify offset distance or [Through/Erase/Layer] <Through>: 10
Select object to offset or [Exit/Undo] <Exit>:
Specify point on side to offset or [Exit/Multiple/Undo] <Exit>:
Offset Variables:
In the command line (as noted above) which starts with ‘Current settings:’
What is OFFSETGAPTYPE=0? Also, are there other variables to use?
The answer to the second question is “yes”.
Type OFFSETGAPTYPE in the command line then select Enter:
Command: OFFSETGAPTYPE
Enter new value for OFFSETGAPTYPE <0>:
The variables for this command are found in the System Variables in the Express Tools ribbon.
OFFSETGAPTYPE
Controls how potential gaps between segments are treated when polylines are offset.
Value Description
0 Extends line segments to their projected intersections.
1 Fillets line segments at their projected intersections. The radius of each arc segment is equal to the offset distance.
2 Chamfers line segments at their projected intersections. The perpendicular distance from each chamfer to its corresponding vertex on the original object is equal to the offset distance.
Fig, 1 This figure shows the OFFSETGAPTYPE variables.
Three other variables we can control in the OFFSET command are Through/Erase/Layer.
Through offsets the selected object
Select object to offset or [Exit/Undo] <Exit>:
Erase is a yes or no variable to erase the source and is set by typing E
Erase source object after offsetting? [Yes/No] <No>: Y
Layer can be set by typing the letter L
Enter layer option for offset objects [Current/Source] <Current>
Layer has the choice to use the Source layer of the original object being offset, OR it can be changed to the Current layer by typing “C”.
Fig. 2 This figure shows an offset to current layer.
In Civil 3D, the Current or Source Layer options are also found in the Stepped Offset command used with Feature Lines.
Conclusion:
By reading the command line as a command is executed, and looking at the options available, sometimes a little tweak could save some extra steps after the object is created.