1.3.1 - Draw a Line - Basic

A line is the most basic object and can be consisted by one segment or a series of connected segments.
You can assign properties to lines, as color, linetype and line weight. A (2D) point is specified by inserting it's coordinates (x,y), and this is precise method, or by clicking a point with your mouse on the screen.

To draw Lines:

• On Ribbon ► Click Home tab ► Draw panel ► Click the Line tool icon (hover on) .
  There are two methods to draw lines:
• Command Line prompt says: Specify first point: Using the mouse, left-click anywhere on the screen to specify the first point.
• Command line prompt says: Specify next point or [undo]: Using the mouse, left-click on another point on the screen to specify the second point of the line.
• Command line prompt says: Specify next point or [undo]: Move the mouse on another point on the screen and left-click again.

Fig.2.2.1.1 – Draw Lines using the Line tool

You can repeat this as many times as you wish. When you are done, click Enter or Esc.
At the end, you will have drawn some lines on your screen, as shown in Fig.2.2.1.1.

Fig.2.2.1.2 – Draw Lines using the Dynamic Input

• You can use the Undo command at any time to undo the last specified point, hence the last specified segment of the line.
• After you draw two segments, if you choose the close option you will able to connect the last point with the first point of your segments and to end the command.
• If you are using the Line command and you right-click, you will get the drop-drawn menu as shown in Fig.2.2.1.3 and you can use any of its tools.

Fig.2.2.1.3 – Line - Drop down menu

Draw lines using the Dynamic Inputs

This action provides a command interface near the cursor (Fig.2.2.1.5, Fig.2.2.1.56).
Before you begin to draw, verify on the Status Bar that, the Dynamic Input button is ON (it's color has to be cyan) .

Dynamic Input has three components: pointer input, dimensional input, and dynamic input.
If you right-click the dynamic input button - on the status bar - and choose the Settings, you can control what is displayed by each component when the dynamic input is ON.
On the window Drafting Settings►Dynamic Input (tab) which will open (Fig.2.2.1.4), select 'Enable Pointer Input', 'Enable Dimension Input when possible' and 'Show Command Promping'.

Fig.2.2.1.4 – Dynamic Input Settings

When the Line command is active and the dynamic input is on, you will see near the cursor the command prompt: specify first point and two boxes for entry of values (Fig.2.2.1.5).

Fig.2.2.1.5 – Dynamic Input pointer

You can specify the first point of your line by picking a point with your mouse, or you can type the coordinates of your first point by typing in the first box the x-coordinate (Fig.2.2.1.5), that could be 5, press TAB and insert the y-coordinate in the second box, that could be 10 and press ENTER.
You can also type both coordinates with a comma between these, for example could be 5, 10 (but don't forget the comma).
To draw the next point of the line with the dynamic input command prompt, pick a point with your mouse or for more accuracy type in the box the distance between the two points (Fig.2.2.1.6), press TAB and insert in the second box the angle of the line, and then press ENTER if you want to end the command.

Fig.2.2.1.6 – Draw Line using the Dynamic Input