How do I add a Guideline that matches a object already in my drawing?

Requirements

• PowerCADD version 7, or 8 (8.1.2 or newer recommended)
• Mac OS^? X (Leopard or Snow Leopard)
• WildTools version 8 or 9 (version 9 recommended

Background:

Guidelines are non-printing construction lines that aid in placing, creating, or aligning objects in your drawing. While PowerCADD has numerous options for working with Guidelines including choosing from various options in Layout menu → Guidelines, WildTools also has tools which allow you to create a guideline in your drawing. In this article we'll outline the steps to use the WildTools Offset Line Tool and Surface Snapping to create a guideline that matches the angle of an existing object in your drawing. We also recommend your review this related caddpower.com article on how to perform the same task by dragging a Guideline off of a drawing ruler.

What To Do:

To use WildTools to insert a guideline into your drawing which matches the angle of an existing object, do this:

1. Press Option and click on the WildTools Offset Line Tool. The following dialog box will appear:
   
2. Set your dialog box preferences as shown above. Specifically set the offset to Interactive (the bold arrow type symbol) and check the Place Guidelines box
3. Click OK. You'll be returned to the drawing window and the cursor will change to a Target Cursor
4. Place the Target Cursor over the object in the drawing you want the guideline to match (e.g. a Line)
5. Start to drag away from that object. Note you'll see a guideline appear; now we need to snap that guideline back onto the object
6. Press the S key (to invoke Surface Snapping) and drag your cursor back onto the object in (4) above.
7. Observe: A red snap indicator appears to confirm you are snapping to the surface of the object.
8. While continuing to press the S key, release the mouse button
9. Result: a new guideline is inserted into the drawing which is precisely snapped to the surface of your source object

Note that this technique may used to create a guideline that matches the angle of any line or surface of an object such as the face of a polygon, rectangle or rotated rectangle.

We hope that helps
caddpower.com

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