Draft it Help System

The complete Help system for Draft it is available on these pages.

How To

Activate Draft it Free Activate Draft it Plus Activate Draft it Pro Activate Draft it Architectural

Modify Items

Use Snaps And Input Options

Keyboard Snaps

Relative End Mid Perp Tan Quad X Snap Y Snap

The Origin Point Snap Direct Input X Y Input Polar Input Distance Input Scale Factor Input Arrow Key Input Force Angle IntelliSnap Wall Snap Points

Add Hyperlinks to Entities Cancel a Command Create a Symbol Create a Template Enter Calculations Insert a Door Insert a Window Insert an Opening Insert an Elevation Repeat a Command Select Items The Basics Use Shortcut Keys Use The 15 Day Trial Work with Layers/Colours/Styles Work with Documents

The Program Interface

File Menu The Ribbon

Architectural Ribbon Page

Building Group

Roofs

Accessories

Add Downpipe Add Gutter Angled Ridge Tile Box Valley Cement Gable Fillet Dry Verge System Edit Barge Boards And Gable Soffits Edit Facias And Eaves Soffits Horizontal Flashing Mono Ridge Tile Remove Roof Accessories Semi Circular Ridge Tile Stepped Flashing

Create Dormer

Create Dormer By Polyline

Create Roof

Bay Window Roof Roof From Polyline Roof From Rectangle Roof From Walls

Edit Roof

Add Multi Pitch Change Appearance Change Eaves Height Change Pitch Change Thickness Edit Overhang Make Barn Hipped Make Dutch Gable Make Gable Make Hipped

Legacy Roofs

Convert Legacy Roofs Delete Legacy Roofs

Manual Edits

Extend Face By Polyline Extend Face By Rectangle Trim Face By Polyline Trim Face By Rectangle Remove Roof Modification

Roof Openings

Roof Opening From Polyline Roof Opening From Rectangle

Doors Elevation Hatch Openings Staircases Walls Wall Settings Windows

View Group

3D Viewer Elevation Level Simple Walls

Architectural Symbols Group Sections Group

Draw Ribbon Page

Annotation Group

Angular Dimension Arrow Attribute Break Dimension Line Chain Dimension Datum Chain Dimension Datum Dimension Diameter Dimension Double Arrow Find And Replace Linear Dimension Multi Point Dimension Radial Dimension Radial Length Dimension Set Datum Table Text

Draw Group

Constructions

Angular Construction Line Delete Constructions Horizontal Construction Line Incremental Offset Perpendicular Line To Line Perpendicular Line Repeated Offset Single Offset Tangent To Arc Tangent To Two Arc Vertical Construction Line

Arc Area Fill Centreline Circle Control Point Curve Fit Ellipse Filled Polyline Hatch Pattern Hatch Insertion Point Line Multiline Styles Multiline Offset Point Polygon Polyline Rectangle Rectangular Revision Cloud Revision Cloud Set Insertion Origin

Objects Group

Paste Special

Paste and Explode Paste and Keep Selected Paste as Block Paste to Current Layer and Explode Paste to Current Layer Paste to Original Co-ordinates

Insert Image Insert DWG Insert Symbol

Modify Ribbon Page

Modify Group

Blend Break Build Polyline Build Symbol Chamfer Clear Selection Copy Copy To Other Delete Divide Explode Fillet Hide Layers Isolate Layers Linear Array Make Layer Current Match Colour Match Layer Match Properties Match Style Mirror Move Polar Array Quick Trim Rectangular Array Rotate Scale Select All Select Colour Select Hyperlink Select Layer Select Style Selection Filter Stretch Tangent to 2 Arcs Trim Trim / Extend Un-Hide Layers Un-Isolate Layers

Settings Ribbon Page

Drawing Settings Group

Configure Textures Copy Settings Dimension Styles Grid And Snaps Layers Multiline Styles Page Pens Points Units

Info Group

Entity Info Measure

Show / Hide Group

3D Viewer Area Fill Command Hatching Layouts Properties Referenced Drawings Reset Layout Symbol Library

System Settings Group

Customise Toolbar Display Hot Keys Internet Settings Skins System Paths System Settings

Views & Zoom Ribbon Page

Named Views Group

Manage Views Save View Select View

Zoom Group

Pan Zoom Extents Zoom Full Page Zoom In Zoom Next Zoom Out Zoom Previous Zoom Window

Command Specific Ribbons Minimise/Expand the Ribbon

System Toolbar Quick Access Toolbar

Customise Quick Access Toolbar New Open Save Print Cut Paste Copy (Clip) Undo Redo

Command Window Drawing Tabs Layout Explorer Properties Explorer Referenced Drawings Status Bar Symbol Library Explorer

Tutorials

Architectural Tutorial

Part 1 - Drawing Setup Part 2 - The Ground Floor Plan

Drawing the External Walls Drawing the Internal Walls Inserting Doors Inserting Windows Add the Staircase Add the Furniture

Part 3 - Create the First Floor Plan

Copy the Ground Floor Details Modify the Staircase Detail Modify the First Floor Walls Adding the First Floor Doors Adding the First Floor Furnitire

Part 4 - Drawing Roofs Part 5 - Creating the Elevation

Tutorial No 1

T1 - Part 1 T1 - Part 2 T1 - Part 3 T1 - Part 4 T1 - Part 5 T1 - Part 6 T1 - Part 7 T1 - Part 8 T1 - Part 9 T1 - Part 10 T1 - Part 11

Tutorial No 2

T2 - Part 1 T2 - Part 2 T2 - Part 3 T2 - Part 4 T2 - Part 5 T2 - Part 6 T2 - Part 7 T2 - Part 8 T2 - Part 9 T2 - Part 10 T2 - Part 11

Tutorial No 3

T3 - Part 1 T3 - Part 2 T3 - Part 3 T3 - Part 4 T3 - Part 5 T3 - Part 6 T3 - Part 7

Modifying/Moving Dimensions

Available in: FREE, Plus, Pro, Architectural

When a dimension is selected its entity handles are displayed. Draft it dimensions once placed on the drawing are independent of any geometry used in their creation (i.e. the circle selected when creating a diameter dimension). Once you have selected the dimension(s) the editing choices are to either Delete it, Move the entire dimension(s), move one of the entity handles or to modify the properties using the Properties Explorer or the Ribbon. There are three types of dimension which are edited as follows:-

Linear

A linear dimension has three entity handles, one at the end of each leader line, the other at the location point of the dimension line, all of these are blue. Move the cursor over any of the handles and its colour changes to yellow then simply click to select it. If selected the dimension location handle attaches the dimension line and text to the cursor allowing a new position to be selected using any of the snaps and input options. If this is positioned between the two dimension points then the dimension text is placed centrally, if outside then the text is placed to the side selected. The leader lines are then altered to suit. If one of the leader line handles is selected it is attached to the cursor and can be moved to a new position and clicked into place using any of the snaps and input options. As the handle is moved the dimension value is recalculated to show the modified size.

Diameter

A diameter dimension has three entity handles, one at the centre of the arc/circle (red), one at a point defining the start of the arc/circle selected (blue) and the other at the dimension point (blue). Move the cursor over any of the handles and its colour changes to yellow then simply click to select it. A point to note here is that these handles are defined when the dimension is added to the drawing as the arc/circle is selected, after this they do not retain a relationship with the arc/circle so when any are moved the arc/circle remains untouched. However it is possible to edit both the geometry and the dimension, see Modifying/Moving Multiple Entities.

Select the centre handle (red) and the entire dimension is attached to the cursor allowing a new position to be selected using any of the snaps and input options. (Alternatively select the move button Move command). If the handle at the dimension point is selected it is attached to the cursor and can be moved to a new position around the arc/circle and clicked into place using any of the snaps and input options. If the handle at the start of the arc/circle is selected it can be moved in and out from the arc/circle centre to a new position and clicked into place using any of the snaps and input options. As the handle is moved the dimension value is recalculated to show the modified size.

Radial

A radial dimension has four entity handles, one at the centre of the arc/circle (red), one at a point defining the start of the arc/circle selected (blue), another at a point defining the end of the arc/circle selected (blue) and finally one at the dimension point (blue). Move the cursor over any of the handles and its colour changes to yellow then simply click to select it. A point to note here is that these handles are defined when the dimension is added to the drawing and the arc/circle is selected, after this they do not retain a relationship with the arc/circle so when any are moved the arc/circle remains untouched. However it is possible to edit both the geometry and the dimension, see Modifying/Moving Multiple Entities.

Select the centre handle (red) and the entire dimension is attached to the cursor allowing a new position to be selected using any of the snaps and input options (Alternatively select the move button Move command). If the handle at the dimension point is selected it is attached to the cursor and can be moved to a new position around the arc/circle and clicked into place using any of the snaps and input options. If the handle at the start of the arc/circle is selected it can be moved in and out from the arc/circle centre to a new position and clicked into place using any of the snaps and input options . As the handle is moved the dimension value is recalculated to show the modified size. If the handle at the end of the arc/circle is selected it can be moved to a new position and clicked into place using any of the snaps and input options. As the handle is moved the a leader arc is recalculated and drawn from the dimension point to the start point of the arc.

Angular

A 3 point angular dimension has four entity handles. One at the each of the three angle points including the corner point, the remaining handle is at the dimension location point, all of the handles are blue except the centre which is red . Move the cursor over any of the handles and its colour changes to yellow then simply click to select it. A point to note here is that these handles are not linked to any geometry, only to the points selected when creating it.

Select the centre handle (red) and the entire dimension is attached to the cursor allowing a new position to be selected using any of the snaps and input options. (Alternatively select the move button Move command.) If the handle at the dimension point is selected the angular dimension arc and text are attached to the cursor and can be moved to a new position using any of the snaps and input options. If either of the handles controlling the angle are selected they can be moved to a new position and clicked into place using any of the snaps and input options recalculating the dimension value to show the modified angle.

Arrows

Leader Arrows and Double Ended Arrows are modified/moved in exactly the same way as Modifying/Moving a Line.

Datum

FREE, Plus, Pro, Architectural

The Datum symbol has one entity handle (red) placed at its centre. Click on the symbol then move the cursor over the handle and its colour changes to yellow then simply click to select it. Now it can be moved to a new position using any of the snaps and input options.

A Datum Dimension has two entity handles (both blue). One at the dimensioned point, the other at the dimension location point. Move the cursor over either handle and its colour changes to yellow then simply click to select it. A point to note here is that these handles not linked to any geometry, only to the points selected when creating it.

If the handle at the dimensioned point is selected the dimension and text are attached to the cursor and can be moved to a new position using any of the snaps and input options, as the cursor is moved the dimension is automatically recalculated. If the handle at the dimension location point is selected the dimension text can be moved to a new position and clicked into place using any of the snaps and input options, the dimension leader length is automatically updated.

Style Settings

Every dimension is stored with a Dimension Style. This controls the appearance of a dimension. You can change the settings of an individual dimension using the Properties Explorer. This does not change the Dimension Style only the parameters you change. This allows you to have Dimension Style(s) for the overall appearance of the dimensions but you can still make changes to specific dimensions where required rather than creating a new style. The Reset Style Overrides button on the Annotation Group ribbon lets you reset these changes if required.

In addition to the above when a Dimension is selected further editing options are available (below) when the middle mouse button (wheel) is pressed.

middle mouse button menu

Send to Back/Front - Use these options to move the Dimension backwards or forwards in the drawing order. This is useful when trying to position the Dimension in front of or behind other entities.

Set Hyperlink - A Hyperlink can be added to the Dimension. When selected use the dialog box that appears to set the required URL/link.