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

Bay 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

Polyline

Available in: Plus, Pro Architectural

Use this command to draw a series of single lines and/or arcs stored together as a single entity called a Polyline. Explode it to break it into individual entities.

Select the 'Polyline' button Polyline button and command the prompt reads:

Give Start Point:

Select the first point of the polyline using any of the snaps and input options. A dynamic line will be drawn from this point to the cursor. The prompt now reads:

Give Next Point:

When a second point is indicated using any of the snaps and input options a small circle is temporarily displayed at the first point selected. This is drawn to assist identifying the beginning of the Polyline. A line is also drawn between the two points selected, this is the first segment of the polyline. A dynamic line is now drawn from the second point to the cursor and the prompt now reads:

Give Next Point or (A)rc or (3) Point Arc or (Escape) to End:

Further points can now be selected to continue to add line segments to the polyline. At this point a 'close' option is added to the prompts. Hit escape key or Right click the mouse to finish drawing the polyline. Alternatively hit the a key key to switch to arc mode. If you do this the prompt reads:

Give Next Point or (L)ine, or (3) Point Arc, (U)ndo or (Escape) to End:

The next point will define an arc segment using any of the snaps and input options. As the mouse is moved a solid dynamic arc is drawn tangentially from the last end of the previous segment to the cursor. In addition to this the arc chord is drawn (dashed line style )from the last point to the cursor. Further points can now be selected to continue to add arc segments to the polyline. Hit escape key or Right click the mouse to finish drawing the polyline. You can hit the l key key to switch back to line mode.

After the second segment of the polyline has been drawn two extra options are added to the command prompt to either '(U)ndo' or '(C)lose' the Polyline.

Simply hit the u key key to remove the previously drawn segment. Note the 1st segment cannot be undone.

To finish drawing hit the escape key key or the right mouse button, alternatively hit the c key key to close the polyline.

In addition to the above options type 3 key (when available) to select a '3 Point Arc'. When this is done the command prompt reads:

Give Intermediate Arc Point or (A)rc (L)ine:

Select the next point of the arc segment using any of the snaps and input options. The arc segment to be drawn is now dynamically drawn from the last polyline point through the point just picked to the cursor. The prompt now reads:

Give Next Point or (L)ine or (A)rc or (Escape) to End:

Select the next point of the arc segment using any of the snaps and input options. The Polyline segment is drawn. The prompt reads:

Give Intermediate Arc Point or (A)rc (L)ine:

You can continue drawing '3 Point' Arc segments or switch back to 'Line' or 'Arc' mode by typing a key or l key . If you want to 'Close' the Polyline after drawing a '3 Point' Arc segment you must switch back to 'Arc' or 'Line' mode and type c key .

See Modifying/Moving a Polyline for information on how a Polyline can be edited, including. turning it into a 'Curve Fit'. Also in that topic there is a description of how to access add a point at the centroid of the polyline, change it's position in the display order and add a hyperlink.

It is also possible to access the mass properties (centroid, moments about Centroid) of a Polyline using the Entity Info command.