How To Draw a line in AutoCAD with degree and distance

Written By

Saadiya Mushtaq

The basic tool that we use in AutoCAD to draw is Line tool and it can be accessed from ribbon panel present at top using mouse and also it can be accessed using command, using command line present at the bottom of the screen. So, in this article you can learn how to draw a line AutoCAD with degree and distance. This is a part of AutoCAD lessons online from Know Industrial Engineering. So stay tuned for further articles.

AutoCAD gives us all the freedom to do everything like drafting, drawing models, house plans etc. We can draw figures on AutoCAD and work on them.

So, let’s start…

AutoCAD provides us following two mode of operation to draw lines.

• Command based (using only keyboard, no mouse needed)
• Visual (using mouse)

So in this article we will discuss, how to draw a figure using both modes of operations, i.e. command based and visual.

Let’s start with command based work…

Command Based Work

We sometimes find it very difficult to draw figures in AutoCAD as our mouse isn’t working, so to eradicate this problem we have a command line present at the bottom of our AutoCAD screen that allows us to draw a figure out of line with proper dimensions and angles. Therefore it is recommended to read further.

Our coordinate system has three axes: x for horizontal direction, y for vertical direction and z perpendicular to the page. Their origin point is (0, 0, 0). In this same way each point has its own x, y and z coordinates.

We have following co-ordinate system in AutoCAD to draw lines or figures.

• Absolute co-ordinate system
• Relative Rectangular co-ordinate system
• Relative polar co-ordinate system

Lets start to learn to draw using absolute co-ordinate system first.

Absolute co-ordinate system AutoCAD (x, y)

We use this system when we know the precise distance of x-coordinate and y-coordinates of the point, from the origin so that we can draw our desired figure.

We are going to draw the following figure. X and Y coordinates are shown in yellow color in the following figure.

First Press “L” for line command

Press Enter to activate this command

Specify the first point : 0,0

Press Enter after each command

Then for the next point if you have to draw a line in horizontal direction with length =150, for that we have to move in our x direction, for that specify the next point : 150,0

Then to draw a line in vertical direction, specify length in vertical direction i.e. y direction, as 300 with respect to origin, for that specify next point : 115,300

Then next point : 0,0

Press Enter and you will get the desired figure

Relative Rectangular co-ordinate system (@x, y)

Relative means having connection with other thing, in this case we specify our points with respect to each other.

Coordinate system is used when distance is known to us but that distance is in relation with some specific point. We specify points and distance here, @ sign is used here to show relation with the previous point.

We are going to draw the following figure. X and Y coordinates are shown in yellow color in the following figure.

Consider the following example:

First Press “L” for line command

Then Press Enter to activate this command

Specify first point : 0,0

Press Enter after each command

And then specify the next point : @100,0

Similarly the next point : @0,100

Next point : @-100,0

And Finally for the next point we have to move left, for that we have to use negative sign in front of the point to specify negative axis as point : @0,-100

Press Enter so as to get the desired figure

Relative polar co-ordinate system (@distance<angle)

How To Draw a line in AutoCAD with degree and distance

Relative co-ordinate system is used when we have a relative distance and angle of a specified point to be drawn, with respect to the previous point. Here the angle is measured in anti-clock direction.

We are going to draw the following figure. X and Y coordinates are shown in yellow color in the following figure.

Press “L” for line command

Press Enter to activate this command

Specify first point : 0,0

Press Enter after each command

Then for next point we have to give angle of 0 degrees, for the purpose of angle, we use < sign.

specify next point : @100<0

For next point we need an angle of 90 degrees, therefore we will use <90 here as: @100<90

Next point : @100<180

Final point : @0<270

Press Enter and you will get the desired figure

Visual Work

For our Visual work, we simply move our mouse on the screen and click on points of our screen for desired figure

Select Line from the toolbar present at top of screen

Left Click on the screen to specify first point of our figure

Move the cursor and click on points for the desired figure.

Hope you got a complete idea on How To Draw a line in AutoCAD with degree and distance.

You may also learn our other articles on AutoCAD lessons online from Know Industrial Engineering.

Thank you.

Saadiya Mushtaq @saadiyamushtaq

View Profile