CHAPTER 4

Absolute Coordinates
In this chapter, the use of LINE command with absolute coordinates is demonstrated. A
simple drawing with 3 orthographic projections is drawn. The procedure is to determine the
absolute coordinates of each point and drawing lines to join the points using the coordinates.
The use of Object Snapping (OSNAP) is also demonstrated.

4.1 Exercise 1
The drawing for Exercise 1 is shown in Fig, 3.2. The student is required to reproduce
this drawing on the computer screen without the letters A,B, C, D etc and without
drawing the dimensions.

N
L

P
Q

K
J

2
2
2

(3,4)

Fig. 4.1: Exercise 1: Use of absolute coordinates

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The coordinates of point A are given to be (3,4). The following are the steps to
complete this exercise.
1) Determine scale of the drawing as printed.
2) Determine the unknown distances if any.
3) Determine the coordinate (x, y) of all points from A to Z.
4) Write the coordinates of points in the spaces provided.
5) Use Line commands of AutoCAD using absolute coordinates of all
points to draw the above.
6) Repeat similar exercises with different dimensions using large and small
numbers.

4.2 Scale of Drawing

Since the student will have to determine the distances between the views (lengths IR and RS),
the first thing to do is to determine the scale of the drawing. Measuring the largest dimension
AG which is 10DU, we find that AB when measured with a ruler is 57 mm in length. Thus
the scale of this drawing is 10/57 = 0.17544. It means that one mm measured on the drawing
sheet will be equal to or will represent 0.17544 DU on the real object.

4.3 Unknown Distances

Now determine the unknown distances IR and RS. We measure IR and find that it is 17 mm.
Multiply it by the scale and we find that the actual distance in DU is (10/57)*17 = 3 DU.
Similarly find RS. Measure it. It is 24 mm. Multiply it by the scale i.e. (10/57)*23 = 4 DU.

4.4 Absolute Coordinates of Points

The student must be able to determine the absolute coordinated of all the points labeled from
A to Z on the drawing. It is simple calculation. For example to determine the coordinates of
point B 2 must be added to the x-coordinate of point A and the y coordinate of points A and
will be the same. The y-coordinates of point I will be equal to the y-coordinate of point G
plus the distance GI which is 4. The student must the distance RI to the y-coordinate of point
I to calculate the y-coordinate of point R. Similarly, the x-coordinate of point S will be
calculated by adding the distance RS to the x-coordinate of point R. Table 4.1 gives the
calculated coordinates of all points from A to Z.

Table 4.1: Coordinates of all points of Exercise 1

Point
A

Coordinates

5,4

8,4

3,4

6,4

10,4

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11,4

6,15

21,11

13,4

8,17

21,13

13,8

10,15

21,15

3,8

11,15

21,17

3,11

13,13

17,17

3,13

13,11

17,15

5,15

17,11

17,13

4.5 Commands for Exercise 1

The commands that a student will learn, while completing Exercise 1, are described here:
1) UCSICON: This command controls the visibility and placement of the UCS icon. UCS
icon appears in the lower left corner of AutoCAD screen as shown in Fig. 4.3.

Fig. 3.3: UCSICON

To turn off the appearance of this icon, use UCSICON command as follows:
Command: UCSICON
Enter an option [ON/OFF/All/Noorigin/ORigin/Properties] <ON>: OFF
Its other use in moving the UCSICON to a point other that the origin of the coordinate system
will not be required for this exercise.
UCSICON is a command and at the same time it is a system variable. To access the
UCSICON as a system variable, use the SETVAR command and set the value of UCSICON
as required. If UCSCON variable is set to 0 then it is not displayed and if it is set to 1 then it
is displayed. It may also be given a value of 2 or 3 but the student will not need to learn it at
this stage.

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1) LIMITS: This command sets the limits of the drawing on the screen. The user specifies
the coordinates of the lower left corner and the upper right corner of the screen as follows:
Command: LIMITS
Reset Model space limits:
Specify lower left corner or [ON/OFF] <0.0000,0.0000>:
Specify upper right corner <1000.0000,800.0000>: 25,20
2) ZOOM: This command is needed to implement the lower and upper corners coordinates
as specified by using LIMITS command. For the given exercise the student will specify All
to let AutoCAD set the limits of the screen.
Command: ZOOM
Specify corner of window, enter a scale factor (nX or nXP), or
[All/Center/Dynamic/Extents/Previous/Scale/Window] <real time>: All
3) LINE: This is the basic command that is used in AutoCAD to draw straight lines. It can be
abbreviated as L. Its use will be use from the following script for the required drawing of
Exercise 1.

4.6 Drawing the Plan View

The plan view has a rectangle and the five vertical lines. It will be drawn by using the LINE
command a total of 6 times. First the rectangle will be drawn using a single LINE command
and each of the 5 vertical lines will require separate LINE commands. In the following, the
complete script to draw the plan view is given. Users input is in Bold letters.
Command: LINE
Specify first point: 3,4
Specify next point or [Undo]: 5,4
Specify next point or [Undo]: 6,4
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 8,4
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 10,4
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 11,4

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Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 13,4

Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 13,8
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 3,8
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: C
[Move the mouse to the OSNAP button and click to turn it on]

Fig. 3.4: OSNAP option selected

(The OSNAP appear pressed as shown above indicating that OSNAP is on.)
[Right click OSNAP button] (A small menu will pop up as shown above.)

Fig. 3.5: Right click OSNAP button

[Click Settings] (The Drafting Settings window will appear as shown in Fig. 3.6.)

Fig. 3.6: Drafting Settings Window

[Choose the desired object snapping options.]
Command:

(Press the ENTER key to repeat the previous command i.e LINE command.)

LINE Specify first point: [Move the mouse until point B is snapped.]
Specify next point or [Undo]: [Move the mouse up until the perpendicular sign appears]
snapped.]

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Specify next point or [Undo]:

[Repeat the above procedure for all the other four vertical lines.]
The result of the above opertaions will be as shown in Fig. 3.7

Fig. 3.7: Plan view as it appears on the screen

4.7 Drawing the Front View

Command: L
LINE Specify first point: 3,11
Specify next point or [Undo]: 3,13
Specify next point or [Undo]: 5,15
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 6,15
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 8,17
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 10,15
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 11,15
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 13,13
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 13,11
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: C

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Fig. 3.8: Plan and front view drawn

3.7 Drawing the Side View

Command: LINE
Specify first point: 17,11
Specify next point or [Undo]: 21,11
Specify next point or [Undo]: 21,13
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 21,15
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 21,17
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 17,17
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 17,15
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 17,13
Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: C
Command:

(Press the ENTER key to repeat the previous command)

LINE Specify first point: [Move the mouse until point T is snapped.]
Specify next point or [Undo]: [Move the mouse until point Y is snapped.]
Specify next point or [Undo]:
LINE Specify first point: [Move the mouse until point U is snapped.]
Specify next point or [Undo]: [Move the mouse until point X is snapped.]
Specify next point or [Undo]:

Fig. 3.8: Complete drawing

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