Simple Question: How can I center one object inside of another?

I have a big rectangle, and I want to center a smaller one inside of
it. I can't figure out how to do this using AC 2004.
Thanks,
Brian

 

There are many, many ways to do it. The savviest would use the midpoint
capabilities of the GEOMCAL in a MOVE command, and the simplest would be to
draw diagonals across both rectangles, and use their midpoints for the
from/to snapping in a MOVE command. (Delete diagonals when done.)

 

do you know how to use object snaps and polar tracking? Simple if you do...

 

OFFSET could work in some situations.

Say you wanted a rectangle that was 100 units smaller in both
directions then OFFSET 50 pick the rectangle and the pick inside
the rectangle.

Terry

 

This is an example I use on my training course it's called
How many ways to skin a cat? and we keep finding more and more.......

The example is based on drawing a 50x50 square then drawing a 30x30
square within it, so that the are concentric squares.

One not suggested so far is to draw both, then place one inside the
other using the snap centre ( yep it works on rectangles and well as
circles )

It will be interesting to see how many methods are found!

Regards

Alan (Cadalot)
http://www.cadalot.co.uk

 

????
Not in the plain AutoCAD


Juergen

 

Sorry Guys.....

I had my IntelliCAD head on when I posted that message.

You are correct it does not work in AutoCAD 2000 I have not
tried in 2004 yet, however it worked in IntelliCAD since 2001
See demo below:-

http://www.cadalot.co.uk/icad/notes/Centre-snap-square.htm

As you can imagin the courses for AutoCAD and IntelliCAD are
very similar.

Alan (Cadalot)

 

<<I have a big rectangle, and I want to center a smaller one inside of
it. I can't figure out how to do this using AC 2004.
Thanks,
Brian>>

PATHETIC, isn't it? I mean ANY system describing itself as 'CAD'
would surely be capable of snapping to the centroid of ANY shape.

Fortunately mine does; seemingly, so does (free!) Intellicad, but
not (apparently) the market leader..... but then, there are many,
many other simple things it has difficulty with, too.

As long as the unaware go on buying it, nothing's gonna change....

 

BTW, very impressed with the Flash.

 

So does AutoCAD.
Command: l
Specify first point: 'CAL

Initializing...>> Expression: MEE(761.779 1283.29 0.0)

Specify next point or [Undo]:

There is your midpoint of the rectangle (which by the way IS a POLYLINE or
LWPOLYLINE entity - there is no such thing as a "rectangle" entity.

 

<<be capable of snapping to the centroid of ANY shape.>>

<<So does AutoCAD.>>

ANY shape? Irregular; nonlinear; 3D volume?

Please do tell, from YOUR great knowledge.
Maybe you'd like to tell us how to generate
curves while you're at it, without resorting
to 3rd party add-ons, lisps, or reprogramming.
Just conic sections, helices, catenary, Archimedian spiral,
2nd / 3rd order functions, Beziers, Catmul-rom,
straight out of your overpriced AutoDesk box?

PS NOT ACAD user- merely listening to what other
users report.......but always ready to be corrected.