Editor's note: If you cannot see the backslashes in the macro code in the tip below, please refer to the two highlighted portions of this image for correct placement; there should be two slashes as indicated by the first highlight, then one slash at the second highlight. 

Tipster Jerri Thompson created a new AutoCAD command that will allow users to draw an arc with a specific length.

"There may be a way to draw an arc with a specified length in AutoCAD 2012, but if there is, I could not find it. I created another button. It asks for center point, start point, and length of the arc. It draws the arc using your desired length as the chord length, then changes it using the length command:

^C^Ca;c;l;(setq L1(getstring"Enter Arc Length:"));ID'@;(setq P1(getpoint));@;len;t;!L1;!P1;;

"I hope you find this useful. I know I do."

Notes from Cadalyst tip reviewer Brian Benton: In the ribbon there is an ARC button. It has an option arrow. Click it to get options on the ways to create an arc. One of them will allow you to draw an arc based on length. Or start the Arc command on the Command line by typing ARC. Pick a start point or type C to create the center point of the arc. If your first point was a starting point, then make your second the center. Then type L for length and type in the length. If you start with the center, then a start point, then type L for length and type in your length. The command macro created in the tip automates this process. Most commands have more options available to them. Keep an eye out for those options in the Command line.