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Quickly Rotate the UCS
Tip# 3577 By Hank Graftenreed On 06-Feb-2011
3
Rated By 2 users
Categories : User Coordinate System
Software type : AutoCAD 2011
Rename File To : No Files to download.
Align your drawing's view with a major object in the drawing.

Structural designer Hank Graftenreed contributed an AutoCAD tip that lets you rotate your UCS very quickly and precisely.

"Draw or select a line along the longest side of the property, building, etc. (I typically use a line on the southwest part of the drawing). Type UCS at the Command line, type OB for object, and click near the left end of the line to establish it as X. Y will be up and perpendicular to the line. (Note: Picking the right end of the line will result in Y being down instead, which may be desired.) Type Plan at the Command line, type C for current, and press Enter. If current is the default, simply press Enter twice.
 
"This can also be done in a viewport without affecting model space, but you will need to reset the VP scale."

Notes from Cadalyst Tip Patrol: Rotating your UCS to an object is a very quick way to rotate your drawing's view so that it is aligned with a major object in your drawing. This works very well when you want to rotate the view in a viewport. It is instant and it rotates the view to the angle of the object you select. To put things back to normal, type Plan on the Command line and choose World, then type UCS and select World.
 

 

Average Rating:
3


User comments
Comment by Jacobsen,Don
Posted on 2011-02-07 13:29:24
What I do instead of drawing a line is just type the UCS command, and then enter 3 (an option that does not appear on the command line). This allows you to select 3 points. The 1st point is where you want the origin, the 2nd and 3rd points are for the direction of the X and Y.
Comment by Azbell,Nicholas
Posted on 2011-02-07 13:31:22
Don't forget in 2011, you can actually rotate the viewport itself.
Comment by Barrett,Tod
Posted on 2011-02-07 13:52:55
I agree with this tip and I wrote a LISP for my users to automate this process. One word of caution is that this changes the origin (or base point) in model space away from the previous setting to the point of the line selection. Don't insert anything at 0,0 or a geo-refrenced image file and expect it to line up properly. Must set UCS back to World coordinates.
Comment by Porter,Bill
Posted on 2011-02-07 14:14:34
Most of our panel wiring drawings are oriented with the top of the panel at the left of the drawing and the bottom at the right. We use Dview Twist and rotate the drawing 90 degrees in model space so the drafter doesn't have to turn his head sideways to see the drawing. The UCS is still oriented as before so X is now up and down, Y is now left to right. but is still appears correct in paper space.
Comment by Roberts,Alan
Posted on 2011-02-07 15:28:22
Its faster to type UCS, then Z then the angle of rotation. or UCS, the E for entity and click on any object, ucs will snap to that angle or UCS, 3 for 3 points, click on line then somewhere else on line and <enter> to snap to that angle