Architectural Home Design Software
Using the Point to Point Move Tool to
Position CAD Objects
Reference Number: KB-00734
Last Modified: July 16, 2015
The information in this article applies to:
QUESTION
I am creating a detail drawing and need a way to precisely place the di erent
components. What is a fast and accurate way to do this?
ANSWER
Chief Architect provides a variety of tools to accurately dimension and position objects
in your plans and drawings. The Point to Point edit tool in combination with Object
Snapping offers an easy and fast way to position CAD objects precisely.
This article demonstrates how the Point to Point Move can be used with two different
Object Snapping behaviors to precisely position a footing, stem wall and treated sill
plate in a foundation detail drawing.
To use Point to Point Move and Midpoint snapping
1. Open a plan in which you would like to position CAD objects precisely.
2. Select CAD> CAD Detail Management
from the menu and open the CAD Detail
in which you are preparing your drawing.
3. Make sure that Object Snaps
, particularly Endpoint
and Midpoint
snaps are enabled. This can be done by clicking the toggle buttons on the right side
of the Chief Architect window or on the SNAP PROPERTIES panel of the Preferences
dialog.
4. Click on the stem wall to select it, then click the Point to Point Move
edit
button.
5. Move your cursor over the bottom edge of the stem wall and notice the Midpoint
snap indicator that appears. With this indicator visible, click your mouse button
once.
If you have difficulty getting the Midpoint
snap indicator to display, turn off
some of the other Object Snap types.
6. Move your cursor over the top edge of the footing and again notice the Midpoint
indicator.
7. With the Midpoint
indicator visible along the footing edge, click once more.
8. The stem wall will now be centered directly above the footing.
To use Point to Point Move and Endpoint snapping
1. Click on the sill plate to select it, then click the Point to Point Move
edit
button.
2. Move your cursor over the bottom left corner of the sill plate and notice the
Endpoint
is visible.
snap indicator. Click your mouse button once while this snap indicator
3. Move your cursor over the top left corner of the stem wall and notice the Endpoint
indicator.
4. Click once more to move the sill plate so that its bottom corner meets the top corner
of the stem wall.
Related Articles
Adding an Insertion Point to a CAD Block (/support/article/KB-01032/adding-aninsertion-point-to-a-cad-block.html)
Controlling the Snap Grid and the Reference Grid (/support/article/KB-
00661/controlling-the-snap-grid-and-the-reference-grid.html)
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