Struggling with AutoCAD Mac

[Reef Inmate]

Hi there, I am a new Mac user and AutoCAD User all in one, so this should be fun. I have been designing in TurboCAD on a PC for the past 15 years but have decided to try the Mac and Autocad.

I am having a problem combing two rectangles with the Union command. Please see attached drawing?

88522

No matter what I try I just cannot get the result I want. Any ideas?

Thanks

Leigh van Zyl
Durban
South Africa

[rkmcswain]

I'm going to assume you are using the ._UNION command.....are you getting this message on the command line after you select the two rectangles?

"At least 2 solids, surfaces, or coplanar regions must be selected."

The ._UNION command does not do what you are trying to do.
Use the ._TRIM command, and then the ._JOIN command.
(I'm speaking from the Windows version, hopefully these commands are in the MAC version...)

[Reef Inmate]

I am using the Union command, but not by typing it the command bar but rather by selecting it form the toolbar. I do not get any messages like you say in the command line.

I attempt to do it in this order.

Draw the two rectangles.
Select the Union tool.
The cursor changes from crosshair to a small square with message below saying "select objects"
I select both objects.
The command line also says "select objects"
From this point I can go no further.
If I hit enter, the two selected objects become unselected, the same as when I right click with the mouse.

This happens with the Union, Subtract and Intersect tools.

Thanks

Leigh

[xSmiffyx]

As rkmcswain posted the union cmmand only works with solid objects. You could trim and join as mentioned or jusr run a polyline over the two rectangles to get your desired shape.

[cadtag]

As far as AutoCAD is concerned, there's no such thing as a "RECTANGLE" object. The rectangle command simply draws a closed polyine using the two point picked. Similar results with the POLYGON command, eg a 3 sided polygon is not a 'Triangle" entity, just a closed PLINE with three sides.

If you need a single object, you could use the REGION command to convert the closed plines to REGION objects, and UNION those, or use the TRIM command to clean out the inside, and the PEDIT Join the resultant 4 pline segments into a single PLINE. The command you mentioned will _only_ work on REGIONS, SURFACE, OR 3dSolids (not to be confused with the 2D SOLID filled entity created wuith the SOLID command.

Does that help?

[Reef Inmate]

That fixed the problem thank you, although it only works for the Union and Intersect commands but not subtract.

[rkmcswain]

I do not get any messages like you say in the command line.


Interesting that you do not get an messages in your version.
I wonder if that is because there is only a single line visible in your command line (I don't even know if the Mac version can display more than one line)
Regardless, if you had seen this message, you would have had some clue as to why it wasn't working.
Sounds like command feedback needs to be addressed.

[jaberwok]

That fixed the problem thank you, although it only works for the Union and Intersect commands but not subtract.

So, what have you done? Converted the rectangles to Regions?
If so, Subtract should work too.

[Reef Inmate]

So, what have you done? Converted the rectangles to Regions?
If so, Subtract should work too.

Yes I converted the rectangles and circles to Regions, but it definitely does not work for subtract which is quite frustrating. But I ma most likely doing something wrong. Ill keep trying.

[Reef Inmate]

I figured out what i am doing wrong with the subtract command. I was selecting both objects and hitting enter, but I have to first select one, hit enter then select the next and hit enter. It will take me time to work my way round this AutoCAD as it very different from TurboCAD.

Thanks for the help so far, I have many more that I am struggling with but let me press on and try figure them out.

[jaberwok]

I figured out what i am doing wrong with the subtract command. I was selecting both objects and hitting enter, but I have to first select one, hit enter then select the next and hit enter. It will take me time to work my way round this AutoCAD as it very different from TurboCAD.

Thanks for the help so far, I have many more that I am struggling with but let me press on and try figure them out.

Yeah, that's the way it works - it's good that you discovered it for yourself. :)
The commands that you've chosen to use were designed for use with solid objects but, if they work for you, that's fine. Acad almost always has more than one way to do things.