LESSON 3: Working with Point Objects

LESSON 3: Working with Point Objects

Points objects represent existing or proposed points in Land Desktop. Their appearance in
the drawing and their interaction with AutoCAD commands can be controlled by point
settings.
Point objects have the ollowing characteristics!
n Points can appear at their actual elevation or at a ixed elevation.
n Points are saved to an external database.
n Points have markers and text" both have styles that can be modiied. Points can
also be labeled using a label style.
n #arkers and text can have either relative or absolute si$es controlling their
appearance in the drawing.
n Point text can be separated rom its associated point marker by grip editing% with a
leader automatically generated to graphically link the marker and text.
n Point descriptions can be either raw &point database' or ull &as speciied by the
description key'.
n Point text appears on the same layer as the point marker% but the visibility o the
text is controlled by individual settings.
n Point coordinate display in dialog boxes can be speciied as (orthing)*asting%
*asting)(orthing% x%y% or y%x.
n The AutoCAD +(D, command works with point objects.
n Point objects align with the -orld +C..
To work through this lesson ollow these steps
/ .tart Autodesk Land Desktop i you have not already done so.
0 ,n the 1ile menu% click ,pen to display the ,pen Drawing! Project 2ased dialog
box.
The deault location older or project iles is c!3Land Projects 0445. 6 you opted to
install these iles in another location instead% speciy the appropriate project path.
7 1rom the Project (ame list% select T+T,86AL0% rom the .elect Project Drawing
list% select Lesson97.dwg% and then click ,:.
5 ,n the Projects menu% click #enu Palettes to display the #enu Palette #anager
dialog box.
; 1rom the #enu list% select Land Desktop 0445% and then click Load.
-orking through these lessons will result in alteration o the project iles. 2ackup copies
o these project iles can be ound in the c!3Program 1iles3Land Desktop 04453Landtut
older.
6 this lesson has been previously run% copy these unaltered project iles to the 3Land
Projects 0445 older when starting a new tutorial session to ensure that the se<uence
outlined in each lesson can be ollowed properly.
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LESSON 3: Working with Point Objects
Listing Point Objects
Two points are displayed in the drawing% 05= and =;>. +se the AutoCAD L6.T command
to list inormation about the point number 05=.
/ *nter L6.T% and then select point number 05= and press *(T*8.
0 Close the text window.
The point is an A*CC?P,6(T object. The point object appears in the drawing at its
actual elevation. The point coordinates% description% point number% and point name are
stored in the point database.
Inserting Points from the Point Database
@ou can erase points rom the drawing% but they still exist in the points database. *rase
point number 05= and =;>% and then reinsert them.
/ ,n the command line% enter *8A.*% select the two points% and then press
*(T*8.
0 ,n the Points menu% click Point +tilities Aoom to *xtents.
The Aoom to *xtents command $ooms to the extents o the minimum and maximum
coordinates o the points in the database% not the extents o all o the entities in the
drawing.
7 ,n the Points menu% click Point +tilities Buick Ciew.
Ds appear at all point locations% including the erased ones.
Click here to see an illustration o the <uick view point locations.
+se the ollowing steps to list all o the points in the database.
5 ,n the Points menu% click List Points to display the List Points dialog box.
; .elect the List All Points option.
E .croll down the list to view points 05= and =;>.
Point number 05= is listed as 05=L% which means it is locked. Locked points cannot be
edited until they are unlocked.
= Click ,: to continue.
> ,n the Ciew menu% click (amed Ciews to display the Ciew dialog box. +nder
(ame% select /% click .et Current% and then click ,:.
+se the ollowing step to retrieve the two erased points rom the points database and
reinsert them in the drawing.
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LESSON 3: Working with Point Objects
F ,n the Points menu% click 6nsert Points to Drawing% enter - or the -indow
option% and then window in the area o the two missing points. &The two points are
located in the right hal o the screen in the current view.'
The two points now reappear in the drawing.
Click here to see an illustration o the reinserted points.
Changing Point Eleations
Change the actual elevation to a ixed elevation or inserted points.
/ ,n the Points menu% click Point .ettings to display the Point .ettings dialog box.
0 Click the 6nsert tab. 6n the 6nsertion *levation section% select 1ixed elevation%
veriy that the 1ixed elevation is 4 &$ero' m.
7 Click the Text tab. .elect the Automatic Leaders check box and then click ,:.
+se the ollowing step to list inormation about the existing point elevation.
5 *nter L6.T% and then select point number =;> and press *(T*8.
The #arker Location still lists the elevation as 05;.;/ m. The point setting just made
does not alter existing points in the drawing. @ou must reinsert or edit the point to
implement the elevation change.
; Close the text window.
+se the ollowing steps to reinsert the points in this area back into the drawing.
E ,n the Points menu% click 6nsert Points to Drawing% and then press *(T*8 to
accept the deault% -indow% and window in the two points.
= As the Point in Drawing dialog box is displayed% click 8eplace All.
> *nter L6.T% and then select point number =;> and press *(T*8.
The #arker Location lists the elevation as 4 m.
F Close the text window.
Changing Point Dis!la" Pro!erties
Take a look at some o the point display properties.
/ .elect point number =;>% right9click and click Display Properties to display the
Point Display Properties dialog box.
0 Click the 8eset tab. 6n the Point *levation section% select the 8eset Point
*levation in Drawing check box% select Actual *levation% and then click ,:.
7 *nter L6.T% and then select both points and press *(T*8.
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LESSON 3: Working with Point Objects
1or point number =;>% observe that the #arker Location lists the elevation as 05;.;/ m.
1or point number 05=% the #arker Location lists the elevation as 4 m. Changes made in
the Display Properties dialog box take immediate eect% without having to reinsert the
points in the drawing.
5 Close the text window.
Changing Point #arkers an$ %e&t
ou can use either custom markers or AutoCAD points to designate point nodes. 6 you
choose to use AutoCAD points as markers% the marker style can be adjusted with the
DDPT@P* command.
.elect a new custom marker and superimposed symbol% and then si$e the marker in
absolute units.
/ ,n the Ciew menu% click (amed Ciews to display the Ciew dialog box. +nder
(ame% select 7% click .et Current% and then click ,:.
0 .elect point number =;>% right9click and click Display Properties to display the
Point Display Properties dialog box.
7 ,n the #arker tab% in the Custom #arker .ymbol section% select the ourth
marker symbol% and then in the .uperimposed section% select the circle symbol.
5 6n the Custom #arker .i$e section% select .i$e in Absolute +nits% and then enter 0
or the .i$e.
@ou can change the visibility and color o number% elevation% and description text.
+se the ollowing steps to turn o the visibility o the elevation text% change the color o
the description text% and si$e the text in absolute units.
; Click the Text tab% and then in the Color and Cisibility section% clear the
&*levation' Cisible check box.
E Click the Description color box to display the .elect a Color dialog box. 1rom the
.tandard Colors palette select cyan &light blue'% and then click ,: to return to the Point
Display Properties dialog box.
= 6n the .tyle and .i$e section% select Absolute +nits% enter 0 or the Text .i$e% and
then click ,:.
1or point number =;>% the point marker and text now appear smaller% and the number and
description text strings are centered on the marker. The appearance o point 05= remains
unchanged since its text si$e is still relative to the view area o the screen.
Click here to see an illustration o the new point =;> display parameters.
As you $oom in and out o the drawing% points with markers and text si$ed relative to the
view area o the screen are resi$ed each time that the points are regenerated.
> ,n the Points menu% click Point .ettings to display the Point .ettings dialog box.
F Click the Preerences tab. 6n the Point Display section% clear the Always
8egenerate Point Display Ater Aoom check box% and then click ,:.
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LESSON 3: Working with Point Objects
/4 ,n the Ciew menu% click (amed Ciews to display the Ciew dialog box. +nder
(ame% select /% click .et Current% and then click ,:.
// ,n the command line enter 8*G*( to regenerate the drawing.
Point number 05= is resi$ed proportionally% while point number =;> maintains its
absolute si$e. 6 all o the points in the drawing have their markers and text set to absolute
si$e% it is recommended that you turn o the Always 8egenerate Point Display Ater
Aoom check box to improve display perormance.
+se the ollowing steps to reposition point text relative to the point marker.
/0 .elect point number 05= to display its grips.
/7 .elect the grip and drag down to the right% and then click to ix the point text in its
new position.
A leader is automatically drawn between the text and marker.
Click here to see an illustration o the point leader.
Controlling Point Dis!la" b" La"er
Change the point layer% and then turn that layer o so the point is not visible in the
drawing.
/ .elect point number 05=% right9click and click *dit ,bject Display to display the
,bject Display dialog box.
0 Click Layer to display the .elect Layer dialog box.
7 1rom the Layer list% select P(T?#6.C% click ,: to return to the ,bject Display
dialog box% and then click ,:.
5 Click the Layers icon in the toolbar to display the Layer Properties #anager. Turn
o the display o the P(T?#6.C layer% and click ,: to close the Layer Properties
#anager.
The point is no longer displayed in the drawing.
This concludes the point object lesson. 6n the next lesson% youHll learn about creating
points.
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