Chapter

5
MODIFYING OBJECTS

The previously drawn objects can be modified by using general purpose editing commands. Most of
the editing commands are located in the Modify Toolbar and Modify Menu. This chapter explains
how to do the following
• Select objects by using object selection method
• Erase objects from the drawing
• Create copies of existing objects
• Rearranging objects by moving or rotating
• Resize objects by stretching, scaling, extending, trimming and lengthening
• Breaking objects

5.1. Selecting objects

When you modify an object, you must include it in a selection set, a collection of objects to be
modified. You can use any of the following methods to create a selection set
• Choose a command first and then select objects to be modified. With this method,
Auto CAD prompts you to select the objects
• Select object first and then choose an object modification command. Auto CAD
stores the object in the previous selection set
• Select the object by pointing to them, and then use grips to modify them
Object selection method
After you start a command that prompts you to select objects, you can use any of the following
methods to select an object
ƒ Pointing: - Select the object that you pick directly by using pick box or by typing coordinates.
ƒ Window: - Selects objects contained entirely within in the rectangular selection window.
Click the left mouse button and drag it for selection. The objects that lie inside the window
are selected.
ƒ Crossing: - Selects objects contained within or crossing the boundary of a rectangular
selection window. Use the same method as that of window for selection, only difference is
the object that is touched by the selection is selected.
ƒ All: - Select all the objects in the drawing.
ƒ Last: - Selects the object most recently added to the drawing.
ƒ Previous: - Selects the object included in the previous selection set, if one exists.

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5.2. Erasing Objects

You can erase objects from the drawing by using any object selection method.
To erase objects
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Erase button
• From the Modify menu, choose Erase
• At the command line, type ERASE (or E) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts you to select the object
2. Select the objects to be erased and press ENTER
Note: - You can also select the objects to erase, right click in the drawing area and then choose erase
from the shortcut menu.

5.3. Duplicating Objects

5.3.1. Copying Objects within the drawing

You can duplicate objects within drawing. The default method is to create a selection set and then
specify a starting point, or base point, and a second point or displacement, for the copy as shown in
figure. You can also make multiple copies.

Base Point

Second Point

Before After
Before After
Making Multiple Copies
Copying Single Objects (Making Single Copy)

Figure A Figure B

To copy a selection set once (Fig A)

1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Copy
• From the Modify menu, choose Copy
• At the command line, type COPY (or CP or CO) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts you to select objects:
2. Select the objects to be copied and then press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Specify base point or displacement, or [Multiple]:

3. Specify the base point

Auto CAD prompts
Specify second point of displacement or <use first point as displacement>:

4. Specify the point of displacement

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To make multiple copies of selection set (Fig B)
5. Type M (for Multiple) and press ENTER after the Auto CAD prompt displayed after 2nd
number described above
Auto CAD prompts:
Specify base point:

6. Specify the base point

Auto CAD prompts
Specify second point of displacement or <use first point as displacement>:

7. Specify the second point of displacement for the first copy. Auto CAD repeats the previous
prompts
8. Specify the second point of displacement for the next copy.
9. Continue specifying displacement points to place the additional copy
10. To complete the command press ENTER.

5.3.2. Copying, Cutting and Pasting using Clipboard

You can use the windows clipboard to cut or copy objects from one drawing to another, from paper
space to model space and vice-versa, or between Auto CAD and other application. Cutting removes
the selected objects from drawing and stores them on the clipboard, whereas copying duplicates the
selected objects from the drawing and places them on the clipboard.
The selected objects on the clipboard can be retrieve in anywhere in the drawing and at any
programs using PASTE command.
To cut the objects to the clipboard
1. Select the objects you want to cut
2. Do one of the following
• On the Standard toolbar, click Cut to clipboard
• From the Edit menu, choose Cut
• At the command line, type CUTCLIP and press ENTER
• Press the shortcut key combination Ctrl+X
• Right click on the drawing area and choose Cut from the shortcut menu
To copy the objects to the clipboard
1. Select the objects you want to copy
2. Do one of the following
• On the Standard toolbar, click copy to clipboard
• From the Edit menu, choose Copy
• At the command line, type COPYCLIP and press ENTER
• Press the shortcut key combination Ctrl+C
• Right click on the drawing area and choose Copy from the shortcut menu
To Paste the objects from the clipboard
1. Do one of the following
• On the Standard toolbar, click paste from the clipboard
• From the Edit menu, choose Paste
• At the command line, type PASTECLIP and then press ENTER
• Press the shortcut key combination Ctrl+V
• Right click on the drawing area and choose Paste from the shortcut menu

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5.4. Offsetting Parallel Copies

The offset command copies a selected object and aligns it to parallel to the original objects at a
specified distance in current UCS
To make parallel copies
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Offset
• From the Modify menu, choose Offset
• At the command line, type OFFSET(or O) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Specify offset distance or [Through]: <current>

2. Specify distance by selecting two points or typing distance

Auto CAD prompts: Offset Distance

Select the object to offset or <exit>: Side to Offset

3. Select the object to Offset Before After

Auto CAD prompts

Specify the point on the side to offset:

4. Specify on which side of the object to place the parallel copies by pointing
Auto CAD prompts:
Select another object to offset

5. Repeat step 3 and 4 or press ENTER to end the command

THROUGH – If you choose through on the prompt displayed after command 1, then the parallel
copies will pass through a point

5.5. Mirroring the object

Through this command, you can create a mirror image of selected object. You mirror objects across
a mirror line, which is defined by specifying two points in the drawing as shown in figure below
To mirror objects
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Mirror button
• From the Modify menu, choose Mirror
• At the command line, type MIRROR (or MI) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts you to select the object:
2. Select the object to be mirrored and then press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Specify the first point of the mirror line:

3. Specify the first point of the mirror line

Auto CAD prompts
Specify the second point of the mirror line:

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 4. Specify the second point of the mirror line
First point of mirror line
Auto CAD prompts:
Delete source objects? [Yes/ No] <N>

5. Press ENTER to retain the source object

Second point of mirror line

Before After

5.6. Arraying Objects

You can copy objects in a rectangular or polar (circular) pattern, creating an array. When you create
a rectangular array, you control a number of copies in the array by specifying the number of rows
and columns and the distance between them. When you create a polar array, you control the
number of copies that comprise the array, and whether to rotate the copies.
A) To create a rectangular array
1. Do one of the following
• From the Modify menu, choose Array
• On the Modify toolbar, click Array
• At the command line, type ARRAY (or (AR) and press ENTER
An Array dialogue appears and prompts you to select objects:

2. Select the objects to be arrayed and then press ENTER

Auto CAD prompts:
Enter the type of array [Rectangular/ Polar] <current>:

3. Type R (for Rectangular) and press ENTER

Auto CAD prompts
Enter the number of rows (- - - -) <1>:

4. Type the number of rows and press ENTER

Auto CAD prompts:
Enter the number of columns (I I I) <1>:

5. Type the number of columns and press ENTER

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 Distance between columns

Auto CAD prompts

Specify the distance between the rows or specify unit cell (- - - -):

6. Specify the distance between the rows and press ENTER

Distance
Auto CAD prompts: between rows

Specify the distance between the columns (I I I): Original Objects Here in this figure
Nos. of rows = 2
7. Specify the distance between the columns and press ENTER Nos. pf columns = 3

Rectangular Array

B) To create a polar array

1. Repeat command 1 of rectangular array and type P (for polar) after Auto CAD prompt of 2nd
step
Auto CAD prompts:
Specify the center point of array:

2. Specify the center point of the array either by clicking or by entering coordinates
Auto CAD prompts
Enter the numbers of item in the array:

3. Specify the number of items in the array, including the original object
Auto CAD prompts:
Specify the angle to fill (+ = ccw, - = cw) <360>:

4. Specify the angle that the array is to fill from 0 to 360. The default angle is 360.
Auto CAD prompts:
Rotate the arrayed objects [Yes/ No] <Y>:

5. Press ENTER to rotate the objects as they are arrayed, or type N, and then press ENTER to
retain the original orientation of each copy as it is arrayed
Auto CAD prompts
Enter the numbers of item in the array:

6. Specify the number of items in the array, including the original object

Original Objects
Center Point of array

Here in this figure

Nos. of objects = 5
Angle to fill = 180
Rotation of arrayed objects = Yes

Polar Array

5.7. Rearranging Objects

On this modification of existing objects, you will learn to move, rotate objects about a specified
point.

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5.7.1. Moving objects
You can move the drawing within the drawing. The default method is to create a selection set and
then specify a base point of displacement as shown in figure below.
To move objects
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Move button
• From the Modify menu, choose Move
• At the command line, type MOVE (or M) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts you to select object:
2. Select the object to move and then press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Specify base point or displacement:

3. Specify the base point

Auto CAD prompts:
Specify second point of displacement or <use first point as displacement>:
4. Specify the point of displacement
Note: To move objects by using displacement method, after Auto CAD prompt in command 2, enter
the distance instead of specifying a base point and press ENTER. When prompted for the 2nd point of
displacement, Press ENTER again.

Displacement Point

Base Point

Before After

5.7.2. Rotating Objects

You can rotate objects about a specified point at either a specified rotation angle or an angle relative
to a base reference angle. The default method rotates the object about a specified base point by
using a relative rotation angle from their current orientation. When you rotate object, their size
remains the same.
To rotate the object
1. Do one of the following
• From the Modify menu, choose Rotate
• On the Modify toolbar, choose Rotate

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 • At the command line, type ROTATE (or ROT) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts you to select the object:
2. Select the object to rotate and then press ENTER B C B
Base point A
Auto CAD prompts:
Specify base point: A

3. Specify the base point

B C C A
Auto CAD prompts:
Original Objects Objects rotated by 270 Objects rotated by180
w.r.t. original object w.r.t. original object
Specify rotation angle or [Reference]:
4. Specify the rotation angle and then press ENTER

5.7.3. Aligning objects

You can also use the Align command to move, rotate and optionally resize an object, so that it aligns
with another object.
This command first prompts you to select the objects that you want to move. It then prompts you as
many as three pairs of points. These points are referred as source points and destination points. The
resulting realignment is based on the correlation of these points.
The command here; is tried to explain the process of
Aligning two objects into a single object
S2

Command: ALIGN
Select objects: (Select pipe extension) S1

Select objects: ENTER D1 D2

Specify first source point: (Select point S1)

Specify first Destination point: (Select point D1)
Specify second source point: (Select point S2)
Specify second destination point: (Select point D2)
Before After
Specify third source point or <continue>: ENTER
Scale objects to alignment points? [Yes/ No] <No>: Y

5.8. Resizing Objects

Objects can be resized by stretching, scaling, extending, trimming, or lengthening

5.8.1. Stretching Objects
You can change the size of the objects by stretching them. When you stretch objects, you must
select the objects by using either a crossing window or crossing polygon. You then either specify a
displacement distance or select a base point and displacement point. Objects that cross a window or
polygon boundary are stretched; those completely within the boundry are simply moved.

Base Point Second Point

of Displacement
Before After
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To stretch an object
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Stretch
• From the Modify menu, choose Stretch
• At the command line, type STRETCH (or S) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Select objects to stretch by crossing window or crossing polygon:

2. Select the objects to be stretch and then press ENTER

Auto CAD prompts:
Specify base point or displacement:

3. Specify the base point

Auto CAD prompts
Specify second point of displacement:

4. Specify the second point of displacement

Note: To stretch the object by displacement method is similar to moving objects by displacement
method

5.8.2. Scaling Object

You can change the size of the objects by scaling them in relation to a base point. You can change
the size of the object either by specifying a scale factor or by specifying a base point and a length,
which is used as a scale factor that is based on the current drawing units.
To scale an object by specifying a scale factor
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Scale
• From the Modify menu, choose Scale
• At the command line, type SCALE (or SC) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts you to select objects:
2. Select the objects to be Scaled and then press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Specify base point:

3. Specify the base point

Auto CAD prompts
Specify scale factor or [Reference]: Base Point

4. Specify the scale factor Before After

5.8.3. Extending Object

You can extend objects so that they end at a boundary defined by other objects. You can also extend
objects to the point at which they would intersect an implied boundary edge (an edge that would be
intersected if the boundary object was extended). When you use Extend command, you first select
the boundary edges and then specify the object to extend.

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 To Extend an object
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Extend
• From the Modify menu, choose Extend
• At the command line, type EXTEND (or EX) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Current settings: Projection=UCS, Edge=None
Select boundary edges...

2. Select the objects to serve as boundary edges and then press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Select the object to extend, or [Project/ Edge/ Undo]:

3. Select an object to extend. Auto CAD then repeats the previous prompt
4. Select another object to extend, or press ENTER to end the command

5.8.4. Trimming Objects

You can clip or trim objects so that they end at a cutting edge that is defined by other objects. When
you use the TRIM command, you first select the cutting edges and then specify the objects to trim.
To Trim an Object
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Trim
• From the Modify menu, choose Trim
• At the command line, type TRIM (or TR) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Current settings: Projection=UCS, Edge=None
Select cutting edges...

2. Select the objects to serve as cutting edges and then press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Select objects to Trim, or [Project/ Edge/ Undo]:

3. Select an object to trim, Auto CAD then repeats the previous prompt
4. Select another object to trim, or press ENTER to complete the command

Boundary Edges Cutting Edges

Object to Extend Object to Trim

Before After Before After

Extending Object Trimming Object

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 5.8.5. Lengthening Object
Lengthening command is used to change the length of arcs, lines, ellipse, elliptical arcs, open poly-
lines and open spline. The default method to lengthening object is by Dragging
To copy a selection set once (Fig A)
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Lengthen
• From the Modify menu, choose Lengthen
• At the command line, type LENGTHEN (or LEN) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Select an object or [DElta/ Percent/ Total/ DYnamic]:

2. Type DY (for Dynamic mode) and then press ENTER

Auto CAD prompts:
Select an object to change or [Undo]:

3. Select the object that you want to lengthen

Auto CAD prompts
Specify new end point:

4. Move the cursor and then click to specify a new end point. Auto CAD then prompts you
again to select an object to change
5. Select another object to lengthen, or press ENTER to end the command.

5.9. Breaking Objects

You can break an object into two parts, removing a portion of object in process. You specify two
points for break. By default, the point that you used to select the object is also used as first break
point; however, you can use the first option to select a separate break point from the one you used
to select the object.
To break an object by using two specified break points as shown in figure
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Break
• From the Modify menu, choose Break
• At the command line, type BREAK (or BR) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts you to select an object:
2. Select an object you want to break
Auto CAD prompts: Position used to select the object

Specify second break point or [First point]:

A B
Before
3. Type F (for the first point) and then press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts After

Specify first break point:

4. Specify the first break point

Auto CAD prompts
Specify second break point:
As soon as you specify second break point, the object is broken and the command ends

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5.10. Editing Complex Object

5.10.1. Exploding Objects

This command is used to, convert a complex object, such as poly-line, polygon, multiline etc from a
single object into its component parts. Exploding a poly-line, rectangle, donut, or polygon reduces it
to a collection of individual lines and arcs object that you can modify individually. This command can
also used for blocks, dimension and hatch patterns.
To Explode an Object
1. Do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Explode
• From the Modify menu, choose Explode
• At the command line, type EXPLODE (or EX) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Select objects:

2. Select one or more objects then press ENTER

5.10.2. Chamfering Object

The chamfer command connects two non parallel objects by extending or trimming them and then
joining them with a line to create a beveled edge. You can chamfer lines, poly-lines rays, and infinite
rays. The chamfer command is a powerful when chamfering poly-lines, because you can chamfer not
only the intersection of two poly-lines segments, but also entire poly-lines.
To start a chamfer command, do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Chamfer
• From the Modify menu, choose Chamfer
• At the command line, type CHAMFER (or CHA) and press ENTER
Chamfering commands lets you select the option as
ƒ Poly-lines – lets you chamfer entire 2 – D Poly-line in a single step
ƒ Distance – Lets you set distance to trim back the first line and the distance to trim back
second line
ƒ Angle – lets you control the chamfer by specifying a length and an angle for resulting
chamfer line
ƒ Trim – lets you toggle between trim and no trim mode
ƒ Method – Lets you toggle between Angle and Distance chamfer method

To chamfer two objects by specifying two different chamfer distance

1. Start the chamfer command
2. Type D (for Distance) and press ENTER Second Object

3. Specify first chamfer distance and press ENTER

4. Specify second chamfer distance and press ENTER
5. Restart chamfer command by pressing ENTER
6. Select first object First Object

7. Select second object Second Chamfer Distance

Before
After
First Chamfer Distance

Chamfering two objects specifying two different chamfer distance

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To chamfer two objects by specifying two different chamfer distance
1. Start the chamfer command Chamfer length on first line

2. Type A (for Angle) and press ENTER

3. Specify the chamfer distance on first line and press ENTER First Object
Chamfer angle from the first line

4. Specify chamfer angle from the first line and press ENTER
5. Restart chamfer command by pressing ENTER Second Object

6. Select first object

7. Select second object Before
After

Chamfering two objects specifying one angle and one chamfer distance

5.10.3. Filleting Objects

The fillet command connects two objects with an arc of a specified radius to create rounded edge.
You can fillet a pair of line segments, poly-line segments, arcs, circles, rays and infinite lines. You can
also fillet line, rays, infinite lines that are parallel to each other. This command can also fillet entire
poly-line segments at once.
To start a fillet command, do one of the following
• On the Modify toolbar, click Fillet
• From the Modify menu, choose Fillet
• At the command line, type FILLET (or F) and press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Current settings: Mode = TRIM, Radius = 0
Select objects or [Polyline/Radius/Trim/mUltiple]:

Filleting commands lets you select the option as

ƒ Poly-lines – lets you fillet the entire Poly-line in a single step
ƒ Radius – lets you set the fillet radius between two object
ƒ Trim – lets you toggle between trim and no trim option

To fillet two objects as shown in figure

1. Start the fillet command
2. Type R (for Radius) and press ENTER First Object

3. Specify fillet radius and press ENTER Fillet Radius

4. Restart fillet command by pressing ENTER
5. Select first object Second Object

6. Select second object

After
Before
Filleting two objects specifying radius

5.10.4. Editing Poly-lines

You can modify any type of two dimensional or three dimensional poly-lines. Objects such as
rectangles, polygons, donuts are all variations of poly-lines that you can edit. You can also convert
any numbers of individual line objects into poly-line.
When you start PEDIT command, Auto CAD prompts you to select poly-lines. If you select an object
that is not poly-line, the program asks whether you want to turn it into a poly-line. Only arcs and
lines can be converted into poly line.
To convert an object into poly-lines

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 1. Start the PEDIT command. Auto CAD prompts you to select a poly-line
2. Select any object among those you want to convert into poly-line
Auto CAD prompts:
Object selected is not a poly-line
Do you want to turn it into one? <Y>:
3. Press ENTER
Auto CAD prompts:
Enter an option [Open/Join/Width/Edit vertex/Fit/Spline/Decurve/Ltype gen/Undo]:

4. Type J (for Join) and press ENTER

Auto CAD prompts:
Select object:
5. Select all the individual objects that you want to turn into poly-lines and press ENTER
6. Press ENTER again to end the command

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 15

75
45
15

75

30 30

70

70

40

160

40

40

Ø80 Ø60
Ø40

Ø100

2 6 1 1 1

R2 9

R2 2
30°

20
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 30
15

R20

R25

Ø30
1

Ø50

54

52 48

27 27
2
18
1

19

114 4

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 28'-3"

9'-9" 10'-9" 7'

9" 9' 10' 6'-3" 9"

9"
6" 2'-3"

9"
4' 9"

2'-6"
9"

14' 2'-6"

4'-6" 11'-9"
9"

4'
2'-6"

9"
9" 9"

32'-3"
4'-3" 2' 3'-6" 4'-3"
30'

9" 9"
1'-6" 1'-6"

4' 4'

13'-3" 1'-6" 1'-6" 13'-3"

4' 4'

1'-6" 1'-6"
9" 9"

9" 1' 7' 1' 2' 7' 1' 9" 6'-3" 9"

9'-9" 10'-9" 7'

28'-3"

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