Creating an Area by Size and Location

This task shows you how to create an area by keying in a size and clicking a location.
1. Click the Area button tbarea.gif (354 bytes).

The Area Creation dialog box is displayed.

2. Select the Rectangular - Location button dbareacreationloc.gif (450 bytes).
3. Select the Type of area you want to create:

4. If you need to then check Set area origin same as parent. This will make the origin of the area you create the same as the parent object, which is the current active object.
5. Define the size of the area:
  • X Length
  • Y Length
  • Height

You can only define the X and Y values for the Rectangular - Location option. The Height value can be defined for all options.

6. Select a display option:
  • areadisplaysolid.gif (615 bytes) (Solid) displays the area at full height.
  • areadisplayflat.gif (400 bytes) (Flat) displays the area with no height.
7. Optional. To display descriptive text on the area, activate either or both of these options:
  • Display Text for Name: shows the area name.
  • Display Text for Size: shows the area size.
ainfo.gif (980 bytes) You should be able to see the shape of your area when you move the mouse pointer. If you do not see it then click the Fit All In I_FitAllIn.gif (398 bytes) button.
  8. Check Create Area in New Document if you want to do so. See Saving an Area in a New Document.
  9. Define the elevation of the area you will create. Check one of the options:
  • Use the Current Compass Location: The area will be placed at the same elevation as the compass (assuming you have placed the compass on an object).
  • Use User Input Elevation: The area will be placed at the elevation you enter in the Elevation field, and will be relative to the current active object.
10. You are now ready to indicate a location for your area by clicking the left mouse button. Before doing so you can use the Shift key to toggle the axis to one of the four corners or the center of the area. See below.

The area is displayed after you click the left mouse button.

ainfo.gif (980 bytes)

 

You can use the Shift key to toggle the axis to one of the four corners or the center of the area you are creating. After Step 9 above:

A. Move your mouse pointer so that your area is located where you want it.

B. Use the Shift key to toggle the axis. Then go to Step 8. The pictures below show the axis toggled from center to upper left.

toggleaxis1.gif (17363 bytes) toggleaxis2.gif (12583 bytes)

If you have more than one area in your document you can make one active by clicking the Activate Area button (in the General Environment Tools toolbar) and selecting an area.

aendtask.gif (1477 bytes)