AutoCAD Polyline Length
 

I need help again. Is there a command in AutoCAD to find the length of a polyline? Thanks, Dan.

RE: AutoCAD Polyline Length
 

The LIST command will do what you want. Enter it from the command line or select the icon from the Inquiry toolbar, then select your pline.

Ken

RE: AutoCAD Polyline Length
 

Thanks Ken. My mistake. I meant after I do a Pedit and then Spline. List will not give me the length. Any help here? Dan.

RE: AutoCAD Polyline Length
 

LIST certainly works on my copy of Autocad. Otherwise it is not a whole of full length polyline. Usually the last entry of the LIST will cite the length and area based up a straight line closure.

You can try DISTANCE, or from here to there is so long, but this is a straight line measurement only.

Wm.

RE: AutoCAD Polyline Length
 

And.... don't use a SPLINE on a airfoil. Wrong item. Read your manual.

Use the older "FIT CURVE" instead, as the line will go through the coordinates and not go around them. Agan see your manual or ask your teacher about the differences.


Wm.

RE: AutoCAD Polyline Length
 

CoosBay, LIST works until I do a SPLINE or FIT. What I need is the length along the line, not the distance to the end points. I use Spline to smooth out my wing tips or empennage outlines. It usually gets me within a line thickness of the three view I'm tracing over with a polyline. I use Compufoil for the airfoils. You bet I need a teacher. I learned AutoCAD many years ago at work. When I saw how great it was I immediately started to use it for model design. The trouble is that the years have taken their toll and I don't have those brainy kids around me any more to answer my questions. Dan.

RE: AutoCAD Polyline Length
 

Problem with SPLINE is that it is based upon a calculation of tangents. If you cut off and end a bit, Autocad then recalculates (automatically) the same line and alters the radaii to fit new tangents. With FIT CURVE, it will instead just be shorter. No recalculation.

FIT CURVE as per Compufoil, also goes exactly through the cordinates as given, not to one side or the other being off just a bit like in SPLINE. I got a No-no message from Eric long time ago, and how to work the endresults.

The LIST option ought to take into account all of the arcs and tangents and then make a quick calculation and report. I also fint the DISTANCE report near useless. As we want to bend thin balsa wood along a curve, not sand away everthing to make a secant fit.

Wm.

RE: AutoCAD Polyline Length
 

Thanks again, Dan.

RE: AutoCAD Polyline Length
 

To find a lot of information about a line, spline, etc, use the properties command. Select the object, right click and choose properties. Works on even FIT and splined plines.

John