Polar Tracking is a valuable tool in CAD software, offering precise control over drawing angles and distances. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential steps and functions to get the most out of this feature, ensuring smoother and more accurate drafting.
Polar Tracking is designed to assist in creating precise drawings by automatically snapping the cursor to specific angles.When moving the cursor across polar axis, polar rays will be displayed, and the cursor can be adsorbed and moved along the polar direction.
For example, in the following figure, after specifying the first point of line, the first point is used as a temporary tracking point, and the second point in polar direction can be specified through polar tracking.
After a basic understanding of Polar Tracking, we will now explain how to set it up and use it in ZWCAD as an example.
Polar tracking can be turned on or off through the following methods.
● Click the Polar Tracking button in the bottom status bar, or press F10.
● Execute the DSETTINGS(DS) command to open the [Drafting Settings] dialog box, check or clear Polar Tracking On in the Polar Tracking tab.
1.In the [Increment Angle] section, there are some options of common angles. If you have a specific requirement of angles, select [Additional Angles], add New angle in the box.
2.After the above settings, you can apply the custom tracking angles in the drawing.
The polar angle determines the direction of polar tracking. Execute the DSETTINGS command, and in the Polar Tracking tab, you can set incremental and additional angles for polar tracking.
● Incremental angle: Incremental angle refers to the angle between adjacent polar axes. For example, if the incremental angle is set to 45°, the polar axis will be established in the directions of 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, etc. starting from zero angle.
● Additional angle: Additional angle is used to fill the gap in incremental angle. For example, polar tracking needs to be performed in the 50° and 70° directions, which cannot be achieved solely by setting incremental angles. Additional angles can be set to 50° and 70°.
In the default settings, the zero angle direction of polar axis is horizontally positive, and the polar axis angle increases in a counterclockwise direction. The UNITS command allows you to set the base angle and angle growth direction in the Drawing Units dialog box.
The polar distance determines the incremental distance the cursor moves in polar direction. Execute the DSETTINGS command, check Snap on and Polar Snap in the [Snap and Grid] tab, and then enter the polar distance.
For example, if you specify a polar distance of 200, the cursor will snap to points on polar axis that are 200, 400, 600, 800, etc. away from the previous point.
Using object snap tracking can easily locate feature points that are associated with the object's spatial position. You first need to enable object snap and polar tracking.
In the following figure, a circle needs to be drawn at the center of rectangle. Execute the CIRCLE command, hover the cursor over midpoint of the horizontal edge of rectangle, then move it away, and then hover over the midpoint of vertical edge. Move the mouse until the two polar axes intersect, click the mouse to obtain the center of rectangle, and then specify the radius.
In the following figure, draw a circle at a specified distance outside the rectangle.
Start by executing the CIRCLE command. Then, type "TT" in the command line to enable temporary tracking. Next, move the cursor to one of the rectangle’s vertices and click. From there, move the cursor horizontally and input the desired polar distance.
After that, move the cursor vertically and enter the polar distance again. Once done, simply press Enter to specify the center of the circle. Finally, define the radius of the circle.
Q: What is Polar Tracking and how does it differ from Object Snap?
A: Polar Tracking helps you draw lines at specific angles relative to the axes, while Object Snap (OSNAP) helps you snap to specific points on existing objects like endpoints, midpoints, and intersections.
Q: What is the difference between Object Snap Tracking (F11) and Object Snap (OSNAP)?
A: Object Snap (OSNAP) helps you snap the cursor to specific points on existing objects (like endpoints and midpoints) for precise drawing. Object Snap Tracking (F11), on the other hand, allows you to track along existing geometry and extend snap points to new locations, making it easier to align objects in relation to each other.
In short, the former is for snapping directly to points, while the latter helps track and extend those points for accurate placement.
Q: What is the difference between Polar Distance and Polar Angle in Polar Tracking?
A: Polar Angle defines the direction of the line you’re drawing, while Polar Distance determines the length the cursor moves along the polar direction.
Polar Tracking is a powerful tool that enhances precision and efficiency in CAD drawing. By following the steps outlined in this guide and utilizing the features in ZWCAD, you can significantly improve your drafting process, ensuring greater accuracy and control in your designs.
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