Polygon Command

A polygon is a figure formed by the finite number of line segments connected to form a closed circuit.

The categories of the polygon are triangle, quadrilateral, pentagons, hexagon, heptagon (or sept agon),
octagon, etc. The triangle is a figure with three sides, and an octagon is a figure with eight sides.

The polygon command is used to create polygons in AutoCAD. We need to specify the number of sides to
create a polygon.

The maximum number of lines available to create a polygon is 1024

The shortcut command to create a polygon is 'pol'.

Types (Methods to use Polygon)

There are two types of the polygon, which are given below:

1. Inscribe in Circle
The polygon formed will be drawn inside the circle. The command is best used when we want to
create any polygon with its vertices or corners touching the circle.

The shortcut command for inscribing is I.

2. Circumscribe about Circle

The polygon formed will be drawn outside the circle. The shortcut command for circumscribing is C.

Note: A polygon can also be drawn inscribe or circumscribe without the circle.

Let's understand inscribe and circumscribe with two examples.

Example 1: We will consider the pentagon as a polygon for this example.

The image for such an example is shown below:

Example 2: We will consider hexagon as a polygon for this example.

The image for such an example is shown below:

Examples to create polygon

Example 1: The steps to create a pentagon (polygon with five sides) are listed below:

1. Select Polygon from the drop-down list of the Rectangle present on the ribbon panel, as shown in
the below image:

Or Type POL on the command line and press Enter.

2. Specify the number of sides of a polygon. Here, we are creating a pentagon, so we will enter 5.
3. Press Enter.
4. Specify the center of polygon on the viewport or workspace.
5. Enter I or C for Inscribe or Circumscribe.
6. Press Enter.
7. Specify the radius of the polygon. For example, 4.
8. Press Enter. The polygon will be drawn, as shown in the below image:
Example 2: The steps to create a heptagon (polygon with seven sides) are given below:

1. Select Polygon from the drop-down list of the Rectangle present on the ribbon panel, as
shown in the below image:

Or Type POL on the command line and press Enter.

2. Specify the number of sides of a polygon. Here, we are creating a heptagon (also
called Sept agon), so we will enter 7.

3. Press Enter.

4. Specify the center of polygon on the viewport or workspace.

5. Enter I or C for Inscribe or Circumscribe.

6. Press Enter.
7. Specify the radius of the polygon. For example, 5.
8. Press Enter. The polygon will be drawn, as shown in the below image:
 Combined polygons

We can also combine two or more polygons by specifying the edge of the corresponding polygon.

Let's understand with an example.

The example consists of three pentagons joined together.

The steps for such an example are listed below:

Type POL on the command line and press Enter.

1. Specify the number of sides. For the pentagon, we will specify 5.

2. Press Enter.

3. Specify the center of polygon on the viewport or workspace.

4. Enter I or C for Inscribe and Circumscribe.

5. Press Enter.

6. Specify the radius of the polygon. For example, 4.

7. Press Enter. The polygon will be drawn, as shown in the below image:

Now, the steps to create a second pentagon combined with the first.

8. Type POL on the command line and press Enter.

9. Specify the number of sides, 5.

10. Press Enter.

11. Type E (Edge) and press Enter.

12. Specify the first and second endpoint of the edge of the first polygon through the cursor, as
shown in the below image:
Now, the steps to create a third pentagon combined with the first and second polygons.

13. Type POL on the command line and press Enter.

14. Specify the number of sides, 5.

15. Press Enter.

16. Type E (Edge) and press Enter.

17. Specify the first and second endpoint of the edge of first polygon through the cursor, as shown in the
below image:

We can specify any two endpoints according to the requirements.

Note: If we want to specify a significant value to create a polygon, we can determine the limits for that.
 Ellipse Command

The Ellipse is defined as a curve surrounding two focal points.

The shape of the ellipse is determined by two of its axis, which defines the length and width.

The Ellipse is a general command to create ellipse on the AutoCAD display. We can create the ellipse by
specifying the two-point on an axis and the endpoint on another axis.

The first axis and the second axis of the Ellipse can be determined either as minor or major axis, depending
on the specification.

The icon of Ellipse will look like the below image:

Move the pointer of your mouse on the Ellipse icon to view the dialogue box for Ellipse in AutoCAD. It
will look like the given image:
It consists of the drop-down list, which includes other options such as Elliptical Arc, Center, and Axis. The
list will look like the given image:

Let's discuss each type of Ellipse in detail.

Center

In this method, the first axis is determined by the center point and endpoint, while the second axis is
determined by the length. We can either determine the point or distance value to create such ellipse.

Let's understand with an example.

The steps are listed below:

1. Click on the Ellipse icon on the ribbon panel and choose Center from the drop-down list of the
Ellipse, as shown in the below image:
Or
Type el or ellipse on the command line or command prompt and press Enter.
Type C or copy on the command line.
Press Enter.

2. Specify the center of the Ellipse on the viewport.

3. Specify endpoint of the first axis, as shown in the below image:

We can either specify the point or the distance value. The distance will be calculated from the center to
the endpoint of the first axis, such as 3.

We can also choose the vertical axis as the first axis, as shown in the below image:

4. Press Enter.
5. Specify the endpoint or distance value of the second axis. For example, 4.
6. Press Enter.
 7. The Ellipse will be created, as shown in the below image:

If the vertical axis was chosen as the first axis, the ellipse so formed is shown in the below image:

Axis, End

The Ellipse is formed by defining the three points similar to above.

It is shown below:
The location and length of the first axis is specified by the points 1 and 2, while the distance between the
center and the endpoint of the second axis is specified by the point 3.

Elliptical Arc

The Elliptical Arc command is used to create an elliptical arc.

For example:

Consider the below image:

The location and length of the first axis is specified by the points 1 and 2, while the distance between the
center and the endpoint of the second axis is specified by the point 3.

The fourth and fifth specified points are the start and end angles.

Let's understand with an example:

The steps are listed below:

1. Click on the Ellipse icon on the ribbon panel and choose Elliptical Arc from the drop-down list of
the Ellipse, as shown in the below image:

Or
 Type el or ellipse on the command line or command prompt and press Enter.
Type A or arc on the command line or command prompt and press Enter.

2. Specify the endpoint or the center of the elliptical arc.

3. Specify endpoint of the axis, as shown below:

4. Specify endpoint of other axis, as shown below:

5. Specify the start angle. For example, 30. It is shown in the below image:
 6. Specify the end angle. For example, 120.
7. The created elliptical arc is shown in the below image:

We can also specify the Parameter angle instead of the normal angle.

Parameter

It creates the arc using the following vector equation for the specified angle values:

p(angle) = c + a * cos(angle) + b* sin(angle)

Where:

 a and b = negative lengths of the major and minor axis

 c = center of the ellipse

PLINE (Command)

Creates a 2D polyline, a single object that is composed of line and arc segments.
The following prompts are displayed.

Specify start point

Sets the starting point for the polyline.

 A temporary plus-shaped marker displays at the first point.

 Pressing Enter starts a new polyline from the last endpoint specified in creating a polyline, line, or
arc.
Specify next point

 If you specify a second point, you create straight segments.

 If you enter a (for Arc), you create arc segments.

Prompts Common to Line and Arc Segments

Close
Connects the first and last segments to create a closed polyline.

Halfwidth
Specifies the width from the center of a wide segment to an edge.

Width
Specifies the width of the next segment.
 Some things to keep in mind when defining the half-width or width of a polyline.

 The starting width becomes the default ending width.

 The ending width becomes the uniform width for all subsequent segments until you change the width
again.
 The starting and ending points of wide line segments are at the centerline of the segment.

 Typically, the intersections of adjacent wide polyline segments are beveled.

 No beveling is performed for no tangent arc segments, very acute angles, or when a dot-dash line
type is used.
Undo
Removes the most recently added segment.

Line-Only Prompts

Arc
 Begins creating arc segments tangent to the previous segment.

Length

Creates a segment of a specified length at the same angle as the previous segment. If the previous
segment is an arc, the new line segment is tangent to that arc segment.

Arc-Only Prompts

Endpoint of arc
Completes an arc segment. The arc segment is tangent to the previous segment of the polyline.

Angle
Specifies the included angle of the arc segment from the start point.

Entering a positive number creates counterclockwise arc segments. Entering a negative number
creates clockwise arc segments.

Center
Specifies an arc segment based on its center point.

Note: For the Center option of the PLINE command, enter ce; for the Center object snap,
enter cen or center.

Direction
 Specifies the tangent for the arc segment.

 (2) Tangent direction from the start points of the arc. Specifies a point that establishes a
tangency of the curve to the start point. The arc curves away from the vector between the start
point and the tangent point.
 (3) Endpoint of the arc. Specifies the endpoint of the arc segment.
Tip: Press Ctrl to draw in a clockwise direction.
Line
Switches from drawing arc segments to drawing straight segments.

Radius
Specifies the radius of the arc segment.

Second pt
Specifies the second point and endpoint of a three-point arc.

Line type Pattern

The PLINEGEN system variable controls how line type patterns generate around the vertices of a 2D
polyline.

 0. Generates line types that start and end with a dash at each vertex of the polyline
 1. Generates line types in an uninterrupted pattern through the vertices of the polyline

Note: Changing this value does not affect existing polylines. Change the Line type Generation setting on the
Properties palette to update existing polylines.