2012 LT - problem using co-ordinates to draw a polyline

[SAFeSTeR]

Hi,

 

A colleague of mine is learning AutoCAD 2012 LT and is following a tutorial from someone's old course and she is having problems when using co-ords to draw a polyline.

 

She is asked to enter a first point at 55,150 then a second point of 75,150, which should produce a horizontal line 20 units in length, however, the second point is drawn in reference from the first point (not from a common point 0,0) and produces a diagonal line going up and to the right.

 

Her dynamic input is showing an @ automatically before the 2nd point co-ords are entered, which I know is the command to use the last point as the reference.

 

How can this be switched off permanently so all points are referenced from 0,0? For the record, my AutoCAD doesn't work in this way by default.

 

I feel a bit embarrassed as I thought I should know the answer to this, but it's got me stumped as well as others in the office

Edited March 12, 2014 by SAFeSTeR
Typo

[Tuns]

Sounds like an issue with the UCS to me. But, I'm no expert with AutoCAD.

[SAFeSTeR]

That's what I thought, but I've sussed it now. It's purely an issue with dynamic input being active, turn that off and the 'problem' goes.

[ReMark]

If you are using the symbol you are drawing using relative Cartesian coordinates. The next point you enter is drawn in relation to the previous point which sounds like the case here. Agreed?

[SAFeSTeR]

Yes Remark, but as I mentioned before, the @ wasn't being entered manually and this was the problem.

 

Anyway, problem is now solved.

[rkent]

Have them either type # 75,150 or change the settings for Pointer Input by right clicking on the DYN button, pick settings, pick Settings at Pointer Input (upper left) and select Absolute coordinates. Or explore the DYNPICOORDS variable, set to 1 for starters, see help.

[SAFeSTeR]

Thanks rkent, I'm not a fan of dynamic input so didn't think about these settings, despite knowing they exist.

 

My colleague doesn't like dynamic input either so having them completely off is preferable. Good to know though.

[BIGAL]

If creating lots of plines in LT try using excel create a column using concatenate top line PLINE next lines x,y just copy the column and paste onto command line all done.