Resize a rectangle, or create rectangle with specific dimensions

This is my first post and I am new to CAD in general, as well as LibreCAD.  To be honest I find all of these drawing applications counter-intuitive but I know it's just a matter of getting my head around the basics and it will click.

I have a drawing that was provided to me, which I am attempting to either resize two existing rectangles and place them in a specific spot on the drawing, mirrored.  Or just delete them and create two new mirrored specific sized rectangles (.122" x 2.248") and place them in a specific spot on the drawing.

I know how to draw a new rectangle, that part is simple but making it or resizing an existing one to a specific dimension and locating it in a specific spot is the part I am struggling with.

I have done the google thing and looked through the forum but none of the how to videos or threads I looked at cover this specific.  Any assistance is appreciated

"Much to learn have I"

Hi mpitfield and welcome to the forum.

Read this post for a simple way to resize a rectangle.\

http://forum.librecad.org/How-do-you-create-an-object-with-specific-dimensions-td5716033.html

Moving an object is easy.  Click on the object, select Tools/Modify/Move from the top menu.  You will be asked to specify a reference point.  Click anywhere in the object.  Then just move the cursor to where you want the object and click again.  You will be asked if you want to keep or delete the original.  Choose an option and hit enter and your object will be in it's new location.  Naturally, this is not a very precise way to place an object.  The most accurate method is to specify a absolute location.  If you are not familiar with the X,Y coordinate system let me know and I will explain it to you.

To create a rectangle with specific dimensions.

From the top menu select Tools/Line/Rectangle.  You are asked to specify the first corner.  You can either click on a point or enter an absolute position in the command line.  Then you are asked to specify the second corner.  To make a rectangle to a specific and precise size enter the relative coordinate in the command line.  @25.24,10.99  would create a rectangle that is exactly 25.24 units wide and 10.99 units tall.  (Units can be inches, feet, meters, millimeter or whatever.)

For CAD it is essential that you understand Cartesian, polar and relative coordinates.  Here is a link to a site that explains the Cartesian system in an easy to understand manner.

https://www.mathsisfun.com/data/cartesian-coordinates.html   

Once you understand Cartesian coordinates the other two are a breeze!

Hi there,

Also my really first post and with what seems to be the exact same doubt.
I'm a really old user of autocad 9, 10, 11, 12, and haven't been using it for over 25 years. Yeah... that long...

My issue, right now, is how do I select a specific point from a line, polyline, rectangle, etc... by using the mouse and specify a new coordinate with the command line (either absolute or relative. doesn't matter).

Either it's a really simple thing to do (to the point where I can't find a single youtube video explaining it) or a really silly thing to do (although I can almost bet I used to do it all the time in my autocad days).

Any help is appreciated.

Thks!

If I understand your question right, you can use Modify - Stretch and then specify first and second corner as the same, the point you want to move, the reference point also the same, but maybe a different one, all by snap, and then the target point by command line.

Hi FNog and welcome to the forum.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say, "My issue, right now, is how do I select a specific point from a line, polyline, rectangle, etc..."  What throws me is the word "from a line."  If you mean "on a line" then using a Snap will be the most accurate.

Snaps are just what the name implies: snap the cursor to a point on an entity.  The point can be an end point, a middle point, a center point and so on.  An entity can be a line, rectangle, circle, etc.  As an example, you can turn on Snap to End and the cursor will snap to an endpoint of the closest entity.  From there you can use relative addressing to specify a location.
 If using an absolute address then a point on a line makes no difference: 0,0 is absolute regardless of any point in the drawing.  Scroll towards the bottom of the thread I have linked to below and read my description of the Snap icons.

If you are wanting to start drawing an object a certain distance away from an existing object it is easily accomplished.  In this example I will use the 2 Points line command.  Assume that you already have an object on the screen.  Click on Line>2 Points.  You are asked to "Specify first point."  Click on the current object at your given location (end point, mid point...).  You are than asked to "Specify next point."  Right click.  This cancels the second point and you are asked to supply the starting point again.  Then enter the relative address for the starting point of the line.

http://forum.librecad.org/Librecadni10-brief-self-introduction-td5716200.html

I hope this helps.  Ask again if you have any questions.  

dellus wrote

If I understand your question right, you can use Modify - Stretch and then specify first and second corner as the same, the point you want to move, the reference point also the same, but maybe a different one, all by snap, and then the target point by command line.

Thanks for the reply. You're right. I am able to do it using stretch, with any reference point and a @x,y relative coordinate. (the first and second points part seem kind of unnecessary for this intent but it does the trick if I define a rectangle with both that encloses the moving point).

What I was really searching for, though, was the same thing that can be acomplished in this video https://youtu.be/7PrUwMTBNzU?t=1m55s where an input text box exists that allows the user to input the target coordinate instead of selecting the target with the mouse, which would require a snap point.

Well, maybe I managed to clarify my question in this reply: http://forum.librecad.org/Resize-a-rectangle-or-create-rectangle-with-specific-dimensions-tp5716174p5716260.html

Since I want to be able to set a specific point from an existing object to a new location, without requiring any snapping or creating a point or object on that coordinate prior to moving it, it should be as simple as: "this point (select with the mouse) goes to this coordinate (set by command line)."

I'm missing something here.  I'm not sure if you are trying to draw an object, move a point on a line, or resize something.  I watched the video you linked to and it seems to me that they are using snap and relative addressing.  Just in a different manner.  I have never used Autocad so I have no basis of comparison.  

I don't know of a way in LibreCAD to move a specific point in the manner you describe.  I know this isn't much help but it's all I got.

Oh yes. I had known "specify first corner, second corner" defines a selection box, but had forgotten. Perhaps the way the points to be moved are selected should be redesigned, allowing for a single or several points as well as a selection window to be used. Or in other words standard selection methods.

After reading the thread, I wrote in my notes this concise recipe:
Use STRETCH to elongate or squeeze an object. Use command stretch (ss) and firstly specify an area of the object to stretch: "specify first corner, second corner" defines a selection box. Then enable “Snap to endpoints” and chose object’s corner (for example point 0, 0) as reference point. Next type the offset in command prompt as the target point (x,y or use @x,y for point relative to reference point). Negative values will shrink the object, while positive offset will stretch the object.

If I have understood your query correctly, you can use Modify - Stretch and then specify the first and second corners as the same, the point you wish to move, the reference point which may or may not be the same, all by snap, and finally the target point by command line.

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