Topic: Simple question that is driving me crazy....

[notredave]

All,
What is the system variable or where to go in settings in Autocad 2014 to pick or select last line drawn over another line? If I draw a line on top of another line, when I select it, it selects the line underneath. I started at another company recently and my Autocad isn't set up like I had it at my previous company. I do not want to cycle between the lines, I just want to pick last line drawn. I know it is probably a simple fix but I'm stumped.

thank you,
David

[ronjonp]

You could run overkill to cleanup overlapping geometry. Why are you drawing lines on top of lines?

[Rob...]

I'm not familiar with that variable. I use selection cycling. It's much better than it used to be.

ronjonp, I can tell you many reasons why someone would need to have lines that overlap.

[notredave]

ronjonp, I know about overkill but I am the only one that is having that problem in the office. I am using to draw a line over a closed, rectangular polygon line to offset the line at a certain distance for my bolt holes, instead of going up with the line, I am going down and then offsetting it over to the right. It's hard to explain but I know there is a way to select last line drawn over another line, like I said, I walked over to 4 other cad users and asked them to draw a line on top of an existing line and when they pick the line, last line is selected. i just want to know what the variable or setting is to fix this, that's all.

[Jeff_M]

I believe that you are looking for the DRAWORDERCTL sysvar.

Controls the default display behavior of overlapping objects when they are created or edited.

Value   Description
0      Turns off the default draw order of overlapping objects: after objects are edited, regardless of their draw order, the objects are displayed on top until a drawing is regenerated (REGEN) or reopened. This setting also turns off draw order inheritance: new objects that are created from another object using the commands listed below are not assigned the draw order of the original object. Use this setting to improve the speed of editing operations in large drawings. The commands that are affected by inheritance are BREAK, FILLET, HATCH, HATCHEDIT, EXPLODE, TRIM, JOIN, PEDIT, and OFFSET.
1      Turns on the default draw order of objects: after objects are edited, they are automatically displayed according to the correct draw order.
2      Turns on draw order inheritance: new objects created from another object using the commands listed above are assigned the draw order of the original object.
      Provides full draw order display. Turns on the correct draw order of objects, and turns on draw order inheritance.

Note: Full draw order display may slow some editing operations.

[notredave]

Thank you Jeff, but that didn't work either, I tried 0, 1, 2 & 3 with no luck.

[ronjonp]

If you're always offsetting lines, then you could easily move them to the top like so:

Code - Auto/Visual Lisp: [Select]

1. (defun c:foo (/ ss)
2.   (if (setq ss (ssget "_x" '((0 . "line"))))
3.     (command "_.draworder" ss "" "Front")
4.   )
5.   (princ)
6. )

[Rob...]

That variable doesn't seem to affect what you are describing. I tried every one and the last line drawn takes precedence.

I still say, IMHO, selection cycling is a very viable solution. I keep it on all the time.

[ronjonp]

...
ronjonp, I can tell you many reasons why someone would need to have lines that overlap.

The first thing that comes to mind is 'there's gotta be a better way' 

[Rob...]

...
ronjonp, I can tell you many reasons why someone would need to have lines that overlap.

The first thing that comes to mind is 'there's gotta be a better way' 

Not really, there are many times when you can have coincidental lines representing different things. Say the edge of a table against a wall or the edge of a floor against a wall. Vertical pipe racks could have many coincidental lines.

[ronjonp]

I'm sure there are reasons to do it .. just not in my industry. Plus I rarely use lines .. mostly polylines. 

[Rob...]

I'm sure there are reasons to do it .. just not in my industry. Plus I rarely use lines .. mostly polylines. 

Good answer!

I wish there were more people like you that can realize that there are work flows that may seem to be against the very fiber of their being, that, in actuality, are the way to do it in other worlds/industries.

[Atook]

If you've just drawn the line you want to select, can't you use the [L]ast option when prompted for the line you want?

[ronjonp]

If you've just drawn the line you want to select, can't you use the [L]ast option when prompted for the line you want?

That was my first thought too, but when I tried it does not work with the offset command.

Command: O
OFFSET
Current settings: Erase source=No  Layer=Source  OFFSETGAPTYPE=0
Specify offset distance or [Through/Erase/Layer] <120.354630>:
Select object to offset or [Exit/Undo] <Exit>: l
*Invalid selection*
Expects a point or Exit

[mjfarrell]

lock all other layers than the one(s) you need to work with