Grid Snapping

Related Information

Grid Menu

Grid Panel

Major Grid

Minor Grid

Guide Snapping

Align To Grid

Snapping - Grids and Vertices

The Snap section of the grid panel provides drawing aids for precisely positioning graphics relative to the grid or other graphics.

In most cases the Attributes Toolbar is the primary control element for these features. It is often more convenient to use one of these contextual controls. Deselect all graphics on your drawing to see the snapping controls on the Attributes Toolbar.

The snapping action may be applied relative to the grid or the vertices of other graphics. If snapping to the major or minor grid is selected snapping to vertices is not allowed.

When snapping to the grid the snapping may be applied as "Hard Snap" or "Soft Snap". The hard snap will strictly place objects on the grid intersections. The soft snap method places objects exactly on the grid only when they are positioned close to a grid intersection. The definition of "close" is controlled by the snap distance.

If Snap is selected on the Major or Minor Grid (near top of the palette) then Soft Snap Grid is enabled. If Soft Snap is not selected graphic handles are constrained to grid intersections only. Each move of a graphic handle will place the handle exactly (and only) on a grid intersection.

Select Soft Snap to allow more freedom in the placement of objects. In this case graphic handles will snap to the grid only when placed close to the grid intersection. Close is defined by the value of the Snap Distance parameter.

Snap distance has effect when Soft Snap or Vertices Snap is selected. This distance is a radius that defines how close an object needs to be placed to a snap point in order for the object to be placed exactly at the snap point. The distance may be input in an absolute fashion, in the current document or units or dynamically as a distance that varies with the zoom state of the drawing.

The Dynamic check box defines the specifying units for the snap distance. If checked the snap distance is entered as a multiple of handle widths. Handle are the small colored squares that are used to move and modify curves and other graphics. You will notice that the size of the handle is not absolute, as you zoom in or out they do get larger or smaller but not in a fixed proportion. In most cases using the Dynamic method is the most convenient and will provide smooth consistent feel for the snapping action.

If grid snapping is not in use, Vertices snapping may be selected. In this case the snapping action is performed relative to other graphics. This is useful to exactly join the ends of lines or curves. This snapping is always applied in the "Soft" fashion under the control of the Snap Distance.

There are short cut selections for Snap Vertices and Soft Grid Snapping on the Grid and Snapping submenu. The menu check controls equivalent to the parameter controls found on this panel.

Soft Snap and Vertices Snap selections are automatically remembered when you quit and restart the EazyDraw application. The selections are also saved and restored with each drawing.

Notice that if Dynamic Snap distance is used you may easily place objects very close to a snap point by zooming in. To zoom in quickly place the mouse cursor over the area of interest on your drawing and type the letter I (for In) a few times. After zooming in the absolute size of the handle is much smaller (even though it appears a little larger). Since the snap distance is determined relative to the size of the handles you can now place something very close to a snap point in an absolute measure. Then type o (for out) a few times to zoom back out to the previous viewing zoom.