Can I use the ʼFromʼ snap to start a line at a distance from a corner in BricsCAD?

ByCADbrief Staff

Short Answer

Yes — in BricsCAD, you can use the LINE command with the From object snap override to start a line at an exact distance from a corner. This is the most common professional method for placing a point relative to an existing endpoint without drawing construction geometry. Limitation: From is a temporary snap override, not a persistent snap mode.

What You Need to Know Before

Warning: From works relative to a snap point you pick first, so if Object Snap is off or you select the wrong corner, the line start point will be misplaced. This commonly happens in crowded drawings where Endpoint snaps jump to nearby geometry or xref content.

How to Do It

  • Command: LINE

  • Shortcut: L

  • Quick Steps:

    1. Start LINE from the Ribbon or type L and press Enter.
    2. At Specify first point, use Shift + right-click and choose From from the Object Snap menu.
    3. Snap to the corner endpoint, then enter the offset distance as a relative coordinate such as @25,0 or @0,25, and continue drawing the line.

Variables & Settings

  • Key Setting: Object Snap toggle on the status bar

  • Expert Setting: Keep Endpoint running in Object Snap so the reference corner is easy to acquire before using the From override. If running snaps are off, From can still work, but point selection becomes slower and more error-prone.

Why it Fails

  • Cause 1 (Geometry): the selected corner is not a true endpoint, such as part of a spline, block, or overlapping geometry, so the reference point is wrong.
  • Cause 2 (layers/Locks): the target object is on a locked or hard-to-select layer, or inside an xref, making the snap difficult to acquire accurately.
  • Cause 3 (Command/Logic): the offset entered after From uses the wrong direction or UCS, so the new point is placed correctly mathematically but not where expected on screen.

Quick Fix & Best Practice

  • Quick Fix: Turn on Endpoint osnap, then restart LINE and use Shift + right-click > From again, entering the offset as a clear relative coordinate like @10,0.
  • Manager’s Verdict: Use From for fast, precise starts from known corners when you need one-off offsets. Avoid it for repeated layout work—construction lines or parametric methods are more consistent for production drafting.

FAQ

Can I use From in commands other than Line?

Yes, From works as an object snap override in many point-picking commands.

Do I need polar tracking for From to work?

No, From works without Polar Tracking, though Polar can help with direction control.

Can I enter a distance and angle after From?

Yes, you can enter relative polar input such as @25<45 if that matches your drafting setup.

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