Stretch
Purpose
Stretch lengthens or shortens geometry without redrawing it: you drag a stretch window around the endpoints that should move. Points inside the window follow the displacement, points outside stay — lines get longer or shorter, a rectangle wider, a polyline deformed. Elements lying entirely within the window are moved as a whole.
Access
- Ribbon: group Modify, button Stretch (7).
- Classic toolbar: group Edit, button Stretch (5).
- Command search : Stretch.
Procedure
- Click the first corner of the stretch window (1) — Stretch window: click the 2nd corner — points inside the window get stretched.
- Click the second corner (2). The status line counts: 3 element(s) captured — click the base point (with snap). If no stretchable point lies in the window, the tool starts over (No stretchable points in the window — drag a new window).
- Click the base point (3) — with snap. The field dX/dY appears, plus the button ↗ Direction; status line: Click the target point · dX/dY + Enter · or “↗ direction” for slanted geometry.
- Click the target point (4) — the preview follows the pointer — or type dX/dY and accept with Enter.
The status line confirms Stretched: 3 element(s). A target point equal to the base point cancels (No displacement — stretch cancelled).
Giving a direction
For slanted geometry with an unknown angle: after the base point press the button ↗ Direction and click a line that gives the stretch direction — Direction adopted — enter the distance + Enter, or click (the mouse determines the side) · ESC = cancel. Afterwards the distance along this direction is enough; the mouse only determines the side. If the click hits no line, the program asks again (No line hit — click a line that defines the direction · ESC = cancel).
What is stretchable
| Element | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Line, leader | the endpoint inside the window moves; both inside → moved as a whole |
| Polyline, spline | the vertices inside the window move |
| Rectangle | a whole edge (two corners of one side) moves; a single or diagonal corner is skipped — the rectangle would no longer be one |
| Circle, text, point, image | moved when the centre or insertion point (for an image both corners) lies inside the window |
| Arc | only moved as a whole (centre and both ends inside); partial stretching is skipped |
Skipped elements are named by the status line: Stretched: 2 element(s) · 1 not stretchable, skipped. Elements on locked or hidden layers and fixed elements remain untouched.
Options and relations
- Dimensions on stretched elements show the new values. If an element carries a driving dimension (constraint via the dimension value), it keeps its value — the message adds · driving dimensions keep their values.
- Weld points and hatch boundaries inside the window move along.
- For a single endpoint the grip on the selected element is often enough; Stretch works on many points at once.