Messages while drawing

The drawing tools report in the status bar at the bottom: at every step what is expected next, at the end what has been created, and in case of an error why nothing was created. The texts are given here as the program shows them; placeholders such as n or a stand for the respective value.

Construction lines#

Click the 1st line of the bisector · Click the 2nd line#

Step messages of the angle bisector. Then: Set the length: click the endpoint (or L + Enter).

Bisector created#

Status bar after the third step — the line is drawn.

The lines are parallel — no bisector possible#

The two lines do not intersect. Remedy: choose two lines that form an angle; for parallel lines draw a double line or a centre line using the Midpoint snap.

Degenerate angle (lines opposing)#

The lines lie on the same straight line in opposite directions — the angle is 180° and has no unique bisector.

Relative angle — step 1 of 3: click the REFERENCE LINE the angle is measured from#

First step of the line at a relative angle.

Step 2 of 3: click the START POINT of the new line (object snap is active)#

The reference line is set; the tool switches the snap to automatic so that the start point can be attached to existing geometry.

Step 3 of 3: click the END POINT — or type the angle ∠ (to the reference line) and the length L and draw with Enter. TAB after the angle locks it.#

The start point is set. The angle counts from the reference line, not from the horizontal. Instead of clicking you can type ∠ and L.

Angle a° locked — now just set the length (mouse or L + Enter), Esc cancels#

Status bar after Tab in the angle field: the angle is locked, the mouse only determines the length. Esc cancels.

Set the length: click the endpoint (or L + Enter)#

Status bar of the bisector once both lines are chosen: only the length is missing.

First step of the relative angle. It is followed by Step 2 of 3: click the START POINT of the new line (object snap is active).

Line at relative angle created#

Status bar after the endpoint or after Enter in the field.

Click the target line — the perpendicular is dropped from the point onto it / Click the target line#

Second step of the perpendicular; then Perpendicular dropped.

The point lies on the line — no perpendicular possible#

The point set lies exactly on the target line; the perpendicular would have length zero. Remedy: choose a point beside the line.

Perpendicular dropped#

The chosen starting point already lies on the target line. Remedy: choose a point off the line.

Tangents#

Click a circle/arc or a line / Click the target line — the tangent ends perpendicular on it / Click a circle or arc — the click side picks the tangent#

First step of the perpendicular tangent; depending on the choice, Click the target line — the tangent ends perpendicular on it or Click a circle or arc — the click side picks the tangent follows. At the end Perpendicular tangent drawn.

Tangent point lies on the target line — no tangent possible#

The tangent point on the circle coincides with its foot point on the target line; the tangent would have length zero. Remedy: choose the other click side or another line.

Perpendicular tangent drawn#

Circle and line touch each other where the tangent would have to start. Remedy: click the other side of the circle.

Click the start point — the tangent starts there#

First step of the tangent from a point.

Tangent from point drawn#

First step of the tangent from point; then Click a circle or arc — the click side picks the tangent and at the end Tangent from point drawn.

The point lies inside the circle — no tangent possible#

There is no tangent from a point inside the circle. Remedy: choose a start point outside.

The point lies on the circle — tangent not determinable there#

The start point lies exactly on the circle line. Remedy: move the point slightly or use the perpendicular tangent.

Click the first circle or arc · Click the second circle or arc — the click sides pick the tangent#

Step messages of the tangent to two circles; at the end Tangent to both drawn.

Please click a DIFFERENT circle or arc#

The same element was clicked twice. The tool waits for the second circle.

The circles are concentric — no common tangent#

One circle lies entirely inside the other; no straight line touches both. Remedy: choose other circles.

Tangent to both drawn#

One circle lies entirely inside the other. Remedy: choose other circles.

The tangent touches outside the arc — pick another arc or a circle / No tangent touches both on the arcs — pick other circles or arcs#

With an arc the computed touching point lies on the missing part of the full circle. Remedy: extend the arc, use a circle or click the other side. With two arcs the message reads No tangent touches both on the arcs — pick other circles or arcs.

Double line#

Click the start point — the double line starts there#

First step of the double line; then Click the next point — Enter or double-click ends the run and after completion Click the side — the second line lies there.

Double line drawn (n segments, gap a)#

Status bar after picking the side.

Click the next point — Enter or double-click ends the run / Click the side — the second line lies there#

Status bar during the run and afterwards. The double line is first drawn as a plain run of lines; after Enter, a double-click or Esc it asks on which side the second line should lie — the click decides the side, the gap comes from the field.

Double line: at least two points needed#

The run was ended after only one point. Remedy: set at least a second point.

Slot and curved slot#

Click the first semicircle centre · Click the second semicircle centre#

Step messages of the slot; then Pick the width: click beside the axis — or type it and Enter.

Slot drawn — group “name” (width b) / Curved slot drawn — group “name” (width b)#

Status bar after the width. The four elements lie in the named group.

Width: click the edge (snap to existing geometry) — or type it and Enter · Pick the width: click beside the axis — or type it and Enter · Pick the width: click beside the arc — or type it and Enter#

Status bar in the last step of slot and curved slot. The width is the full width, that is twice the distance of the click from the axis; with snapping it can be picked directly from existing geometry. The two “Pick the width …” wordings appear when the click was too close to the axis or the arc and gave no usable width.

Slot: the two centres coincide#

Both centres were set at the same position. Remedy: click two different points; for a round hole use the circle.

Click the arc centre · Click radius and start angle — or type them (Enter) · Click or type the end angle — counter-clockwise#

Step messages of the curved slot; then Pick the width: click beside the arc — or type it and Enter and at the end Curved slot drawn — group “Bananenloch” (width b).

Curved slot: please set the radius first#

The end angle was entered before a radius was fixed. Remedy: click or type radius and start angle.

Curved slot: the width is too large for the radius#

Half the width exceeds the radius — the inner flank would have a negative radius. Remedy: smaller width or larger radius.

Curved slot: start and end angle are too close together#

The arc would be shorter than its width. Remedy: choose a larger angle.

Rectangle, circles and ellipses#

First side too short · Width too small#

Messages of the rectangle (3 points) when two points coincide or the width is below the minimum length.

2nd point… · 3rd point / radius…#

Step messages of the circle through three points.

The 3 points are collinear#

The three clicks lie on one straight line, so no circle is defined. Remedy: move one of the points.

Enter the radius or click... / Enter the diameter or click...#

Status bar as soon as both reference elements of a tangent arc or circle are chosen. The floating field is pre-filled with a proposal derived from the mouse distance; the mouse side decides which of the possible solutions is created (circle constructions).

Tangent circle created (⌀d)#

Status bar after the tangent circle; the diameter is entered as a dimension at the same time.

No tangent circle with ⌀d possible / No tangent circle found / Invalid diameter#

Status bar when no circle of that diameter touches both elements (the elements are too far apart or too close together), when no solution exists for three elements, or when the entered diameter was zero or negative. Remedy: choose another diameter or click other elements.

The three points lie on a straight line — no circle passes through them. Remedy: put the third point off the line.

Click an element · Click the 2nd element… · 2nd element... · 3rd element... · Place the circle (click)...#

Step messages of the tools that touch elements: circle tangent and arc tangent. For the circle tangent to two elements Enter the diameter or click… follows, for the arc Enter the radius or click….

Second axis point… · Half minor axis / point… · Axis too short · Minor axis too small#

Step messages of the ellipse over the axis. Errors: Axis too short, Minor axis too small.

Axis endpoint (1st semi-axis)… · Second semi-axis / point… · Semi-axis too short · Second semi-axis too small#

Step messages of the ellipse from centre. Errors: Semi-axis too short, Second semi-axis too small.

Arcs#

Click the endpoint… · Define the bulge / radius…#

Step messages of the arc through three points.

Radius too small / An arc cannot be constructed with these values#

With the arc start/end/radius the radius is smaller than half the chord — no circle of that size passes through both points. Remedy: enter a larger radius.

Arc not possible#

No arc can be formed from the inputs, for instance because start and endpoint coincide.

Click a line or arc · Click the endpoint or enter R + angle… · Click the end angle or enter the angle...#

Step messages of the arc tangent to one element.

Connection point cannot be determined#

No end of the element can be derived as the connection from the click position. Remedy: click closer to one end of the line or arc.

Endpoint lies on the tangent - no arc possible#

The intended endpoint lies exactly in the extension of the connecting element — the arc would be a straight line. Remedy: put the endpoint off the tangent.

Point, polygon, polyline and spline#

Point placed · (x, y)#

Status bar after every placed point with its coordinates.

Drag or enter the radius…#

Second step of the polygon once the centre is set.

Place more points (Enter/double-click=end, C=close) · Spline: n points (Enter/double-click=end, C=close)#

Step messages of the spline curve; the second form counts along from the second point on.

Spline created: n points#

Status bar after Enter, double-click or C; for a closed curve with the addition (closed).