Drawing Using the Keyboard

Purpose

Use this procedure to draw a sketch using the keyboard instead of the mouse.

Entering Feet and Inches

When your Measurement setting is Standard (Feet Inches), you can use the following keyboard options:

• Use the TAB key to specify inches after you enter feet. For example:

  6 TAB 8 = 6 ft. 8 inches.

• Use the TAB key along with the forward slash key (/) for fractions of an inch. For example:

  6 TAB 8 TAB 1 / 2 = 6 ft. 8 1/2 inches

• Use a decimal to indicate fractions. For example:

  6 TAB 8.5 = 6 ft. 8 1/2 inches

Note After entering measurements for a line, you must press ENTER to anchor the line and start another line.

Prerequisites

If you need to advance once grid square at a time as you draw, the grid option must be turned on in the Grid toolbar at the bottom of the Sketch Pad window.

Procedure

1. If you do not need to associate the sketch with an improvement detail at this time, proceed to the next step. If you do need to associate the sketch with an improvement detail, select the required improvement detail from the sketch grid.
2. Click Exterior Wall.
3. Click the cursor (displayed as +) on the point at which you need to start the first line.

   Note A green circle is displayed after you click the starting point.

4. Type the length, and then select an arrow key to specify the direction.

   The length of the wall is displayed.

5. Press ENTER once to anchor the wall.
6. If you need to enter an angle, enter the length of the wall, followed by R (right) or L (left), and the angle measurement. For example:

   8 R 45 ENTER = 8 ft. line to the right at 45 degrees

   You can also use the rise over run method. For example: 2 U 2 R = 3 ft. line to the right at 45 degrees, where U stands for "up."

7. Repeat the steps as required to complete the structure.

   Note To advance one grid square at a time, press and hold the SHIFT key while pressing the appropriate arrow key repeatedly as required.

8. To draw the final wall, when the last point is red (indicating that the point is still activated), you can press A to automatically draw the wall and close the area.

   Note You can re-select the point if it is not activated by left-clicking it or pressing ENTER.

9. Use other Sketch Pad tools as required. For information about the tools that are available, see Toolbar at Left of Sketch Pad Window and Toolbar at Top of Sketch Pad Window.

Example: 30 x 10 foot rectangle

1. Click Exterior Wall.
2. Click the cursor (displayed as +) on the point at which you need to start the first line.
3. Type 30 and then select the right arrow. Press ENTER.
4. Type 10 and then select the down arrow. Press ENTER.
5. Type 30 and then select the left arrow. Press ENTER.
6. Type 10 and then select the up arrow. Press ENTER.

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