Learn how to install doors and work on door swings in your architectural model using AutoCAD. The process involves using different tools and techniques like creating a polar array and using a start center end option for the door swings.
Key Insights
- The article demonstrates how to add doors to an architectural model in AutoCAD, with door sizes typically being 2'6", 2'4", and 3'0".
- It then instructs on creating door swings using the start center end option, and follows a counter-clockwise direction.
- Finally, the article illustrates how to create a polar array of the door, adjust the angle between the entities, and populate the doors in the model.
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We've gotten all of our windows in and now it's time to install our doors. So let's go on to layers and let's make a door our current layer. Now in AutoCAD 1 and 2 we made all of our doors independently.
We know that in this model that our door sizes are typically 2'6", 2'4", and 3'0", meaning 2'6", 2'4", and 3'0". So what I'm going to propose that we do is to create many doors here in the living room, do a polar array around them, and multiple copy them into position. So my door will be a rectangle from an arbitrary point to a point at 1.5,2'4".
Enter to stop, enter to repeat the command, specify first point, give it an arbitrary point at 1.5,2'6". Enter, enter to repeat, arbitrary point at 1.5,3'. Enter.
CTRL S to save. What I now want to do is to start working on my door swings. I will use the start center end option, so I will choose arc, select down here for start center end.
My o-snap is on, so my start point will be here on the top right. My center will be on the bottom right, and I swing my hand to the left. I have ortho and o-snap on, so I pick to the left.
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I have to go back and choose the icon, start center end. So here's my start, center's on the bottom right, end is here on the left. Go back to the icon, start center end, start up here, center on the bottom right, end over here on the left.
And remember, the start center end will be working in a counter clockwise direction. What I'd like to do now is to begin working on a polar array of this door. So I'm going to begin by moving these entities out of the way, and I will choose a polar array.
So I'm going to go array. Now you can see right here it wants to do either a polar, a rectangular, or a path array. So I'm going to choose polar array.
I read the prompt, it says select objects. I choose these entities, enter to say I'm done. It's asking me where the center point is.
I'm going to choose a point right around here, over to the right and down a bit from the hinge point. And now the array interface box is popping up. I'd like to have it with four items, so I change this item right here to four.
By clicking four, when I click anywhere else it will auto adjust the angle between for the four entities. Give me 90 degrees, fill a 360. I want to turn off associative, and I'm going to accept rotate.
You can see there are my icons, and I will say close array. I'm now going to move these back a little bit. So move these guys from here to right about there.
Control S to save. I'm going to move the next set of doors, my two sixers. Move it from here to here.
Go back into array. You can see it remembers it's a polar array. Select the objects, do my crossing here, enter to say I'm done.
Choose a base point right about here. Now you can see that it wants to do the six. It always goes back to its default values, so I would give it a value of four right there.
If I just click right here, as soon as I click it auto fixes it. It did keep the associative off. I will close the array, and then I will move these entities from here to right about there.
And once again, do a polar array, select these entities, enter to say I'm done. Give it an arbitrary base point. Again, I have to reset it to have a value of four.
And I'm going to say just click if you want to. Close the array. Control S to save.
Now to help me as I start populating these doors, what I'm going to do next is I'm going to go to single line text. I'm going to choose an arbitrary point right here. I will give it a height of six inches.
Specify rotation. I will accept the value. And I will type in a value of two foot four, enter.
Two foot six, enter. Three feet zero, enter. Control S to save.
And I will now move the two foot four value from here. Take off my running OSNAP with the F3 button. Move the two six here to here.
Move the three feet here to here. Control S to save. And now I'm ready to begin actually using these doors in part of my model.
So give the polar array a shot. It's a whole lot of fun and I'll see you in a few minutes.
