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Typed input while drawing

Enter exact lengths, angles, slopes, and radii instead of clicking by eye.

While drawing with the Polyline, Polygon, or Circle tools, you can type numbers on the keyboard. A small input HUD follows the cursor and shows the values that will be applied — length (L), angle (∠), slope (%), or radius (R) — in the units of your current drawing scale.

How it works

  • Start the tool and place at least one point (or the circle center).
  • Type without clicking in a text box — keystrokes go straight to the drawing buffer.
  • The preview segment updates live; highlighted fields in the HUD show what you have locked in.
  • Press Enter to commit the current segment at the typed constraint, then keep drawing.
  • Press Backspace to edit the buffer; Ctrl/⌘ Z removes the last placed vertex without leaving the tool.
  • Press Esc to commit the vertices placed so far and exit (a first Esc clears any typed buffer; the shape is abandoned only when there aren't enough points for a valid entity). Switching tools mid-draw also commits.

Straight line segments

On a line segment (default after pressing L in the polyline tool), use these patterns:

You typeEffect
10 or 10' or 3-6Locks length only. Direction follows the cursor (respects snapping and Shift for orthogonal).
4*2 or (3+1)/2Math expressions — + - * / and parentheses. The HUD shows the expression and its result (4*2 = 8 ft) while you type.
5m, 120cm, 7", 10ftCross-unit entry: type in another unit and it converts to the drawing's display unit (e.g. 5m while drafting in feet becomes 16.40').
12@45Locks length and angle. The number after @ is view-relative — 0° is straight up on your screen, 90° is to the right.
20@-2%Locks length and slope as a percent rise (negative = downward in the current view).
15@1/12 or 15@3:1Locks length and roof pitch after @ — rise/run fraction or engineering H:V ratio (e.g. 3:1).
Tip

Feet-inches shorthand works in length fields: 25', 3-6 (3 feet 6 inches), 4'-7", or decimal feet. Math expressions and unit suffixes (m, cm, mm, in, ft) also work for circle radii. Values convert using the document scale.

Arrow keys: pick a field

On a line segment you can aim typing at a specific field with the arrow keys instead of reaching for @. The selected field is highlighted in the HUD so you can see where the next digits will land.

KeyEffect
↑Select the length (L) field — the digits you type set the length.
↓Select the angle (∠) field — the digits you type set the angle (same as typing @).
← / →With the angle field selected, cycle its unit: degrees → slope % → H:V (20° → 20% → 20H:1V). Your typed number is kept as the unit changes.
CtrlFlip the sign of the typed angle to reverse the segment's direction (45° ↔ -45°).
Tip

The highlight appears only once you press an arrow, and never resizes the HUD. Typing @, %, /, or : directly still works exactly as before — the arrows are just a quicker way to reach and switch the same fields.

Arc and bezier segments

Press A for the next arc segment or B for bezier. The HUD switches to radius, arc length, and sweep (or bezier handle length and angle). Use Tab while placing an arc to move focus between radius and sweep fields, then type and press Enter to commit that segment.

Arc modes (R radius, M midpoint, E endpoint) and F to flip direction work the same as in the Polyline tool shortcuts.

Circles

  1. 1
    Place center

    Click once for the center.

  2. 2
    Type radius

    Type a distance such as 8 or 8' while moving the cursor. The HUD shows R.

  3. 3
    Commit

    Press Enter to create the circle at that radius, or click to set the radius by eye.

Finishing the path

  • Polyline — Enter with enough points and no active typing finalizes the path; double-click also finishes.
  • Polygon — needs at least three points before Enter can close the shape.
  • Click the first point to close manually, or use Close Polyline on an open polyline afterward.
Note

Typed constraints apply to the next segment only. After Enter, the buffer clears so you can click or type the following segment. Snapping is suppressed while a typed constraint is active so the HUD stays truthful.

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