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The Offset command
The Offset command lets you make an offset copy of an object at the distance you specify:
F igure 3.63: A drawing made with a polyline for the Offset command
In the following example, I will explain this command using the preceding drawing. This drawing is made with a single polyline and there are no breaks in its boundary. In the following example, we will offset the polyline to make another copy at the offset distance:
- Select the Offset command from the Modify panel, as in the following screenshot, or use its command alias, O:
F igure 3.64: The Offset command in the Modify panel
- Now, the command line will prompt you to specify the offset distance. Type the distance that you want and press Enter. In this case, I am using an offset distance of 5 units.
- Now, click on the boundary of the polyline to select it and you will notice that an offset copy will appear on your cursor. If you hover your cursor outside the shape, the offset copy will be made outside and if you click inside, the offset will be added inside the drawing:
F igure 3.65: A polyline offset inside at a distance of 5 units
- Even after making the offset, the command will remain active and you can select other objects to make the offset at the specified distance. To exit the command, press the Esc key on your keyboard.
In this case, the offset has been made on a polyline, but if you try making an offset on a similar drawing that is made with separate lines and arcs, then the result will be very different, as shown:
F igure 3.66: An Offset made outside the drawing when the object was made with separate lines and arc
Here, all the line segments and arcs are not connected to each other and so you need to select them one by one and make offsets separately, which will result in the offset shown in figure 3.66.