CA (COPYALIGN)

CA (COPYALIGN) copies a selection and lets the copy snap magnetically to blocks already in the drawing. The copy takes over the orientation of the block you move over, so you can lay rows of floor sections or fences neatly against each other without snapping or rotating by hand. The command keeps copying until you press ESC.

Starting

Type CA or COPYALIGN on the command line, or use the COPYALIGN button in the ribbon on the SCAD Core tab, Move / Copy / Align panel.

How it works

1. Preselect the objects, or pick them when the command asks.
2. The command asks Base point <Enter for Default>:. Click a base point, or press Enter for the default point: for a single object that is its insertion point (the start point for lines and polylines), for several objects the lower-left corner of the selection.
3. The copy hangs on the cursor. The command line shows Select point [Rotate/REset].
4. Move the cursor over a block in the drawing. The copy takes over that block’s rotation, matching the side (north, east, south or west) where you hold the cursor. Hold Ctrl to make the copy snap against that side. Move over a line or polyline and the copy turns to follow the direction of that segment.
5. Click to place the copy. The command keeps copying: the copy is immediately attached to the cursor again.
6. Press ESC to stop.

The copy you just placed is not used as the target for the next copy. The command also works in a rotated UCS.

Options

Option	What it does
Rotate	Rotates the copy by an extra step of the rotation angle (default 45 degrees). Repeated use adds up.
REset	Resets the extra rotation to 0.

Enter repeats the last option you chose.