Working with the ruler

[WAM]

Making a right/left symmetrical sketch, I would like to shift the zero of my overhead ruler to the centerline of the object. I don't seem to be able to drag the ruler into place or reset the zero location with a right click etc. Is there a way?

[keme]

The icon in the top left corner of the drawing pane is a "crossing axes" icon. Drag it into the sheet and drop it where you want to have the axes' origin (rulers' zero).

Click that icon to reset to default origin. It will also be reset if you drop it outside the drawing area.

[WAM]

Thanks. I don't have it working quite right but now I think I'll get there.

Initially the icon wouldn't drag. But then I started messing with those triangles that I think are margin-related, and now the crossing icon became dragable. I just need to figure out how those things are related.

EDIT -- after working with it some more, I'm wondering now if it's just buggy. The icon refuses to drag maybe 29 of 30 tries. Then suddenly, changing nothing, it cooperates. I can find no difference in technique accounting for when it will move vs not. And also, it doesn't save. I realign my zero to an object and save my work. The next time I open the dwg, the zero is back in it's default location.

[keme]

You are right, the adjusted origin does not save. Also, the "origin drag" is not available immediately upon opening, until you have "activated" your drawing by making or selecting an object. After that, you can drag it without anything selected.

Snap points/-lines do save. Can you use those, or perhaps just a reference snap point so it's easier to drag the origin to exactly the right spot? Those snap anchors are marked on the rulers, but do not show up in the drawing until you activate the rulers by clicking on one of them.

May be a bug, but it may also be intended behavior. Could perhaps be better documented...

[WAM]

Snap related issues are on my future research list. There seem to be a lot of bells and whistles associated with that area and I don't fully understand them all.

A problem I encounter is lack of precision which I think might be related to snap. When I try to place the origin of a line exactly on an existing feature corner, it may allow me to be slightly left or slightly right of where I want to be...but not exactly on. I've been manipulating that with Size & Position, but it's very obnoxious and clearly not the best way. My previous experience was with McDraw Pro which evolved to Claris Draw on PC. I had pretty good mastery on that, but it went obsolete and won't work with recent Windows. So I regretfully gave it up and am attempting to learn OOD.

Thanks for the help...it will make the change over easier.

[John_Ha]

You will find much useful information in the Draw Guide. May I suggest you bookmark the page.

Press F1 to access the Help screen and search for your problem. When a pop-up window opens, click the Help button for extensive help on that function - it is often more comprehensive than the manual.

A problem I encounter is lack of precision which I think might be related to snap.

See Tools > Options > Draw > Grid ..., for Snap options.

[WAM]

On manuals and help: Yes, they contain a lot of valuable information. But not so good at addressing specific concerns.

For example, my initial post was how to shift ruler zero. I had already read the ruler section of the Draw manual on pg 9. Not a clue.
At your suggestion, I attempted to use help to answer that question and submitted the question several ways. Not a clue.
No doubt the info I need is embedded in there somewhere...but finding it is another matter.

As to Snap Options -- again, yes, I knew of that page. But only some of it is intuitive. The rest I'll have to figure out through experimentation.

BTW, my learning approach is to construct a Draw Cheatsheet. I note every step I take to generate a typical drawing so I can revisit later. Nearly all of what I learn applies again to each new dwg, so the cheatsheet gives me step by step without having to rediscover. Kinda like a template.