Modifying with Grips Part 2

Topics Covered in This AutoCAD Tutorial:

Advanced object modification using grips for stretching operations and accessing comprehensive modify tools through grip-based workflows

Exercise Preview

Before diving into the hands-on exercises, let's examine what you'll accomplish in this tutorial. The following preview demonstrates the sophisticated grip-based modification techniques that remain fundamental to efficient AutoCAD workflows in 2026.

Modifying with Grips in a File

Now that you understand the scope of grip-based modifications, let's work through these essential techniques step by step. These methods form the backbone of efficient AutoCAD object manipulation.

1. Continue working with Modify Tools-Office.dwg or open Modify-Office-Grips.dwg to begin this exercise.

2. Navigate to the table in the upper right area of the office where you previously placed the coffee maker, then select the table object. Click the grip located at the midpoint of the left side to activate it (making it "hot"). Pull the grip to the left until the horizontal Polar Tracking line appears, ensuring precise alignment. Type 12 to specify the distance in inches and press Enter. This stretching operation extends the table by exactly 12 inches, demonstrating how grips provide both visual feedback and precise dimensional control.

   

3. Without clicking, hover your cursor over the grip at the midpoint of the table's bottom edge. When the contextual menu appears, select Convert to Arc. This powerful feature transforms the straight line segment into a curved arc, showcasing AutoCAD's ability to dynamically change object geometry through grip interactions.

   

4. Pull the cursor downward until the vertical tracking line appears, ensuring accurate movement along the intended axis. Type 6 for the arc distance and press Enter to confirm. Press Escape to deselect the table and observe the completed modification. The result demonstrates how grip editing can create both functional and aesthetically pleasing design elements.

   

5. Navigate to the chair positioned by the wall in the bottom right area of the office and click to select it. Activate the grip by clicking it, then right-click to access the grip context menu. Select Move from the menu, right-click again, and select Copy to enable the copy mode. Pull the cursor to the left and create one copy along the horizontal tracking line. This initial copy establishes both the distance and angle for subsequent operations. Now hold down the CTRL key while pulling the cursor to the left again—you'll notice the next copy automatically snaps to the same distance and angle as the first copy. Click to create this copy when the snap occurs. Repeat this CTRL-key process to create a total of four chairs efficiently. Press Enter to end the command, then press Escape to deselect all objects. This technique demonstrates AutoCAD's intelligent pattern recognition for repetitive copying operations.

   

6. Navigate to the front desk containing the computer workstation. Select the computer object and activate its grip by clicking. Right-click and choose Move, then right-click again to select Copy. Move the computer to the desk in the upper right cubicle, using the geometric center snap to precisely position the base point at the corner of the destination desk. Maintain the computer's selection for the next operation.

   

7. With the new computer copy selected, click its grip to activate it and right-click to access the menu. Choose Rotate from the context menu. Utilize Polar Tracking and mouse movement to rotate the computer precisely 45° to the right, orienting it to face the chair naturally. Keep the computer selected for continued modification. This rotation demonstrates how grip-based editing maintains object relationships while allowing precise angular adjustments.

   

8. Using the same grip technique, create another copy of the computer for the desk located 2 cubicles to the left. This placement is strategic—you're positioning the computer on this particular desk because it's the only other desk that matches the current 45° orientation of the computer, ensuring design consistency throughout the office layout.

   

9. Now you'll employ grips to create multiple copies in the remaining desks using an advanced technique similar to the mirror tool workflow, but with crucial differences. The mirror tool wouldn't work effectively with the computer because it's an asymmetrical object, and using the standard Rotate tool outside of the grip menu would be less efficient since its copy option only allows single copies. Select the computer and activate its grip. Choose Rotate from the right-click menu, then right-click again and select Copy. Right-click a third time and select the Base Point option to establish a custom rotation center. Click the Geometric Center snap at the center of the small square where the cubicle partitions intersect—this strategic base point ensures all rotated copies maintain proper spatial relationships. Use your mouse and Polar Tracking to systematically create copies on the other 3 adjoining desks, ensuring each computer faces its respective chair. Press Escape to deselect when complete.

   Professional Tip: Position the base point at the geometric center where partitions intersect for optimal rotational control, as demonstrated in the screenshot below:

   

10. Complete the office layout by using the Copy command to place computers on all remaining desks, ensuring each maintains the correct orientation for its specific location. This final step demonstrates the importance of combining multiple modification techniques to achieve professional, functionally logical design layouts.