BG-Map Basemap Editing Tip

How to Draw a Road or Path with Parallel Sides

Updated 1/24/02

This document describes how to draw a road or path with parallel sides by first drawing a centerline and then offsetting it.

Often, you may wish to add a road or a path to your basemap. If it has parallel sides, the easiest way to do this is to draw the centerline first, and then create the two sides of the path by offsetting. Here's how:

First, set your layer to ROADS or PATHS. Draw a polyline along the path centerline. If you are using NPO symbols to determine the centerline, set a running object snap (OSNAP) of "Intersection" and just click on the X in the middle of each path symbol to create the centerline.

At the Command prompt, enter the command OFFSET <Enter>.

AutoCAD will prompt: "Specify offset distance or [Through] <Through>:" Enter half the width of the path. For example, if the path is 5 feet wide, enter 2.5.

AutoCAD will prompt: "Select object to offset or <exit>:" Click on the centerline that you drew.

AutoCAD will prompt: "Specify point on side to offset:" Click on any point to one side of the centerline.

AutoCAD will prompt: "Select object to offset or <exit>:" Again, click on the centerline.

AutoCAD will prompt: "Specify point on side to offset:" Click on any point to the other side of the centerline.

AutoCAD will prompt: "AutoSelect object to offset or <exit>:" Right click or hit <Enter>.

This will create the two opposite edges of the road or path. Finally, erase the centerline and any symbols that you used to create it, and save the basemap.