TANGENTSD BETWEEN CIRCLES? 1

[SUNDEMON]

Hi,

This must be an old problem, but how do you make a line that is tangent to two circles. Imagine a belt connecting 2 pulleys.

thanks,

sundemon

 

[Exxit]

Sundemon,

is the osnap "tan" not working?

Lothar

ADT 2004
ACAD 2002

 

[SUNDEMON]

yes, the snap works, but, say I have 2 circles, side by side, of 2 different diameters. I want a line between the two, tangent to both. I can take a line from an arbitrary point on circle (a) and snap it to a tangent of circle (b). But the origin of the line at circle (a) is not neccessarly on a tangent of that circle (a). So I take the end of the line and snap it to a tangent point of circle (a), I have now changed the angle of the line, so it is no longer tangent to circle (b).

That's my problem. I'm sure I'm overlooking something simple. If I'm stating the problem correctly, can someone offer a method?

thanks, sundemon

 

[IFRs]

line tan [pick point on circle A near where you expect the line to be] tan [pick point on circle B]

Does that not do it?

 

[SUNDEMON]

yes it does. I didn't realize the originating tangent point would adjust to the second point. Sorry, I knew the answer was going to be obvious... THanks much


sundemon

 

[lpseifert]

I just realized that the deferred tangent does not work with pline, but it does with line. 18 years of Autocad and I finally figured this out!!

 

[LHA]

Unlike lpseifert, I have only wasted 9 years trying to trick this into happening. I'm relatively lucky.

But lp, it does work with pline on 2005...check again.

Like Sundemon, I also didn't know the first tan adjusted itself.

Thanks IFRs

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