How To Resize Group In AutoCAD?

Understanding the Basics of Grouping in AutoCAD

Grouping in AutoCAD allows you to combine multiple objects into a single entity, making it easier to manipulate them as one unit. This feature is particularly useful when you need to resize, move, or modify several objects simultaneously.

How to Create a Group in AutoCAD

1. Select Objects: Begin by choosing the objects you want to group. Click on each item while holding down the Shift key to select multiple objects.

2. Access the Group Panel: Navigate to the Home tab on the ribbon, then look for the Groups panel.

3. Group the Selection: Click on the “Group” command within the Groups panel. The selected objects will now be combined into a single group, which AutoCAD assigns a default name like *A1.

Steps to Resize a Group in AutoCAD

1. Select the Group: Click on the grouped objects you wish to resize. Ensure that the entire group is highlighted, indicating that it is selected.

2. Choose the Scale Command: Type SCALE into the command line and hit Enter. This command allows you to adjust the size of the selected group.

3. Specify Base Point: Click to define a base point. This point serves as the reference around which the group will be resized.

4. Enter Scale Factor: You can either specify a specific scale factor by typing a numerical value and pressing Enter or use the reference method for more precision.

5. Reference Scaling: If you need to use a reference length for resizing, press R for ‘reference’. Click on the initial point of the known dimension, and then click on the endpoint.

6. Input True Length: After selecting the reference length, enter the actual length that this dimension represents, then hit Enter.

Stretching Objects in a Group

If you need to stretch or modify the dimensions of the grouped objects instead of performing a simple resize, follow these steps:

1. Select the Group: Click the group to highlight it.

2. Identify Grips: Grips will appear at the corners and midpoints of the group.

3. Choose the Base Grip: Hold down the Shift key and select grips to highlight them. Release Shift and click on a grip to set it as the base grip from which to stretch.

4. Drag to Resize: Move your cursor away from the base grip. Click when the group reaches the desired size.

Editing a Group in AutoCAD

To further adjust or edit the contents of a group in AutoCAD:

1. Access Group Edit: Click on the Groups panel and choose “Group Edit”.

2. Select the Group: In the drawing area, click on the group you wish to edit.

3. Add or Remove Objects: At the command prompt, you can choose to either enter A to add objects or R to remove them from the group. Follow the prompts to select additional objects.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can I Ungroup Objects in AutoCAD?
Yes, you can ungroup objects by selecting the group and navigating to the Groups panel. Click on the “Ungroup” option to separate the objects.

2. What happens when I group objects in AutoCAD?
When you group objects, any action performed on the group—like moving or scaling—affects all objects within that group simultaneously.

3. Is there a limit to the number of objects I can group in AutoCAD?
No specific limit is set on the number of objects you can group in AutoCAD. However, excessive grouping of complex objects may affect performance.