Auto-Connect Lines Object

Function Description

The auto-connect lines function can snap a line object (A) to another line object (B) and connect these two line objects into one line object according to the draw order at the snap position (the start or end point of object B). When vectorizing line objects, this function can connect multiple line objects drawn at different times at the node snap position to form a new line object, which improves the user's vectorization speed. The connected line objects can be of different types, such as polylines, arcs, rectangles, etc.

The figure below shows a schematic diagram of a river. Through the auto-connect function, as indicated by the numbers in the figure, these individual line objects are connected at the endpoint snap points (green squares) into a new object during the drawing process.
  • The auto-connect lines object function is applicable to line layers and CAD layers.
  • The Auto-connect Lines check box is only available when there is an editable line layer in the current map.
  • The auto-connect lines object is applicable not only to simple objects but also to compound objects.

Function Entry

  • Edit Data tab -> Edit the settings group -> Drawing Settings drop-down menu -> Auto-connect Lines.

Operation Instructions

  1. Set the layer where the auto-connect lines object function is to be enabled in the map to the editable state.
  2. In the Edit Data tab, in the Edit the settings group, click the Drawing Settings drop-down button, and select the Auto-connect Lines option from the drop-down menu to enable the auto-connect lines object function; or use the Shift+J shortcut key to enable it. To cancel the auto-connect lines object function, click the option again.
  3. Draw a line object at any position on the map; it can be any type of line object, such as a polyline.
  4. Enable the snapping function, snap to the position where the next line object will start drawing (the start or end point of the snapped object), and start drawing a new line object. The newly drawn line object can be any type of line object, such as a multi-polyline. For a description of the snapping function, see Enable Layer Snapping.
  5. Right-click to end the drawing. At this point, the newly drawn line object and the first drawn line object are auto-connected into one object. The attribute of this object is the same as the attribute of the first object.
  6. To connect more line objects, repeat steps 4 and 5.
Notes:
  • The auto-connected line objects can be any type of line object, such as polylines, free curves, ellipses, etc.
  • Only endpoints of line segments can be connected. If the starting point of a new drawing is at a non-endpoint node of the source line object, the source object and the current drawn object will not be automatically connected.