Why Can’t I Join Two Polylines in AutoCAD?
If you are working with AutoCAD and you are struggling to join two polylines, don’t worry, you are not alone. This is a common issue that many users face.
In this article, we will explore the reasons why you may not be able to join two polylines and how to troubleshoot them.
1. Gaps between Polylines
One of the main reasons why you may not be able to join two polylines is the presence of gaps between them. AutoCAD requires that the endpoints of two polylines meet exactly in order to join them.
Even a small gap can prevent the join operation from being successful.
To check for gaps between polylines, use the DISTANCE command in AutoCAD. Select one endpoint of a polyline and then click on the endpoint of the other polyline.
If the distance displayed is anything other than zero, it means there is a gap between them.
To fix this issue, you can zoom in on the area where the endpoints should meet and manually adjust them using the MOVE command or by editing their coordinates in the properties palette. Once there is no gap between the endpoints, you should be able to successfully join the polylines.
2. Different Elevation or Width Values
Another reason why joining two polylines might fail is if they have different elevation or width values. Polylines with different Z-values (elevation) or M-values (width) cannot be joined together directly.
To check for these differences, use the PEDIT command in AutoCAD. Select the polyline you want to join and enter the PE option.
AutoCAD will display a list of properties for the selected polyline, including its elevation and width values.
To resolve this issue, you can use the CHPROP command to modify the properties of one polyline to match the other. Alternatively, you can convert both polylines to a common width or elevation value using the PEDIT command before attempting to join them.
3. Different Vertex Types
If two polylines have different vertex types, they may not be able to join together. AutoCAD offers three types of vertices: straight line, arc, and spline.
The vertex type must match for successful joining.
To check the vertex types of a polyline, use the PEDIT command again. Select the polyline and enter E for edit vertices.
AutoCAD will display a list of vertices along with their types.
To fix this issue, you can use the PEDIT command to convert all vertices to one type before attempting to join the polylines. For example, if one polyline has arc vertices and the other has straight line vertices, you can convert all vertices to straight line type using the PEDIT command with the SJ (Straighten) option.
In Conclusion
In this article, we discussed some common reasons why you may not be able to join two polylines in AutoCAD and how to troubleshoot them. Remember to check for gaps between polylines, differences in elevation or width values, and different vertex types as these are often the culprits.
By following the troubleshooting steps outlined here, you should be able to successfully join your polylines and continue working on your AutoCAD project without any issues.