9

Snap Options 47
3.
On the main toolbar, click the Snaps
Toggle button to turn on snapping, and then
right-click the button to open the Grid And
Snap Sett ings dialog to the Snaps panel.
The default Snaps setting is Grid Points only; if
thisisnotthecase,makeitso.Agridpointis
the intersection of two grid lines.
4. On the dia log, click the Options tab.
In the General group, Snap Preview Radius is
set to 30 pixels and Snap Radius is set to 20
pixels. You can leave this dia log open while you
use snaps.
5. OntheCreatepanel,clickShapes,and
then click Object Type rollout > Line.
You’re now in line-creation mode.
6. Click anywhere in the viewport to start creating
a line-type spline object.
7. Move the cursor around the viewport.
As you do so, a r ubber-band line connects the
mouse cursor to the start point.
8. P osition the mouse cursor near a grid point,
but not too close, so that the snap cursor (cyan
box + crosshairs) appears at the grid point,
but the line endpoint remains attached to the
mouse cursor.
This shows the snap preview ; you’ll see its
purpose in the next step.
9. Click the left mouse button.
Thesecondlinevertexiscreatednotwhereyou
clickedbutatthegridpointindicatedbythe
snap preview. Snap prev iew lets you see where
asnapwilloccurbeforeitactuallyhappens.
10. Move the curs or toward anot her grid p oint.
At the Snap Preview Radius distance (30 pixels),
the snap cursor appears at the grid point.
11. Continue moving the c ursor toward the grid
point.
After you move it 10 pixels closer (the difference
between Snap Prev iew Radius and Snap
Radius), the line endpoint jumps from the
mouse cursor to the grid point. This is the
legacy snap functionality.
12. Click to accept the snap.
13. Complete the line, and then zoom out so the
grid points are closer together. Start another
line, and then position the mouse cursor in the
center of a g rid square, so the preview snap
point appears at one of the grid points.
14. On the keyboard, press and hold Alt+Shif t
and t hen press S repeatedly to cycle through
the remaining nea rby grid points. If nothing
happens, try zooming out more or increasing
the Snap Preview Radius value.
By default, the s oftware uses the closest snap
point as the preview location. This keyboard
shortcut lets you choose other qualifying snap
points.
Interfa ce
Note: The layout of the Grid And Snap Settings
dialog is generated at runtim e. Because of this, it
might appear slightly different than the illustration
shown here.