RAY command

Creates rays.

Icon:

Description

Creates a ray (semi-infinite line) from a combination of options including point, direction and angle.

  1. Start of ray
  2. Direction

Methods to begin a ray

This command has 6 methods to begin creating a ray:

  • Start of ray
  • Horizontal
  • Vertical
  • Angle
  • Bisect
  • Parallel

You can continue adding unlimited rays until you press Enter to end the command.

Start of ray
Begin creating a ray by specifying the starting point of the ray then:
Direction
Specify the direction of the ray from the starting point.
Horizontal
Begin creating a ray horizontal to the x-axis then:
Location
Specify the starting point of the ray.
Vertical
Begin creating a ray parallel to the y-axis then:
Location
Specify the starting point of the ray.
Angle
Begin creating a ray based on an angle then:
Enter angle
Specify the angle of the ray.
Additional option: [Reference]
Location
Specify the starting point of the ray.
  1. Location
  2. Ray
  3. Angle
Bisect
Begin creating a ray which bisects the angle between two imaginary lines then:
Set vertex point
Specify the start point of the ray.
Additional option: [Entity]
Bisection angle start point
Specify a point to define the first imaginary line. The vertex is used as the other point.
Bisection angle end point
Specify a point to define the second imaginary line. The vertex is used as the other point.
  1. Vertex point
  2. Bisection angle start point
  3. Bisection angle end point
  4. Ray
Parallel
Begin creating a ray parallel to a line or polyline segment then:
Set offset distance for parallel infinite ray
Specify the offset distance for the ray.
Additional option: [Through point]
Select entity for parallel infinite ray
Select a line or polyline segment from which to offset the ray.
Side for parallel infinite ray
Specify the side on which to place the ray. The ray’s start point is parallel to the line’s start point.
  1. Offset distance
  2. Line segment
  3. Ray

Options within the RAY command

After you begin creating a ray, the following options may be available:

Reference
Select an entity to use a reference angle then:
Enter angle

Specify the angle to place the ray relative to the selected entity.

Location
Specify the starting point of the ray.
Location
The Location prompt repeats so that you can draw more angled rays with different starting points. Press Enter to end the command.
  1. Location
  2. Ray
  3. Angle
  4. Reference entity
Entity
Select a line, arc, a polyline segment to bisect then:
Select side for ray bisection
Specify the side on which to place the ray.
When you select a line or polyline segment, the command draws the xline perpendicular to the segment’s midpoint. When you select an arc or polyarc, the command draws the xline perpenduclar to the arc’s center and midpoint.
This command works with splined polylines, but not with splined entities.
  1. Perpendicular to arc center point
  2. Perpendicular to arc midpoint
  3. Ray
  1. Perpendicular to line midpoint
  2. Ray
Through point
Specify a point through which to draw the ray.
Select entity for parallel infinite ray
Specify the entity to offset with the ray.
Through the point
Specify the point through which to draw the ray. This point is the ray’s start point.
  1. Through point
  2. Line segment
  3. Ray