How to Use Snap and Grid

Quick answer: Grid is a purely visual reference of evenly spaced lines or dots, it never prints and doesn’t restrict anything. Snap creates invisible magnetic points that constrain where your cursor can actually pick. Both can be toggled independently, set differently per viewport, and synced to share the same spacing.

Grid vs Snap

• Grid: a set of evenly spaced lines or dots for visual reference only. It doesn’t print, and can also indicate how far the drawing limits extend. GRIDSTYLE controls whether it shows as lines or dots; GRIDDISPLAY controls its display more generally.
• Snap: invisible magnetic points that make the crosshairs move in even increments, constraining what you can actually pick with the mouse.

Toggling Grid and Snap

• Grid: click the GRID tool on the Settings toolbar, click the GRID field in the Status Bar, or press Ctrl+G.
• Snap: click the SNAP tool on the Settings toolbar, click the SNAP field in the Status Bar, or press Ctrl+B. This setting is saved via SNAPMODE.

Both can be set differently in each viewport.

Accessing Snap and Grid Settings

Either right-click the SNAP or GRID field in the Status Bar and choose Settings, or go to Settings dialog > Drawing > Drafting > Coordinate Input > Snap/Grid.

Synchronizing Grid and Snap Spacing

1. Run GRID. You’re prompted: “Grid is on. Enter grid spacing or [grid OFf/Snap/Aspect] <10>:”.
2. Type s and press Enter. The grid spacing now matches the snap spacing.
3. Optionally use the Aspect option of the SNAP command to adjust further.

This sync holds until you change the grid spacing again, either via the GRID command or the Settings dialog.

Using Drawing Limits

• Run LIMITS to set the drawing’s boundaries.
• Click the Drawing Limits item in the Settings menu to toggle LIMCHECK on or off. With it on, you can’t draw outside the drawing limits at all.
• The “Display beyond LIMITS area” option of GRIDDISPLAY controls whether the grid itself extends past the drawing limits or stops at them.

Using Isometric Snap

Isometric grid lets you create two-dimensional drawings that simulate a three-dimensional view, not an actual 3D drawing, just a 2D one drawn to look isometric.

There are three fixed preset planes, Left (0), Top (1), and Right (2), you can’t change this arrangement, and three isometric axes at 30, 90, and 150 degrees.

To set it up:

• Set SNAPSTYL to 1 (isometric snap).
• Set GRIDSTYLE to 1 (dotted grid).
• Set SNAPISOPAIR: 0 for Left, 1 for Top, 2 for Right. Press F5 to cycle between the three planes.
• Set ORTHOMODE on, to constrain crosshair movement to the current isometric plane.
• Make sure SNAPANG is 0.

Setting the Snap Angle

SNAPANG rotates a dotted grid away from its default orientation. Note that if SNAPANG isn’t 0, grid lines won’t display, only the dotted style works with a rotated angle.

1. Open the Snap/Grid settings in the Settings dialog.
2. Select the SNAPANG system variable.
3. Type a new value in its field.
4. Close the Settings dialog.

You can also type snapang directly into the Command line. Prefix it with an apostrophe ('snapang) to set it transparently, without interrupting whatever command is currently running.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the grid ever print or affect what I can click? No. Grid is purely visual and never prints. Snap is the one that actually constrains where you can pick with the mouse.

Can grid and snap have different spacing in different viewports? Yes, both can be set independently per viewport.

Why did my grid lines disappear after rotating the snap angle? Grid lines only display when SNAPANG is 0. Once it’s rotated, only the dotted grid style works.

Is an isometric drawing the same as a 3D drawing? No. Isometric snap creates a 2D drawing that simulates a 3D view, it isn’t actual three-dimensional geometry.