Circle > Tangential (Draw Menu)

This command draws a circle which has a given center and is tangent to another line (or Construction Aid line), circle (or Construction Aid circle) or ellipse.

If a circle is to be drawn while working in isometric or dimetric views, this must be done with the command Ellipse > Vector - Vector because the result on the page is not circular but elliptical.

Any part of an existing object can be used as a reference object. This can be a rectangle side, the arc of an ellipse segment or a circle arc within a surface.

The identified object is referred to as the "Reference Object". After identification, a straight line appears on which the circle's center point will lie. This is referred to as the "Reference Straight Line"

The position of the circle and the tangent opines of the objects can be entered by clicking the mouse at any point within the drawing. A perpendicular is dropped from this point to the reference object to calculate the tangent points.

If a circle is identified as the reference object, the position of the reference point determines on which side of the reference circle the tangent point should lie. The intersection of the reference straight line with the reference circle nearer to the reference point is used.

The center point of the circle can be entered by clicking the mouse anywhere in the drawing. A perpendicular is dropped from this point to the reference straight line to work out the center of the circle.

The circle is assigned to the current layer. In addition, it contains a reference to the current pen.