Grid and Grid Snap in AutoCAD

In the previous article we have learned the ORTHO and Polar Tracking features. In this article, we will learn two more AutoCAD features, namely Grid and Grid Snap.

Let’s start learning GRID first.

A. GRID

GRID is an AutoCAD feature that serves as a visual aid to help users align objects and visualize distances. This grid is not plotted; it simply serves as a reference background that displays regularly spaced lines or points that can be customized.

The grid can be toggle ON and OFF by pressing the Grid Display button on the status bar or using the F7 key on the keyboard.

Look at the difference of work screen appearance when GRID is On and Off in the illustration image below.

We can adjust the spacing between grid lines by right-clicking the Grid button in the Status Bar and then select “Grid Settings.” This will open the Drafting Settings dialog box under the Snap and Grid tab. It looks like the image below:

The dialog box above contains Snap and Grid settings. The Grid settings are on the right side.

From these settings, we can adjust the Grid X spacing, Grid Y spacing and Major Line interval. Major lines are the thicker grid lines.

If you want to change the Grid’s appearance to dots, the settings are in the Grid Style section. Check where the changes will be applied.

You can see the difference between a normal Grid and a Grid with a dotted style in the image below:

B. Grid Snap

Grid Snap feature functions to restrict cursor movement to a specified grid spacing, preventing it from moving freely across the drawing area while executing commands.

The purpose of using Grid Snap is to ensure lines and objects are aligned and spaced correctly, resulting in a more accurate drawing.

The Grid Snap feature can be enabled and disabled by pressing the Grid Snap button in the Status Bar and also by pressing the F9 key on the keyboard.

To set the Grid Snap distance, right-click on the Grid Snap button in the status bar, then select “Snap setting”. This will open the Drafting Settings dialog box under the Snap and Grid tab.

It is the same dialog box with the Grid settings that we discussed in part A. Scroll up to see it again.

The Snap settings are on the left side. There, you can adjust Snap Spacing and several other settings. To use this feature, make sure you select Grid Snap in the Snap Type section.