Break

Click Break to make a gap in entities.

BREAK makes gaps in all entities except points, text, and dimensions. If you BREAK a line, arc, path, or spline, CC3 creates two entities where there was one. BREAK turns a circle into an arc, a polygon into a path, or a smooth polygon into a spline. If you BREAK an arrow or double arrow, CC3 doesn't add arrowheads—it replaces an arrow with an arrow and a path, or a double arrow with two single arrows.

1. The prompt reads "Entity to break:". Select the entity you wish to break.

2. The prompt reads "Break starts at point:". Select the start point for the gap. If you do not select a point directly on the entity, the point will be projected perpendicularly to the entity (or the entity’s tangent).

3. The prompt reads "Break ends at point:". Select the end point for the gap.

CC3 breaks the entity and removes the portion selected. The command terminates.

To restore the original entity:

Use the UNDO command (Edit> Undo).

Break Tips:

• If you want to break a gap in a wall, hide or freeze any floor, or the floor will be broken instead.

• If the break start and end points are the same, CC3 creates two entities, even though you can't see the place where they join. If you break a line or arc at one of its endpoints, CC3 creates two entities (one is very short). To shorten or extend an arc or line, use TRIM.

• When you break a polygon or smooth polygon, CC3 always keeps node #1. When you break a circle, CC3 keeps the portion of the circle you selected at the "entity to break:" prompt.

• If snap locking is turned on when you use BREAK, CC3 breaks the entity where it passes nearest to a snap point. You can use modifiers like ON, % ALONG or DEGREE to break at specific points on the entity, or use the SNAP button on the command bar.

Text equivalent: BREAK