This option locates tangent points from any point on a part or sheet to a line, arc or round. To find tangent points, select Edit > Tangent Patterns. Move the pointer over the desired point and click the left mouse button. If you choose an arc or round, snap points appear at the tangent points. If you select a line, a snap point appears at the intersection of the selected line and any perpendicular line drawn from the specified tangent point.

Example 1: Revealing Tangent Points

Create a new 10 x 10 part. Draw a 2.0 radius round at center point 3X 3Y. You want to know at which point a line passing through coordinates 7X 8Y would be tangent to the 2.0 radius round.

Select Edit > Tangent Patterns. The system prompts you to select a point to be tangent with a pattern. Type 7 <Space> 8 <Enter>.

The system prompts you to select the pattern to be tangent. Click the 2.0 radius round. Two points appear on the round to indicate the possible tangent points.

Example 2: Tangent Point on a Line

You have a line and a point. You want to draw a line from the point and have it perpendicular to the first line. Draw a line starting at 1X 5Y and ending at 7X 9Y. Imagine the point is the upper left corner of the part (0X 10Y). Select Edit to Advanced Edit to Tangent Patterns. The system prompts you for the point to be tangent. Move the pointer near the upper left corner of the part and click the right mouse button to snap onto that point. Click the left mouse button to select the point.

Move to the line and click it with the left mouse button. Two points appear: one at the point you selected to be tangent with the pattern, and one on the line. If you draw a line between these two points, the line is perpendicular to the original line. Experiment by selecting other points to be tangent with this same line. What happens if you select 1X 1Y as the tangent point?