Trim & Extend Commands¶

VektorCAD provides four trim/extend commands accessible from Toolbar > Edit > Trim:

Command	Description
TRIM	Select cutting edges, then pick segments to remove
PTRIM	Auto-detect all edges, then pick segments to remove
PEXTEND	Auto-extend a line to the nearest intersecting entity
EXTEND	Lengthen or shorten a line by a specified distance

TRIM Command¶

Trims entities at intersection boundaries defined by selected cutting edges. You first select the cutting edges, then click on the segments you want to remove.

Prompts¶

Prompt	Description
Select Entities	Select cutting edges (boundaries) using a selection window or individual picks
Specify segments to remove	Click on the portion of an entity to remove (repeats until Enter/Escape)

How to Use¶

Run the TRIM command
Select cutting edges — use window or individual picks, then press Enter to confirm
Click on the segment you want to remove — VektorCAD trims at the nearest intersection with the selected edges
Continue clicking to trim more segments
Press Enter or Escape to finish

Command: TRIM
Select Entities: (select cutting edges, then Enter)
Specify segments to remove: (click the segment to remove)
Specify segments to remove: (click another, or Enter to finish)

Supported Entity Types¶

Entity	Trim behavior
Line	Trimmed at intersection; clicked portion is removed
Arc	Trimmed at intersection; clicked arc segment is removed
Circle	Converted to an arc by removing the clicked segment
Polyline	Individual segments trimmed at intersection points
Ellipse	Trimmed to create an elliptical arc

PTRIM Command (Power Trim)¶

Same as TRIM but automatically uses all visible entities on active layers as cutting edges — no need to select them first.

Prompts¶

Prompt	Description
Specify segments to remove	Click the portion to remove (repeats until Enter/Escape)

How to Use¶

Command: PTRIM
Specify segments to remove: (click segment to remove)
Specify segments to remove: (click another, or Enter)

Tip

Use PTRIM for speed when you have many intersecting entities and don't want to manually select edges. The cutting edges are automatically refreshed after each trim.

PEXTEND Command (Power Extend / Auto Extend)¶

Extends a line to the nearest intersecting entity. All visible entities on active layers are used as boundary edges automatically.

Prompts¶

Prompt	Description
Specify line to extend	Click on the end of a line you want to extend (repeats until Enter/Escape)

How to Use¶

Run the PEXTEND command
Click near the end of a line that should be extended
The line is extended to the nearest boundary entity in that direction
Continue clicking other lines or press Enter to finish

Command: PEXTEND
Specify line to extend: (click near the end to extend)
Specify line to extend: (click another, or Enter)

Note

Only lines can be extended with PEXTEND. The line is extended from the end closest to your click point until it meets the nearest intersecting entity.

EXTEND Command (Extend by Distance)¶

Extends or shortens a line by a specified distance from the end closest to your click point.

Prompts¶

Prompt	Description
Specify line to extend	Pick the line (click near the end to modify)
Specify distance	Enter the extension distance (positive extends outward, negative shortens)

How to Use¶

Command: EXTEND
Specify line to extend: (click near one end of a line)
Specify distance <10>: 25

The line is extended from the nearest endpoint in the outward direction by the specified distance. You can also click a point to define the distance visually — the preview shows the resulting line in real-time.

Tip

Positive distance extends the line outward (makes it longer)
If you click a point that is on the line, the direction is reversed (shortens the line)
The default distance persists across uses

Tips¶

Click placement matters

Always click on the side you want to remove (for TRIM/PTRIM) or the end you want to extend (for PEXTEND/EXTEND).

Undo

Press Ctrl+Z or use Undo from the toolbar to restore a trimmed/extended entity.

Comparison¶

Command	Cutting edges	Action	Entities supported
TRIM	Manually selected	Remove clicked segment	Line, Arc, Circle, Polyline, Ellipse
PTRIM	All visible (auto)	Remove clicked segment	Line, Arc, Circle, Polyline, Ellipse
PEXTEND	All visible (auto)	Extend to nearest boundary	Line only
EXTEND	None (by distance)	Lengthen/shorten by value	Line only

Best Practices¶

Practice	Benefit
Use PTRIM for most trimming	Faster — no need to select edges
Use TRIM when specific edges needed	Avoids unintended cuts from other entities
Zoom in before trimming	Easier to click the correct segment
Use PEXTEND for quick cleanup	Extend lines to nearest boundary in one click
Use EXTEND for precise adjustments	Control exact extension length

Quick Reference¶

Task	Input
Trim with selected edges	`TRIM`
Trim with auto edges	`PTRIM`
Auto extend to boundary	`PEXTEND`
Extend/shorten by distance	`EXTEND`
Cancel	Enter or Escape
Undo	Ctrl+Z