Skip to content

FAQ & Troubleshooting — VektorCAD

This page collects common questions and fixes for day‑to‑day drafting in VektorCAD. If you don’t see your issue here, note the steps to reproduce and contact support with your project ID and browser/version.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What’s the difference between a File and a Sheet?

A File (project) can contain multiple Sheets (tabs). Each sheet has its own size, and layout. Use Sheets Panel to add, duplicate, reorder, or delete sheets.

Does VektorCAD autosave?

No. Changes are not saved periodically. Use Save in the Title Bar to save and create a new revision. If your network drops, you’ll see a retry indicator.

What do Thin / Normal / Thick mean?

They are line weight presets. Use Normal for construction (XY, projectors, dimensions) and Thick for final visible edges in orthographic problems. The PDF exporter maps these weights to device‑independent stroke widths.

How do I enter points and lengths precisely?

  • Cartesian: x,y (absolute), @dx,dy (relative)
  • Polar: r<θ (absolute), @r<θ (relative)
  • Distance only: type a number while a direction is previewed (Ortho/Track).
    See: Point Input, Distance Input, Angle Input docs.

How do I move the UCS?

Run ucs and pick a new origin, or snap to a midpoint/endpoint on the XY. This helps with relative inputs like @0,25 from a meaningful base point.

What snaps are available?

Endpoint, Midpoint, Center, Intersection, Perpendicular, Tangent, Nearest, Quadrant, Node. Turn Entity Snap on from the status bar and optionally limit to specific snaps via the dropdown.

Can I reuse the last distance or angle?

Yes. Many commands accept Enter/Space to repeat the previous numeric input. The context menu may also show Use Last Distance/Angle.

Do dimensions update if I move geometry?

Yes—dimensions stay associated if their extension points remain attached. If a snap moved, re‑snap the dimension by editing its grips.

Troubleshooting

I can’t select an entity

  • Check if the entity’s layer is locked/hidden.
  • For blocks/underlays, it cannot be selected.

My snaps don’t work (no glyph)

  • Entity Snap might be off—toggle it on from the status bar.
  • Zoom in: some snaps filter out when too far.
  • Open the snap dropdown and ensure the needed snaps (e.g., Midpoint) are enabled.
  • If snapping to hatch, enable Nearest or snap to the boundary instead.

Ortho or Polar Tracking isn’t constraining

  • Make sure the toggle is on in the status bar.
  • Angle lock by typing <θ while placing a point/distance.

My dimensions show the wrong value or look huge/tiny

  • Use dimalign for slanted/true‑length segments; dimlin for horizontal/vertical measurements.
  • Verify you’re dimensioning the intended view (projected vs true length).

I can’t Pan/Zoom

  • Middle mouse button pans; wheel zooms. If disabled by OS/driver, use the View Bar buttons (Pan, Zoom In/Out, Zoom Window, Zoom All).
  • If zoom jumps unexpectedly, check OS scroll settings (smooth/acceleration).

My hatch won’t fill a region

  • Ensure the boundary is closed (no gaps). Use Trim/Extend to fix.
  • Lower the hatch scale if the pattern looks too sparse; rotate if needed.

Why won’t Trim/Extend work?

  • Pick boundaries first, then the objects to trim/extend.
  • Objects must intersect or be extendable to the boundary.
  • Unlock layers and ensure the entities aren’t part of a non‑editable block/underlay.

My text changed font or size after export

  • Use a Text Style with embedded fonts or a common system font.
  • Keep annotation on a dedicated layer for easy QA.

Snapping to the XY line is awkward

  • Move the UCS to a convenient base point on XY with ucs, then use @dx,dy offsets (e.g., @0,25).
  • Use a short projector (perpendicular to XY) to anchor distances.

Recovery & Diagnostics

  • Undo/Redo: Use the Title Bar buttons or shortcuts to revert/apply steps.
  • Check command history: The Command Panel shows prompts and entered values.
  • Report a bug: Include file name, sheet name, the last ~10 command lines, screenshots, and your browser/version.

Quick How‑Tos

  • XY line: xyline → pick two points (use Normal thickness).
  • Projection lines: line perpendicular to XY (Normal).
  • Final edges: switch to Thick before drawing the visible outlines.
  • Dimensions: dimlin for horizontal/vertical; dimalign for slanted/true length.
  • Labels: text with a consistent Text Style.
  • Precise placement: turn Entity Snap on; type @dx,dy or @r<θ for offsets.

Still stuck?

Share your drawing file to support@vektorcad.com and mail with the details.