FAQ & Troubleshooting¶
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¶
General¶
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 the Sheets Panel to add, duplicate, reorder, or delete sheets.
Does VektorCAD autosave?
Yes. All changes are saved automatically to the cloud. If your network drops, you'll see a retry indicator. Use Save in the Title Bar to manually save a new revision at any point.
What do Thin / Normal / Thick mean?
They are line weight presets available in the Format Panel:
| Thickness | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Thin | Projection lines, construction lines |
| Normal | Dimensions, reference geometry |
| Thick | Final visible edges |
The PDF exporter maps these weights to device-independent stroke widths.
Input & Coordinates¶
How do I enter points and lengths precisely?
| Method | Syntax | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute Cartesian | x,y |
50,100 |
| Relative Cartesian | @dx,dy |
@30,40 |
| Absolute Polar | r<angle |
75<45 |
| Relative Polar | @r<angle |
@80<35 |
| Distance + direction | Type number with Ortho/Track on | 60 (along cursor direction) |
See: Point Input | Distance Input | Angle Input
How do I move the UCS?
Run UCS and pick a new origin, or snap to a midpoint/endpoint on the XY line. This helps with relative inputs like @0,25 from a meaningful base point. See UCS Command.
Can I reuse the last distance or angle?
Yes. Many commands accept Enter to repeat the previous numeric input. The context menu may also show Use Last Distance/Angle.
Snaps & Precision¶
What snaps are available?
| Snap | Finds |
|---|---|
| Endpoint | Ends of lines, arcs, polylines |
| Midpoint | Middle of a line or arc |
| Center | Center of a circle or arc |
| Intersection | Where two entities cross |
| Perpendicular | Perpendicular foot on an entity |
| Tangent | Tangent point on a circle/arc |
| Nearest | Closest point on any entity |
| Quadrant | 0/90/180/270 degree points on a circle |
| Node | Point entities |
Turn Entity Snap on from the Status Bar and optionally limit to specific snaps via the dropdown.
How do I use Isometric mode?
Turn Isometric ON in the status bar. Switch between ISO Left, ISO Top, and ISO Right planes. All cursor movement and Ortho will follow isometric axes (30/150/90 degrees). Use IsoCircle from the Ellipse menu to draw circles on isometric planes.
Dimensions & Annotations¶
Do dimensions update if I move geometry?
Yes -- dimensions stay associated if their extension points remain attached. If a snap point moved, re-snap the dimension by editing its grips.
Which dimension command should I use?
| Command | Use for |
|---|---|
DIMLIN |
Horizontal or vertical measurements |
DIMALIGNED |
True-length of slanted features |
DIMANGULAR |
Angle between two lines |
DIMRADIUS |
Radius of arcs/circles |
DIMDIAMETER |
Diameter of arcs/circles |
See: Dimension Commands
Troubleshooting¶
Selection Issues¶
I can't select an entity
- Check if the entity's layer is locked or hidden -- unlock or show it in the Layer Manager
- Blocks and underlays cannot be directly selected for editing -- use the block editor or explode first
- Zoom in to ensure you're clicking on the entity, not near it
Snap Problems¶
My snaps don't work (no glyph appears)
- Entity Snap might be off -- toggle it ON from the Status Bar
- Zoom in: some snaps filter out when too far away
- 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
- You can lock an angle by typing
<anglewhile placing a point
Dimensions¶
My dimensions show the wrong value or look huge/tiny
- Use
DIMALIGNEDfor slanted/true-length segments;DIMLINfor horizontal/vertical - Verify you're dimensioning the intended view (projected vs true length)
- Check the dimension style text height in Dimension Style Manager
Navigation¶
I can't Pan or Zoom
- Middle mouse button pans; scroll 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)
Drawing Issues¶
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 the hatch pattern if alignment is off
Trim or Extend won't work
- Pick near the segment you want to remove (not the boundary)
- Objects must intersect or be extendable to a nearby boundary
- Unlock layers and ensure entities aren't part of a non-editable block
My text changed font or size after export
- Use a Text Style with a common system font (e.g., Arial, Roboto)
- Set a fixed height in the text style for consistency
- Keep annotations on a dedicated layer for easy QA
XY Line & Projections¶
Snapping to the XY line is awkward
- Move the UCS to a convenient base point on XY with
UCS, then use@dx,dyoffsets (e.g.,@0,25) - Use a short projector (perpendicular to XY) to anchor distances
- Enable Midpoint or Endpoint snap for precise XY picks
Recovery & Diagnostics¶
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Undo / Redo | Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y or Title Bar buttons |
| Check command history | Review the Command Panel for prompts and entered values |
| Report a bug | Include file name, sheet name, last ~10 command lines, screenshots, and browser/version |
Quick How-Tos¶
| Task | Steps |
|---|---|
| Draw XY line | XYLINE > pick two points (use Normal thickness) |
| Projection lines | LINE perpendicular to XY (Thin thickness) |
| Final edges | Switch to Thick before drawing visible outlines |
| Dimensions | DIMLIN for H/V; DIMALIGNED for slanted/true length |
| Labels | TEXT with a consistent Text Style |
| Precise placement | Entity Snap ON; type @dx,dy or @r<angle for offsets |
| Isometric circles | Isometric mode ON > Ellipse > IsoCircle > pick center > enter radius |
| Export to PDF | EXPORT > choose PDF > set paper size and scale |
Still Stuck?¶
Share your drawing file to support@vektorcad.com with:
- File name and sheet name
- Steps to reproduce the issue
- Screenshots (if possible)
- Browser name and version
See also: File Management | Status Bar | Command Panel | Export