Object osnap to another object?

In the drawing below I have a line at an angle and some vertical lines crossing it.
The circle top left has a 90 degrees square section on the lower left side (red circle drawn around it) which I want to call my reference point.

Is it possible to set a reference point on an object so the readout gives me the position at that point relative to the UCS X0 Y0?

Next....

The cyan line inside the circle is perpendicular to the longer cyan line at an angle to show the tangent point on the circle (but this line would not normally be drawn)

I want to group the entire circle object as one object then pickup that object with the pointer on some kind of 'handle' and move it near the longer angled cyan line.

I want the circle to snap to a tangent of the angled line where each of the vertical lines intersect the angled line.

Is this possible and if so what are the commands to achieve this?

I'm using Autocad 2007.

Thanks!

Quote:

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Is it possible to set a reference point on an object so the readout gives me the position at that point relative to the UCS X0 Y0?

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If you hold the cursor over that point, it should. Or am I not understanding what you want?

Just make it a block, or group it, and move it by snapping fron the endpoint of the cyan line inside the circle, and use an ibntersection snap to snap it to the intersection of the angled and vertical lines.

Yes I can put the pointer over that point and it will give me the position. I just thought there may be an easier way.
I did group the objects. I tried to snap it but there's no snap points on the grouped object.
How do I set the group snap point to the endpoint of the cyan line?

How are you grouping it? If I group something I can still snap to it just as if it were not grouped?
You could also make it a block and set the basepoint to the location you want.

Are you using Osnaps, or just trying to move it with the grips?

I have OSNAP on with intersection and endpoint. I was originally just dragging the grouped object. I had some blue highlighted squares on the object but there were no snap points. But I think I got it.
I grouped the objects then on the right click menu I select 'Copy with Base Point', set my base point then Paste (so it remains separate).
Then when I drag the object to the new position I get the snap points I need on the longer cyan line as 'intersection'. Then I can select the red circle and move the cursor until it snaps to the center (my reference point) and the XY position is displayed. It's a bit long-winded though because I have many points I need to know the XY position of (after doing many pastes of the same grouped object). I was hoping for an easier solution such as just dragging the object and it snap to the base point then read off the XY position, then drag the object to the next position then read off the next XY position etc etc. without having to paste the same object at multiple locations then manually having to check the position of my reference point (center of red circle).

So I guess that's the way it is done (?) and my problem is solved (?)

btw I'm doing this as part of CNC programming. I rarely use Autocad except to do unusual/special things that my normal CAM software or conversational programming system on the machine can't handle.

Thanks for your help :)

You should be using the Move command to drag your objects. If you need to know the location of the center of the red circle, I'd draw a line from that point to the intersection point. See the Blue line in my image. You can use the move command, select it, and hold the cursor over the blue grip to get your coordinates. If you make it a block, you can drag it by the grip, but it'll be harder to get the endpoints.

For what your doing, the quickest would be similar to what your doing. But I'd just use a single line, and use Copy with Basepoint, and put all your lines on the screen at once. Should only take 10 seconds if your snaps are set right.
Then select everything, and move the cursor over each grip to read the coordinates.

Are you hand writing g-code to travel through these points? I have a macro on my website that let's you draw a polyline and create g-code for it with the click of a button.

Ah! Move. I'll give that a try. Your one line quick method sounds like the best way.

yes I'm writing the G-code by hand. G-code is not a problem I've been doing that for about 25 years. I've used every version of Autocad since version 2.6 but I'm generally doing simple mechanical drawings (lines, arcs, circles, fillet/chamfer, trimming) and using it to get sizes for CNC programming using dimensioning. All fairly basic stuff. Even then I only do this when it's something unusual that CAM software can't handle.
If you didn't guess already, the reference point is the edge of a tool and is used to generate a point including tool nose radius compensation (applied in a lathe application)
I'm not sure an automated point generation method would be suitable (your polyline thing) because the tool is not moving in a linear motion. The reference points need to be in relation to a tangent on the curve of the tool to the angled line where it intersects the vertical lines.
Can your macro do something like that?
I'm sure an automated method could be used but I'm doing this only rarely so the extra time and effort to figure that out and write a custom program is not warranted. My previous method was a lot more time consuming so this info has at least helped to speed things up a bit :-)

I just had a quick look at your macro. It may have potential in my application. I could probably draw all the single lines (my reference points) then draw multiple polylines through those endpoints (from point to point) then get the macro to give me the G-code of those points?

No, it won't work for what you're trying to do. Sorry.