If you have ever joined lines into a polyline this tip is really helpful. Usually when you want to join lines into a polyline you have to select the lines that are going to be joined in a sequential order. The picture below describes this process. You start with the first line and then select accordingly. And if you dont pick in the correct order, your polyline may only partially turn out the way that you wanted it to.
That method may come in use for some instances, but check this out:
- PE <enter> or PEDIT <enter>
- Select one line that is going to be part of the joined objects
- Y <enter> to respond to the prompt, “Do you want to turn it into one?”
- J <enter> to “Join” these objects
- Select all of the other lines (including the first)
- <enter> when finished selecting the objects
- <enter> again to exit the PEDIT command
AutoCAD Tips 
I am having trouble attaching lines. When I use the pedit command, “object not parallel to the ucs” keeps popping up. I have tried to switch direct of the xyz axis using ucs3. It still won’t attach and the same problem keeps popping up. How can I join the lines a different way or fix the “not parallel to ucs” problem? (I’m using the AutoCAD 2000 program)
Try the routine that is available from the following link
http://www.black-cad.homepage.t-online.de/pediten.htm
~Greg
What’s the difference between using join icon in the modifying toolbar and using join through pedit?
Good question. This post was done prior to the new join feature that was introduced in either ACAD 2012 or 2013. Where it will join all types of objects and make them one entity depending on the most complicated object in the selection set.
With the new JOIN enhancements, joining lines at their endpoints or polylines will create a polyline. If there happens to be a spline in the selection set, the resulting object will be a spline. I am not sure about 3D Polylines So I will have to check that out.
Thanks for the question. I will have to do an updateed post about the JOIN enhancements
~Greg
Thanks so much! I find your blog so helpful! I had one more question related to polylines. I’m trying to draw a polylines and my first line is going vertically downwards then from that I’m trying to draw an arc to the right of the line with the radius of 45 degrees. I can’t figure out how to get the arc/ half circle to show up on the right side of my line and not the left. I hope that wasn’t too confusing. Thank you again.
After following the steps of PEDIT command to join lines into polylines, it still didn’t join the lines. What could be responsible for this
A quicker way to join the lines into polylines into line would be to use the JOIN command. In newer versions of AutoCAD they make it super simple. But if that isn’t working either, my first guess would be that the endpoints aren’t really touching each other from end to end. even though they look like it from the top view. They could be at different elevations. If you have full AutoCAD (not AutoCAD LT) use the FLATTEN command and select the objects that you want to have the same elevation of zero. Then accept the default prompts… The lines and objects selected should now be at the same elevation. If they still are not able to join, maybe they need to be cleaned up at there intersections.
~Greg