HomeOperatorsDashed/Circle

Dashed/Circle

Construction Reference Circle

Creates a construction reference circle displayed with dashed amber styling. Visible on the canvas for geometric reasoning but not included in DXF exports or toolpath output.

What It Does

The Dashed/Circle operator creates a reference circle that is displayed on the canvas with a dashed amber style. It is used as a construction aid — for visual reference, geometric reasoning, and intersection calculations — without becoming part of the committed drawing.

PropertyValue
Display colour#ffcc00 (amber)
Display styleDashed [6, 3]
Supports intersectionsYes
Supports referencesYes
Included in DXF exportNo
Included in toolpathNo
Committed on Commit PreviewNo — automatically removed
Construction geometry: Dashed circles are construction entities. They assist geometry creation during Preview and are automatically discarded when Preview is committed. Final geometry built using dashed circles as references is unaffected.

Syntax

Dashed/Circle, Centre, R Dashed/Circle, P1, R Dashed/Circle, X, Y, R
ParameterDescriptionRequired
Centre / P1 / X,YCentre point — by reference or explicit coordinates✓ Yes
RRadius in millimetres✓ Yes

Construction Line Properties

Dashed circles share the same construction properties as construction lines:

PropertyBefore CommitAfter Commit
construction flagtrue— removed —
transient flagtrue— removed —
stable_idNoneNot assigned

Worked Examples

Example 1 — Reference pitch circle for bolt-hole pattern: P0 = (0, 0) [centre] Dashed/Circle, P0, R=50 → Dashed circle displayed at centre (0,0), radius 50 → Use as reference for Points/On,C,N to place bolt holes → Commit Preview → dashed circle removed, bolt holes remain Example 2 — Reference circle for tangency construction: Dashed/Circle, X=100, Y=100, R=30 → Dashed reference circle at (100,100) → Use to locate tangent lines or arcs → Not exported to DXF or toolpath

FAQ

Can I use a dashed circle as input to intersection operators?

Yes. Dashed circles support intersections and references. You can use them as inputs to Point/Intof, Line/Tanto, and other operators during the Preview session.

What happens to geometry built using a dashed circle as a reference?

The geometry built from the dashed circle (e.g. intersection points, tangent lines) is committed normally. Only the dashed circle itself is discarded on commit. The final geometry is unaffected.

Is this the same as the Construction Line feature?

Yes — Dashed/Circle is the circle equivalent of the Construction Line feature. Both create amber dashed construction geometry that is automatically removed on commit.