AutoCAD LINE Command: How to Draw Straight Lines Fast

Draws straight line segments between points; each segment is a separate object.

Command: LINE
Aliases: L
English name: Line

The AutoCAD LINE command is the most basic drawing tool. It creates a straight segment between two points, and if you keep picking points it draws a chain of connected segments. Each segment, however, is a separate LINE object.

You can pick points with the mouse, type absolute or relative coordinates (100,50 or @100,0), or point the cursor in a direction and type only a distance. Ortho (F8), polar tracking (F10) and object snaps (F3) make precise drafting much faster.

If you need connected segments to behave as a single object, use PLINE instead, or combine existing lines later with JOIN.

How to use it

Type LINE or just L at the command line and press Enter.
Pick the start point or type its coordinates.
Pick the next point, or point the cursor in a direction, type a length and press Enter.
Keep picking points to add connected segments.
Press Enter to finish, or type C (Close) to connect back to the first point.

Options

Undo (U): Removes the last segment without ending the command.
Close (C): Available after two or more segments; closes the shape back to the first point.
Enter at first prompt: Pressing Enter at the first point prompt continues from the end of the last line or arc drawn.

Notes and tips

Use @ for relative input: @200,0 draws 200 units to the right, @150<45 draws 150 units at 45 degrees.
With Dynamic Input (F12) on, second-point values are treated as relative by default.
To measure the area of a closed shape made of lines in one click, join the lines into a polyline first.