AutoCAD PAN Command: Moving the View Around the Drawing

Shifts the view in any direction without changing the zoom level.

Command

PAN

Aliases

P

English name

Pan

The AutoCAD PAN command shifts the view on screen without changing the zoom level. Objects do not move; only the part of the drawing you are looking at changes. While the command runs, the cursor turns into a hand, and dragging with the left button moves the view.

Most users pan by holding down the mouse wheel and dragging instead of typing PAN. This works even in the middle of another command.

The command-line version, -PAN, moves the view by a base point and a second point, which is useful in scripts and macros.

How to use it

1. Type PAN or P and press Enter.
2. Hold the left mouse button and drag to move the view.
3. Right-click and choose Zoom if you want to switch to real-time zoom.
4. Press Esc or Enter to exit.

Options

Real-time pan

Drag with the left button pressed to move the view freely.

Right-click: Zoom

Switches to real-time zoom; choose Pan to switch back.

Right-click: Zoom Window

Zooms to a window you pick.

Right-click: Zoom Extents

Fits the whole drawing on screen.

Right-click: Exit

Ends the PAN command.

Notes and tips

• Holding the mouse wheel and dragging pans without typing a command.
• If wheel panning does not work, set the MBUTTONPAN system variable to 1.
• PAN only changes the view; use MOVE to move objects.