AREA Command

Calculates the area and perimeter of objects or of defined areas

Standard toolbar:
Tools menu: Inquiry > Area
Command line: area

First point / Object / Add / Subtract: Specify a point or enter an option

The AREA command will not process multiple objects in a single operation.


First Point

Calculates the area and perimeter you define by selecting points. All points must lie in a plane parallel to the XY plane of the current UCS.

Next point: Specify a point (2) or press ENTER

Select points to define a polygon and then press ENTER to complete definition of the perimeter.

If you do not close the polygon, AutoCAD LT calculates the area as if a line were drawn from the last point entered to the first. When calculating the perimeter, AutoCAD LT adds in that line length.

Object

Calculates the area and perimeter of the selected object. You can calculate the area of circles, ellipses, splines, polylines, and polygons.

Select object: Use an object selection method

If you select an open polyline, AutoCAD LT calculates the area as if a line were drawn from the last point entered to the first. When calculating the perimeter, however, AutoCAD LT ignores that line.

The centerline of a wide polyline is used to make area and perimeter (or length) calculations.

Add

Turns on Add mode and keeps a running balance of additions and subtractions.

First point / Object / Subtract: Specify a point (1) or enter an option

First Point

Calculates the area and perimeter you define by selecting points. All points must lie in a plane parallel to the XY plane of the current UCS.

(ADD mode) Next point: Specify a point (2) or press ENTER

Specify points to define a polygon. Press ENTER and AutoCAD LT calculates the area and perimeter.

If you do not close the polygon, AutoCAD LT closes it by defining a line from the last point to the first. To calculate the perimeter, AutoCAD LT adds in that line length. Further, AutoCAD LT calculates the total of all the areas defined by selecting points or objects since Add mode was turned on.

Object

Calculates the area and perimeter of the selected object.

(ADD mode) Select object: Use an object selection method or press ENTER to end selection

AutoCAD LT calculates the area and perimeter of the object and of all the areas defined by selecting points or objects since Add mode was turned on.

If you select an open polyline, AutoCAD LT calculates the area as if a line were drawn from the last point entered to the first. When calculating the perimeter, however, AutoCAD LT ignores that line.

For wide lines, or objects with wide lines, the centerline of a wide polyline is used to make area and perimeter calculations.

Subtract

Turns on Subtract mode and keeps a running balance of subtracted areas and perimeters.

Subtract

Similar to the Add option, but subtracts areas and perimeters. All prompts are preceded by (SUBTRACT mode).

Related Commands: BOUNDARY creates a polyline from an enclosed area. LIST displays database information for selected objects.
System Variables: AREA stores the sum of areas collected. PERIMETER displays the perimeter of the object last found by AREA.