DLINE and MLINE - Parallel lines

What it does

• DLINE (Dual line) – draws two parallel lines along the path of 2 clicked points.
• MLINE (Multiline) – draws 2 or more parallel lines along a multi-segment path, like a polyline.

Where to find it

• Ribbon: Draw › Draw › Line ▾ › Dual Line - Two Parallels (DLINE) / Multiline - Parallel Runs (MLINE)
• Command line: DLINE (alias DLN)
• Command line: MLINE (alias ML)

Steps for DLINE

1. Type DLINE and press Enter.
2. At Dual line width <10>:, type the spacing and press Enter.
3. At Dual line justification [C=centre / E=edge], type C (the lines straddle the clicked path) or E (the clicked path is on the edge of one line).
4. Click the first and second points. You can type a length and angle as you do with LINE.

Shortcut: DLINE 10 C gives the width and justification on one line.

Steps for MLINE

1. Type MLINE 3 8 and press Enter (3 lines, 8 apart).
2. Click points along the path.
3. Press Enter to finish.

Options

Try it: Walls of a tiny studio flat

A 6 x 4.5 m studio flat with 200 mm walls and a 2 x 2 m bathroom. The whole outer wall takes one command.

1. Type MLINE 2 200 and press Enter (2 lines, 200 apart, path in the middle).
2. Type the points one by one, pressing Enter after each: 0,0 6000,0 6000,4500 0,4500 0,0. Press Enter once more to finish.
3. Thin 100 mm bathroom wall: type DLINE 100 C, Enter, then 4000,4400 Enter and 4000,2500 Enter.
4. Type DLINE 100 C again, then 3950,2500 Enter and 5900,2500 Enter.
5. Tidy the wall junctions with TRIM.

Challenge: Try MLINE 3 100 to draw a wall with a centre line (3 lines), then change the middle line to the CENTER linetype.

See also

• LINE
• OFFSET