Rotate

Sketchpad has both a Rotate Arrow tool and a Rotate command. When you use the tool, you rotate the original object. When you use the command, you create a new object—a rotated image of the original object.

Constructs a rotated image of the selected object(s). To rotate objects:

1. If you haven’t already done so, select a point to act as the center for rotation and choose Mark Center from the Transform menu. Alternatively, you can double-click the desired center point with the Selection Arrow tool.

A brief animation indicates that the point has been marked as a center for subsequent rotations and dilations.

If you rotate without first marking a center, Sketchpad will mark one for you.

2. Select the object(s) you wish to rotate.

3. Choose Rotate from the Transform menu.

The Rotate dialog box appears, and a rotated image of your selections appears in the sketch.

4. Choose either Fixed Angle or Marked Angle, as described below.

5. You can click a point in the sketch to change the marked center, or you can click an angle measurement to change the marked angle.

6. When you have chosen the options you want and entered any required values, click Rotate.

The rotated image appears.

Fixed Angle

Choose this option to enter a fixed (numeric) angle of rotation using your sketch’s current angle units.

Positive angles result in counter-clockwise rotations, and negative angles result in clockwise rotations.

Marked Angle

Choose this option to rotate your selection based on an angle you’ve specified using the Mark Angle command. This choice is disabled if you haven’t already marked an angle. However, if you want to use an angle measurement that exists in your sketch but has not already been marked, you can click that measurement now to mark it.