
Creates and displays UCSs through the command bar. UCS is short for user-defined coordinate system.
Accessing the Command
command bar: ucs
menu bar: Model | Direct Modeling | Align UCS
ribbon: Solid | Plane | Align UCS
: Ucs
Prompts you in the command bar:
Specify origin of UCS or [Face/NAmed/Entity/Previous/View/X/Y/Z/Z Axis/ Move/ World] <World>: (Pick a point to specify the origin, enter an option, or else press Enter for the WCS.)
Command Options
The UCS command options are available in the UCS Options toolbar:

Option
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Description
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Specify origin of UCS

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Specifies a new UCS through one, two or three points in the drawing. Prompts you:
-
Specify origin of UCS - (pick a point, or enter x,y,z coordinates.)
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Point on X-axis/<Accept> - (enter an option)
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Point on X-axis: Pick a point to show the direction of the x axis; the program ghosts a line between the origin and the cursor
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Accept: Press Enter to keep the orientation of the x,y axes as they are; this moves the UCS to a new origin.
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Point on the XY-plane with positive Y value or <Accept> - (enter an option)
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Point on the XY-plane with positive Y value: Pick a point to show the direction of the y axis, which determines the angle of the x,y-plane
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Accept: Press Enter to keep the x,y plane flat
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Face

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Aligns the UCS to a face of a 3D solid. This option works only with flat 3D faces, and not curved ones, such as on a sphere.
Prompts you:
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Select entity - (click the face of a 3D solid; the x-axis of the UCS lies on the edge closest to you pick point.)
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Enter an option [Flip/Xrotate/Yrotate] <accept> - (enter an option.)
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Flip - reverses the direction of the Z-axis
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Xrotate - rotates the UCS 180° about the X-axis
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YRotate - rotates the UCs 180° about the Y-axis
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Accept - Press Enter to accept the UCS orientation picked by the program
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NAmed
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Creates, restores, and deletes named UCSs; prompts you:
Enter an option [Restore/Save/Delete/? for ucs list] - (enter an option:)
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Restore - restores a named UCS; prompts you: UCS name to restore - (enter the name of a UCS.) As a shortcut, you can enter R directly at the 'Specify origin of UCS' prompt. or Select the name of the UCS in the drop down list box on the UCS toolbar.

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Save - saves the current UCS by a name; prompts you: Enter name for saving UCS, or ? for list - (enter an option:)
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Delete - erases a named UCS from the drawing; prompts you: UCS name(s) to delete, or ? for list -
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? for ucs list - lists the names of UCSs in the drawing; prompts you: Name(s) of UCS to list <* for all> - (specify the names to list:)
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* - lists all UCS names
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name* - lists names of UCSs that begin with name
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name - lists the UCS specified by name
If necessary, press F2 to view the history prompt window. As a shortcut, you can enter ? directly at the 'Specify origin of UCS' prompt.
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Entity

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Aligns the UCS to a selected entity; prompts you:
Select entity for UCS definition - (choose a single entity); the orientation and type of entity define the orientation of the UCS.

- The UCS origin is located to the end point, center point, or vertex closest to the pick point.
- The x-axis is aligned with the entity or an edge
- The x,y-plane is aligned to the entity's plane
- For ambiguous objects with obvious orientation, like a circle, the orientation is maintained

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Previous

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Changes the UCS to the previous one.
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View

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Sets the UCS to the current viewpoint:
- The x axis and y axis are parallel to the view edges
- The z axis is perpendicular to the view, with positive Z-axis pointing to the viewer.
- The origin is copied from the previous coordinate system.
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X

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Rotates the current UCS about the x axis; prompts you:
Enter angle of rotation about X axis - (specify an angle or pick two points.)
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Y

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Rotates the current UCS about the y axis; prompts you:
Enter angle of rotation about Y axis - (specify an angle or pick two points.)
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Z

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Rotates the current UCS about the z axis; prompts you:
Enter angle of rotation about Z axis - (specify an angle or pick two points.)
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ZAxis

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Sets the UCS relative to the z-axis; prompts you to define the Z-axis:
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Origin point - (pick a point, or enter x,y,z coordinates.)
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Point on positive Z-axis - (pick another point, or enter x,y,z coordinates.)
- The second point defines the positive Z-axis.
- The X
- Y-plane is perpendicular to the Z-axis with the X-axis horizontal and the Y-axis pointing upwards.
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Move

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Moves the origin of the current UCS, keeping the orientation of the axes; prompts you:
Origin point <0,0,0> - (pick point, or enter x,y,z coordinates.)
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World

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Switches to the WCS (world coordinate system).
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Related Commands
ExpUcs - creates, modifies, and deletes named UCSs through the Drawing Explorer.
UcsIcon - controls the appearance of the UCS icon.
SetUcs - sets the UCS to a specified viewpoint.
Plan - changes the viewpoint to the plan view of the WCS or current UCS.
DdVPoint - changes the 3D viewpoint of the drawing through a dialog box.
VPoint - changes the 3D viewpoint of the drawing through the command bar.
Settings - sets parameters of UCSs.