Area: AREA

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Toolbar: Inquiry > Area

Ribbon: Tools > Area (in Inquiry)

Menu: Tools > Inquiry > Area

Keyboard: _AREA

Alias: AA

Experience Level: Intermediate

Calculates the area of entities or defined areas.

NOTE The area and perimeter calculated by the Area command is stored in the system variables AREA and PERIMETER.

Entity ◆ Add ◆ Subtract ◆ <First point>: To calculate the area by placing points, specify an initial point. To find the area of a single entity, choose Entity. To find the area of one or more entities, choose Add. To subtract the area of multiple entities, choose Subtract.

To calculate the area by specifying points

1. Specify the first point of the area to be calculated.
2. Specify the second point.
3. Specify the third point.

Specify the start point of the area you want to calculate.

<Next point>: Specify the second point of the area you want to calculate. Continue to specify points. All points must be in the x,y plane. If you do not close the area you want to calculate, the program calculates the area as if the last point you specify were connected to the first point; however, the length is not added to the calculation for the length. After you specify all the points you want included in the area calculation, right-click the mouse or press Enter. The area and perimeter are displayed in the command bar. If you do not have the command bar visible, the Prompt History window opens, and the area and perimeter are displayed there.

The area and perimeter displayed in the command bar.

To select the entity

Entities that you can select to calculate an area are circles, ellipses, closed polylines, polygons, traces, and planes. When you select a line, arc or spline, only the length is calculated.

1. Select the entity for the area you want to calculate.

Choose Entity.

Select entity for area calculation: The area is displayed in the command bar. For a plane, polygon, or polyline, the result is similar to:

     Area = 6.1296 sq. units, Perimeter = 10.6762

For a circle, the result is similar to:

     Area = 6.4033 sq. units, Circumference = 8.9703

For an arc or line, the result is similar to:

     Length = 10.8278

After you select an open polyline, the area is calculated as if the endpoint of the last segment drawn is connected to the start point of the first segment; however, the length to close the polyline is not added to the calculation for the length.

For a trace, the Area command calculates the area and length of a single trace segment. For polylines with width, the Area command calculates the area and length based on the centerline of the wide polyline segments.

To add and subtract entities

You can add and subtract entities to keep a running total of the area and perimeter calculations.

1. Select the first area to be calculated.
2. Select an entity to add or subtract from the total area.
3. Select another entity to add or subtract from the total area.

Choose Add or Subtract.

If you choose Add, the following prompt is displayed in the command bar:

Adding: Entity ◆ Subtract ◆ <First point>: To select an area to add, specify the first point. To select an entity to add, choose Entity. Continue to specify points or select entities to calculate the area of your selections. To subtract an area while adding an area, right-click the mouse, choose Subtract, and then specify the first point or entity of the area you want to subtract.

If you choose Subtract, the following prompt is displayed in the command bar:

Subtracting: Entity ◆ Add ◆ <First point>: To select an area to subtract, specify the first point from which you want to subtract the area. To select an entity to subtract, choose Entity. Continue to specify points or select entities to subtract the area of your selections. To add an area while subtracting, right-click the mouse, choose Add, and then specify the first point or entity of the area you want to add.

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Total Area

ID Coordinates

How do I...

Calculate areas