How Do I Remove an Object from the Outside Boundary in AutoCAD?

To remove an object from outside a defined boundary in AutoCAD, you primarily use the TRIM command in conjunction with boundary object selection and specifying the trim method. Here's how:

1. Initiate the TRIM Command: Type TRIM in the command line and press Enter, or select the Trim icon from the Modify panel.

2. Define the Boundary:

   • The command line will prompt: "Select cutting edges...". This is where you define your boundary.
   • Select Objects: Select the objects you want to use as the boundary. These are the objects that define the area you want to keep inside.
   • Press Enter: After selecting all boundary objects, press Enter to finish the boundary selection process.

3. Specify the Trim Method (Important Step!):

   • With the TRIM command still active, enter the PROJECTEDTRIM command option. You can often do this by simply typing "PRO" in the command line after selecting the boundary, and hitting enter.
   • Next, you can choose to trim inside or outside. The default is usually to trim INSIDE the boundary you have selected. To change this, use the TRIMEDGE command option. You can access this by typing "TR" into the command line and hitting enter.
   • Select the EXTEND option, then change the value to 0.
   • Next, select the SELECTEDGE command option. You can access this by typing "S" into the command line and hitting enter. Then, select the objects that extend past the boundary. If done correctly, this will remove the parts of the object that lie outside of the boundary that you specified.
   • Press Enter to exit the trim edge command.

4. Select Objects to Trim (Outside):

   • Now, the command line will prompt: "Select object to trim...".
   • Carefully select the portions of the objects that lie outside the defined boundary. Click on each segment you want to remove. AutoCAD will trim the objects back to the boundary lines.

5. Finish the Command: Press Enter to complete the TRIM command.

Alternative using the XCLIP Command (for objects like XREFs or Blocks):

If you're working with an external reference (XREF) or a block, the XCLIP command might be more suitable:

1. Initiate the XCLIP Command: Type XCLIP in the command line and press Enter.

2. Select the Object: Select the XREF or Block you want to clip.

3. Create a New Boundary: Specify the clipping boundary. You can choose options like:

   • New: Creates a new clipping boundary. You can then define a rectangular or polygonal boundary.
   • Select Polyline: Uses an existing polyline as the clipping boundary.
   • Invert Clip: After defining the boundary, you can choose the "Invert Clip" option. This will effectively clip (remove) everything outside the boundary you created.

4. Adjust and Finalize: Adjust the clipping boundary as needed until you've removed the desired portions of the object outside the boundary.

By using TRIM or XCLIP, you can effectively remove objects from outside a specified boundary in AutoCAD. Make sure to choose the appropriate command based on the type of objects you are working with.