Moving and rotating features is easy in AutoCAD, if you do not need to be precise.... However, if you precisely need to match one feature to another spatially. eg. you have an updating drawing that needs to go in the exact same space that the old version does (and youve moved the old version). Or; you may need to line up two different objects. With this guide, it will be a snap (no pun intended)
You can do this with two relatively easy steps:
1) Use the Move commands and set osnap on endpoint. Choose an endpoint on the new object that corresponds exactly with an end point on the other object... If you just want to align the two features and not overlap them, skip this step.
2) Once you have moved one point of the new object to match the old object, you will likely need to rotate the new object to fit in the same constraints. This next portion will tell you what to do at each prompt.
>Use the ROTATE command.
Specify base point:>Select a base point on the object you are moving TOO rather than the object you are moving.
Specify rotation angle or [Reference]>Choose the Reference Sub command "type reference"
Specify the reference angle <0>Select the corresponding point on the new object that you wish to rotate by (eg. the same endpoint)
Specify second point:> Select a point that, when combined with the previous point, specifies the angle that you want the new feature to occupy
Specify the new angle: > Choose a final point that specifies the angle of rotation
I realize that these directions may seem confusing, but experiment if you don't get it right on the first try. This seems to be the only way to do this in AutoCAD. In GIS, this type of a proceedure might be called georeferencing (if we were dealing with rasters), in AutoCAD this sort of 'georeferencing' can be referred to as 'frustrating'.
