Using ortho mode

So far, we have used the line command to make geometries in arbitrary directions. But if you want to restrict the direction of your lines to horizontal and vertical directions, then you can use ortho mode. Ortho mode restricts the movement of the cursor to a horizontal or vertical direction only, so with ortho mode active, you will be able to make lines only in a horizontal or vertical direction. To activate ortho mode, you can use the following workflow:

1. Click on the ortho mode icon in the status bar, as in the following screenshot, or press the F8 function key on your keyboard:

2. Select the Line tool from the Draw panel or use its command, L, and click on a point in the drawing area.
3. Now, move your cursor around and you will see that the line will remain restricted to a horizontal or vertical direction, depending on the movement of your cursor.

You can click on different points to make the geometry but the lines will always remain horizontal or vertical. To deactivate ortho mode, simply click on its icon in the status bar again or press the F8 function key on your keyboard. Just like ortho mode, there is another mode in the status bar that lets you make lines on any angle you specify. This mode is called polar tracking and we will discuss it in the next section.