Scales in AutoCAD

[ameran]

Hello,

I am new in AutoCAD world. I used to draw only with ArchiCAD before, but I am in the US now and I have to work with AutoCAD. Actually when you can work with one CAD program, you could learn another one very easy. I studied 2 different Tutorial books and every thing is ok, but I can not understand the Scales in AutoCAD. In ArchiCAD when you have 1:200 for example, you can see it exactly 1:200 on the Monitor too and you can get an orientation about what you are drawing. But In AutoCAD I change the Scales, but it doesn't happen anything on the Monitor. Some how you have always to imagine how it should be.
My question is, is it wily so hard to understand or I am not smart enough?
I would appreciate it for any answer what make me smarter about it.

Best Regards,
ameran

[StykFacE]

I'm not sure exactly how ArchiCAD works, although a friend of mine uses it at his company.

when drawing in AutoCAD, it's 1:1 scale unless you physically draw it scaled up or down - which normally there's no point in doing this. the only time you start messing with scales is when plotting, which is usually done through Paperspace, or the Layout tabs right above the Command Line after setting the desired paper size.

so, i assume when you mean "you can see it exactly 1:200 on the monitor and you can get an orientation about what you are drawing" i'm guessing you're meaning viewing the drawing for plotting purposes, correct?

[zars]

Check this (http://www.geocities.com/legionzars/scales.doc) out. I hope it can help you out.

[ReMark]

In the good old days of board drafting one "scaled" the drawing to fit on the paper. Nowadays, at least in AutoCAD, we are told to draw everything full scale and only worry about scale at plot time.

Draw in Model Space. Your title block and border can be added later in Paper Space. Dimensions and text? Well, that just depends on who you ask or the company you work for. We've had that discussion here at least once if not more.

[ameran]

Check this (http://www.geocities.com/legionzars/scales.doc) out. I hope it can help you out.

Thank you vor your help

ameran

[ameran]

In the good old days of board drafting one "scaled" the drawing to fit on the paper. Nowadays, at least in AutoCAD, we are told to draw everything full scale and only worry about scale at plot time.

Draw in Model Space. Your title block and border can be added later in Paper Space. Dimensions and text? Well, that just depends on who you ask or the company you work for. We've had that discussion here at least once if not more.

Hi,

thank you for your post. I will try it.

ameran

[ameran]

I'm not sure exactly how ArchiCAD works, although a friend of mine uses it at his company.

when drawing in AutoCAD, it's 1:1 scale unless you physically draw it scaled up or down - which normally there's no point in doing this. the only time you start messing with scales is when plotting, which is usually done through Paperspace, or the Layout tabs right above the Command Line after setting the desired paper size.

so, i assume when you mean "you can see it exactly 1:200 on the monitor and you can get an orientation about what you are drawing" i'm guessing you're meaning viewing the drawing for plotting purposes, correct?

Hello,

In ArchiCAD is very easy. You tell the software at the beginning, you want your drawing on the paper for example 1:100. Then you do not have to do anything else. You insert your units to draw how you want it (Meter, Millimeter, foot, or inches) and ArchiCAD works in background for you. What very interesting is in ArchiCAD, you can tell him show me on the Monitor, how it looks like at any time and it shows you exactly, how it would looks like on the paper. When you are done with drawing, you can plot it. You can change the scales any time you want and automatically changes everything just for you.

Best Regards,
ameran

[StykFacE]

Hello,

In ArchiCAD is very easy. You tell the software at the beginning, you want your drawing on the paper for example 1:100. Then you do not have to do anything else. You insert your units to draw how you want it (Meter, Millimeter, foot, or inches) and ArchiCAD works in background for you. What very interesting is in ArchiCAD, you can tell him show me on the Monitor, how it looks like at any time and it shows you exactly, how it would looks like on the paper. When you are done with drawing, you can plot it. You can change the scales any time you want and automatically changes everything just for you.

Best Regards,
ameran
well, AutoCAD does the exact same thing, just not the exact same way. hit F1 or search this forum for Paperspace or Plotting. since ArchiCAD was your 1st or only experience in computer aided design, you'll always like it better. once you get the hang of AutoCAD you'll be just fine. :)

[lpseifert]

You can change the scales any time you want and automatically changes everything just for you.

Does it change text, arrowhead, block sizes, etc. when you change scales?

[ameran]

Does it change text, arrowhead, block sizes, etc. when you change scales?

In the newest version 10 change everything when you change the scale and you do not have to be worried about it.

ameran

[ameran]

well, AutoCAD does the exact same thing, just not the exact same way. hit F1 or search this forum for Paperspace or Plotting. since ArchiCAD was your 1st or only experience in computer aided design, you'll always like it better. once you get the hang of AutoCAD you'll be just fine. :)

You are right. My first software was ArchiCAD and I find it easy to use. But I have to learn AutoCAD now. The big problem is always to understand something.

Thank you,
ameran

[StykFacE]

well then stay on here. trust me it'll help you SO much in your learning curve to AutoCAD. seriously, any questions at all, post up here. you'll thank yourself in 3 months when you're smokin' in AutoCAD so fast you will have forgotten ArchiCAD. lol j/k 8)

[ameran]

well then stay on here. trust me it'll help you SO much in your learning curve to AutoCAD. seriously, any questions at all, post up here. you'll thank yourself in 3 months when you're smokin' in AutoCAD so fast you will have forgotten ArchiCAD. lol j/k 8)

Thank you. I will be here all the time. I have always questions and any time when I have an answer, I look through the ads to find out something. I can help too. :wink: You know what I mean?

ameran