Plotting to scale

Ok, so here's the deal. My boss and i are rather new to AutoCAD, but i've used it enough to know how to get along pretty well. We've got a project where we're having to send our drawing to a printer. Our problem is scaling the drawing properly. We've been fighting this for a while, and had been getting along with smaller drawings through a series of manipulating the measured distance of the drawing and the scale factor at which it was plotted. Basically, we're trying to print a drawing of a building that is 250' x 240' on Arch D at 1/8" = 1'0". We're going to put the drawing on two pages, with half on each page. And we're also going to put a 1/16":1'0" version of it on the front page. Basically, could someone just post the entire process from the end of the actual drawing to when you finish plotting it? btw, we've got multiple drawings of the building in the same model space, if that makes a difference.

First. Was the building drawn in model space at full size? That's the key.

Yes, it was.

Excellent! Somebody that follows advice. We like you already.

Switch to a layout. Layouts give the user access to paper space. Create one or more viewports. Viewports are windows that allow us to look back into model space and see the objects we have created. Viewports can be assigned a scale. If you have four viewports each one can have a different scale assigned to it.

You probably already know all this too right?

to a certain degree. I know about viewports in theory, just not quite in execution.

Well the nice thing is you can have that 1/8th scale plan view, along with a 1/16th scale overall view right along with a 1/2"=1'-0" scaled detail all on the same sheet and when it comes time to plot, because you are doing so from a layout, the scale is 1:1. AutoCAD will know how to scale the viewports (larger or smaller) depending on the scale assigned to them. Is that neat or what? It's the greatest thing going since the invention of rye bread!

Some advice.

Create a Viewports or Vports layer and set it to not print. The only thing that goes on this layer is a viewport (naturally).

Put the Viewport toolbar on your screen. Assigning and/or changing scales of individual viewports is easier via the toolbar.

You activate a viewport by double-clicking inside of it. Pan and zoom until you get the desired objects, at the scale you have selected, positioned in the viewport. Once you have, click outside the viewport. This puts you back in paperspace. Right-click on the viewport and where it says Display Locked on the flyout menu...change this from No to Yes. Now the next time you are moving around in a viewport you won't mess up the scale.

Do this for all the viewports on your sheet.

BTW, viewports can be resized and moved using their grips.

Got all this?

Will you be using a 22x34 or 24x36 size sheet for your layout?

REMEMBER: If you are inside a viewport you are working in modelspace. Outside of a viewport you're working in paper space.

Got to go work on a window for a little while. I'll check back after I finish.

I'll be back.

I believe it got it all. One more thing. I need to put a Title Block on this page too. the paper will be 24x36

The titleblock and border go in your layout and not in model space.

Have you gone through and set up Page Manager yet?

Do you have any text or dimensions over in model space?

If so, are they annotative?

i have quite a few, but i don't know what you mean by annotative.

I am referring to Annotative Scaling (blocks, text, hatches, dimensions, etc.). Maybe it was introduced in 2008. I see you're using 2007. Ignore me. I have 100 year old dust up my nose from this window job.

Anyway. Text in model space may prove problematic since some of it might end up in multiple viewports and thus will be shown at different sizes depending on the scale of each viewport. Usually we want all our text to look/be the same size when viewed and printed.

Is it a lot of text?

What about dimensions? You did not mention if you had any in model space.

Got to go check on my primer. I'll be back.

I've got quite a few dimensions and details in model space.

Your doing a great job ReMark. Stick with it Autocadnewbie!

Here's a tutorial that helped me when I was starting out:

http://www.we-r-here.com/cad/tutorials/level_2/2-8.htm

This is where it's going to get dicey unfortunately.

well it's been so dicey before that we could have been cutting up an onion...

A man with a sense of humor. I like that.

I forget that prior to the introduction of annotative scaling people had to deal with model space dimensions and text in their layouts. They got inventive. I, on the other hand, took the easy way out by putting all my text and dimensions in my layout. Nice and easy.

I'm thinking about what can be done in your situation.

There are three main ways of composing a drawing:

1. Draw in Model space, Dimension in Model space, Plot from model space

2. Draw in Model space, Dimension in Paper space, Plot from paper space

3. Draw in Model space, Dimension in Model space, Plot from paper space

All the methods have their advantages and disadvantages and everyone has their favourite method. It comes down to the kind of drawings you want to produce, and how you want to share drawings with your colleges and subcontractors.

We've established that you are working with method number 3, so lets go with that. You now have two more options - 'Annotative' dimensioning or (my term) 'Static' dimensioning.

As ReMark is doing so well, I'll let him talk you through Annotative dimensioning ;-)

One easy way of setting up 'Static' dimensioning is to have one Layer for each drawing scale that you want to use, and one dimension style for each viewport scale. Your dimension style is scaled to suit your viewport scale. This allows you to add multiple dimensions to the same drawing. You can add multiple viewports with multiple scales all looking at the same drawing and freeze/thaw the layers in each viewport to show the right dimensions.

The quick way to update your drawing would be to create a layer for each scale you are using, Create a dimension style for each scale you are using, Create a dimension for each scale and then use the 'Match properties' tool to copy these values around our drawing.

I guess Pablo never did this:

4. Draw in Model space, Dimension and Text in Paper Space, plot from Layout.

4. Draw in Model space, Dimension and Text in Paper Space, plot from Layout.

...That's what I meant by No. 2...

2. Draw in Model space, Dimension in Paper space, Plot from paper space

... and that's what I meant by 'Everyone has their favourite method '!... ;-)

I apologize Pablo. How did I manage not to get that correct? Too busy letting my mind wander (the little that I have left) I suppose.

Work in model space, view and adjust in paper space.

I draw, dimension, in model space.

I add notes, adjust image size. Adjust image position in paper space.

What are we gettin' at? What do we require?