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Civil 3D Imperial or Metric


NEWMAN1006

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If I'm using cad does it matter if I use Imperial or Metric?

 

Whats the difference just the units?

 

For example I have 1 project that needs to be done in metric should I open that in the Metric version or just convert ?

 

Sorry I'm a Noob:?

 

Thanks for the Help

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The project calls for the drawings to be done in metric units then that is precisely what you give the client. Arbitrarily deciding to create the drawings in imperial units can only lead to mistakes and/or confusion later on in the project don't you think?

 

What kind of project in this?

 

Is it going to be reviewed by people on both sides of the Atlantic expecting to see dimensions expressed the way they normally expect to see them?

 

Where is the project going to be built? In the U.S.? In Europe? Somewhere else?

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If the drawing is to be in Metric, start it in Metric. Using and imperial template will cause blocks to be inserted at the wrong size, linetypes will be the wrong scale, default scale list will be wrong, dimension scaling will be wrong, basically you'll have to change pretty much everything....

 

The above is for AutoCAD, I don't know if C3D is "smarter" about the conversion...

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Newman, (please understand my comment is meant to be light-hearted - I added this disclaimer after reading it through and realizing I couldn't write with the sarcastic tone that was intended.)

 

I suppose it wouldn't matter if NOONE else will EVER "touch" the drawing (i.e. xref, insereted, referenced, etc.). You would be correct that arbitrarily, 1 drawing unit equals what ever you say it is, regardless of what the software assumes you are using.

 

But if anyone else has to work on/with the drawing, you really should be careful about keeping the units straight. Would it matter if the area of a parcel is 5 square kilometers vs. 5 square miles? YES.

 

It is a never ending frustration when working with other disciplines that draw in inches when others draw in tenths of feet and then try to share data. It gets even more complicated and frustrating when metric and imperial are intermixed.

 

Maybe its an etiquette thing?

 

Oh well, my two cents is to stick with whatever units are appropriate for the client or use. Metric for such projects and imperial for foot-inch projects.

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Another difference is when you get to volumes.

 

In Metric, the volumes are reported as calculated. In Imperial, the volumes are divided by 27 to give cubic yards.

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Ok thanks for the help why make more work for my self, I was just confused ;)

 

 

another project I am doing is in survey feet and I need to convert it to feet and inches then scale by 12 so the engineering firm was happy

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Survey feet? You mean decimal feet right? Ex. - 3.5' = 3'-6".

 

3.5' and 3'-6" are equal measurements.... I believe newman is talking about civil drawings, where 1 unit = 1 foot, so it's just 3.5 (no apostrophe)

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Why wouldn't there be an apostrophe?

 

When I went to college the only unit of measure not required to designate the unit was inches, this wasn't just drafting, but all fields of physics and engineering using measure.

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Survey feet? You mean decimal feet right? Ex. - 3.5' = 3'-6".

 

we use an add on called eagle point to manage all of our survey data and in our dwgs the is no apostrophe for the measurments

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Why wouldn't there be an apostrophe?

 

When I went to college the only unit of measure not required to designate the unit was inches, this wasn't just drafting, but all fields of physics and engineering using measure.

 

For Dimensions, yes, but the apostrophe is a modifier that tells AutoCAD to multiply the proceeding number by 12, and it's only available for distance entry when using Architectural or Engineering UNITS.

 

1 = 1 unit in AutoCAD. EXCEPT for Arch and Eng UNITS, where "1" explicitly equals 1 inch. If you "could" enter an apostrophe in an AutoCAD drawing done in decimal feet, 3.5' would be equal 3.5x12, or 42 feet.

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And Eagle Point will work with both imperial and metric units?

 

yes it will

 

Its now called Pinnacle I think it works as an add on to cad for survey information to import points and create points for layout

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