Problems

[MSAWIN]

OK yesterday I had to open a drawing that was metric and I posted a thread asking how to change that from metric to inches and I followed as instrructed and it didnt work so I ended up telling my client to change it and it will be sent back to me today. However my problem is not that I go on AutoCad today and do some drawings and I knew something was wrong because when I would try to type a length in in feet it wouldnt do it it would only do it in inches. Then I go to plot my drawings and everything is in metric. I dont know what I did yesterday by changing the drawing but it changed my whole setup and I cant print to a inch/feet scale it is in metric. Also it measures in metric and I dont know what to do to change it back I tried almost everything I could think of like changing the units, etc.

[Alan Cullen]

In model space you draw in drawing units (not inch, feet, metres, miles). You just assume that 1 drawing unit = 1 inch (your preference for drawing units).

Now if someone else has drawn the drawing on the basis of 1 drawing unit = 1 foot, then you will have to rescale the whole drawing so that 1 drawing unit = 1 inch. In this case the scale factor will be 12.

If the drawing was metric, then the scale factor will be different.....

from mm to inch...scale factor is 0.0394
from m to inch...scale factor is 39.372

You can't change your drawing units from inches to feet......it's either one or the other. If you started out using inches....then you must continue to use inches.

[Bespoke]

Hi Girls and Boys

This may seem a daft question but in the land of AutoCAD I assume more country’s use metric than the old pound shilling and pence “feet and inches” so would it not be better to take the big step forward and all go metric? Please don’t shout at me it’s just a thought.

Regards Alan

[Alan Cullen]

Alan.....that's one of those things that have to be legislated.

Most European countries are now metric (along with probably most of the planet). However there are still a lot of countries (e.g. USA) that are still imperial. So they have no choice....they HAVE to draw, drink and talk imperial.

[hazardman]

if you're up in canada it's even worse--we use both...for some reason small residential projects are imperial and the rest, commercial, institutional etc., is done in metric!..so i know the conversion scale well...lol...

[Bespoke]

Hi One and all

Just returned from Sleep City in the land of nod so not to with it at the moment.

It seems the world is a bit backwards when it comes to going forward, all I can say “it’s **** poticOl” [ Black country saying ]

But not wishing to show myself up I have noticed at the manly at the end of messages I see ....lol.... so come on girls and boys what’s it stand for ?

Regards Alan

[dbroada]

lol (often) = lot of laughs - sometimes sacastically.

as for measurement if you MUST keep switching back a forth (as we do on a US project) decide what the units mean for you (as Alan has pointed out) and set up a dual dimensioning standards. That way you can draw a 1 unit square block and the dimensions might read 1"/25,4mm

I think this dual dimension thing is an age thing. Us oldies have lived through both and I have no problem drawing in units (ours are set up unitless) and instinctively knowing if the are millimeters, inches, rods poles or perches, light years etc. It would appear that younge people have no concept of there being a second acceptable system. (lol)

[Alan Cullen]

Evening Dave......yeah I'm at home again and back on the forum.....

What I was trying to point out to MSAWIN is that if he has set his drawing up for 1 drawing unit = 1 inch.......then he can't then turn around and say "I want to put a line at 45 deg for 3 ft", then type in @3<45. He has to convert the feet back to inches, and type in @36<45. I don't know of any way to get around this.....which is why I would be quite happy for you to explain to me this system of dual dimension....

[dbroada]

evening? I'm still stuck on InTools for the next few hours! At least I keep breaking it so can come back to AutoCAD while its being fixed.

what I do is decide if I'm drawing metric or imperial - metric by choice. Then set up a dimension style with Display Alternate Units set. You will have to work out your conversion multiplier depending on your base unit. This is a mm drawing displaying imperial so the factor is 1"=25,5mm or 0,039ish.

hopefully the attached pictures will explain more fully. The main point is - as you have already said - the drawing remains in ONE dimensioning system only.

[Alan Cullen]

Yeah, Dave......that's what I thought.....you can get around it with dimstyles. BUT, when you draw, you can only use the units you originally set up for.....be they mm, inch, mile, or as you said (and I loved that) light years.