Setting A Scale

[iamlegend]

im drawing a room, which measures 8m x 6m x 3m.

Basically, i want to set my scale so that when i show the dimensions, it shows mm.

i want mm to represent m.

Also, when i print it, it comes out small, rather than fitting the paper, it small and on the bottom left of the paper.

No idea what i have done.

[ReMark]

You might benefit from this lecture given at AutoDesk University:

http://augiru.augi.com/content/libra...er/GD405-3.pdf

Draw your room full size in modelspace. Switch to your layout. Create a viewport. Scale the viewport. Then plot at 1:1 from your layout.

[iamlegend]

Hi mark, i have been using cad for about 3 days now, i would have no idea about drawing in modelspace?

[skipsophrenic]

Is there a tab at the bottom with the word "Model" on it?

[iamlegend]

I now understand, that the modelspace is the space for drawing and paperspace is printing (plotting)

[ReMark]

AutoCAD automatically puts you in modelspace with every new drawing.

Most users, not all, will draw their object(s) in modelspace and then create a layout. In the layout they will place their title block and border along with any notes. Some users will put dimensions in modelspace while others will place their dimensions in the layout. A handful of users will put everything in modelspace and ignore layouts entirely. Each method has its pluses and minuses. Like the ad says, "Your mileage may vary." It's all in the way you like to work.

[iamlegend]

Hi mark, could you explain "layout" to me? Im not so clear on that.

[Lee Mac]

Ok, I thought I'd help ReMark out a bit here, as he has explained quite a lot already...

At the bottom of the screen, just above the command line prompt you will see a series of tabs - the first being "Model" and (as default) the others will be "Layout1" "Layout2" etc etc - however these can be renamed at will.

I would suggest drawing in Modelspace (model tab) and inserting your company's border (whether it be A4, A3 size etc) into one of the "Layout" tabs (known as Paperspace).

Then, Draw a Viewport inside your inserted border and scale it to suit your drawing size.

This way, you can plot the drawing (by printing from the "layout" tab) and the plot will be scaled to 1:1 (if you use the same paper size as your border size of course).

I feel this is a more professional way of drafting, however, as ReMark points out, others may just draw 1:1 in ModelSpace and scale the border up to fit what they are drawing - then print through ModelSpace and check the option to scale to fit page.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Lee

[ReMark]

Coast-2-Coast tutorials described a Layout very simply as "...a page that allows you to set up a plot or printout of your drawing." This is where we establish the views of the objects we've drawn in model space. It is also the place where we typically find our title block and border along with any notes.

Those "views" are really nothing more than windows through which we look back into model space.

I don't want to go off and start a techno lecture here. My best advice, and one you should adhere to anytime you have a question, is to first consult the built-in AutoCAD Help files. In this case type the word LAYOUT in the search box. Click on the top entry LAYOUT command. In the right pane click on the CONCEPT tab. There are six subtopics listed. Read through each then return here if you have further questions.

[ReMark]

This tutorial may help explain a bit more about layouts.

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