Layout and printing scaling issues

[geos]

I commonly get maps from clients that I cannot print or make layouts to scale.

When in model space everything seems to measure correctly. For example, in this current map, a building side measures 60 drawing units in model space which is correct but when I try to make a 1 to 20 layout space (one inch=20 feet) the feature comes out to be very large. In this most recent map, it comes out to be around 3 feet instead of 3 inches.

Any ideas?...thanks

[geos]

i also try to print the drawing from model space at a 1:20 scale and the same thing happens

[geos]

this happens in our 2002 and 2008LT versions

[geos]

In case the original post was confusing…to clarify…the actual measurement of the building side is 60 feet, which matched the 60 drawing units in model space. When I make a new layout or try to print from model space using the 1:20 scale, the 60-foot feature that should be displayed as 3 inches (20feet=1inch so 60feet should =3inches) is displayed as 3 feet instead.

[rkent]

You are working in feet so the 1:20 would be a zoom factor of 1/240XP. 20'X12"=240.

[geos]

So when I tried the 1/240XP I was getting the same result as when I was trying the 1:20. After further investigation, I was able to determine that the client had set the DIMSCALE to 20'. (I'm still trying to fully understand that concept) I think that means that the standard default scale of 1:1 has already been set to 1:20 meaning that any layout created is already going to be at the 1"=20' scale. This would explain why features were measuring correctly in model space, but were getting very large when a scale was applied when creating a new layout.

So i think that because of the 20' DIMSCALE when i tried to give the layouts scale it was being applied to the already applied 20' scale. When I printed their layout the first few time, i guess i was not careful to make sure that the plot scale was set at 1:1 when i set up my printer to print their paperspace (i noticed later that when i was going to pagesetup in their layout, the plot scale was not 1:1, or 1 inch = 1 drawing unit, I thought this was a setting they used and couldn't figure out why)

So, now that i know what happened in this instance, which way is correct. I have always been taught not to change scales, but to always keep the drawing in the standard 1:1 scale and then the layout space is where this should be changed.

In future cases, if i determine there is a DIMSCALE set, is there a way to reverse this back to a 1:1. I tried typing DIMSCALE in the command line and entering 1 as the new value and it did not work, it just changed the DIMSCALE to 1" and i still have problems creating scaled layouts. On the other hand if for example, if a client sets the DIMSCALE to 50' and I need it to print at 1"=20' do i just type DIMSCALE in the command line, enter 20' as the new value, and create a layout at 1:1?

Thanks inadvance for you input.

[neekcotrack]

So when I tried the 1/240XP I was getting the same result as when I was trying the 1:20. After further investigation, I was able to determine that the client had set the DIMSCALE to 20'. (I'm still trying to fully understand that concept) I think that means that the standard default scale of 1:1 has already been set to 1:20 meaning that any layout created is already going to be at the 1"=20' scale. This would explain why features were measuring correctly in model space, but were getting very large when a scale was applied when creating a new layout.

So i think that because of the 20' DIMSCALE when i tried to give the layouts scale it was being applied to the already applied 20' scale. When I printed their layout the first few time, i guess i was not careful to make sure that the plot scale was set at 1:1 when i set up my printer to print their paperspace (i noticed later that when i was going to pagesetup in their layout, the plot scale was not 1:1, or 1 inch = 1 drawing unit, I thought this was a setting they used and couldn't figure out why)

So, now that i know what happened in this instance, which way is correct. I have always been taught not to change scales, but to always keep the drawing in the standard 1:1 scale and then the layout space is where this should be changed.

In future cases, if i determine there is a DIMSCALE set, is there a way to reverse this back to a 1:1. I tried typing DIMSCALE in the command line and entering 1 as the new value and it did not work, it just changed the DIMSCALE to 1" and i still have problems creating scaled layouts. On the other hand if for example, if a client sets the DIMSCALE to 50' and I need it to print at 1"=20' do i just type DIMSCALE in the command line, enter 20' as the new value, and create a layout at 1:1?

Thanks inadvance for you input.

I think you should always have what is in model space be at full scale and use paper space to make the scale to what ever you want.

[geos]

I think you should always have what is in model space be at full scale and use paper space to make the scale to what ever you want.

Thanks neekcotrack that's what i always thought, but what about the use of this DIMSCALE? still trying to figure out why one would want to use this...maybe if they know the scale they are ultimately going to use and know they will not have the need to use any other scale.