Different Dimension Scales On Same Project

AFitch:

Answer your email will ya. I've got real work to do. LOL

I'm a total newbie, could you explain how to do this?

apologies for the delay - I really do not have much time to read and get into many of these topics, but since you replied to something I posted - here you go...

to put it simply (hopefully) about how I set up dimensions...

I use one dimstyle (non-annotative) - set all dim variables to their desired plotted height 1:1 (i.e. 3/32" dimtxt ; 1/8" dimasz ; 1 dimlfac ; etc) and utilize the DIMSCALE system variable to adjust my dims to the desired plotted viewport scale (i.e. 96 = 1/8" ; 48 = 1/4" ; 12 = 1" ; 1 = fullsize)

obviously I use paper space for plotting - as you ALL should - you're just adding to your efforts and creating poor drawings if you are not. SCALING anything in model space for plotting (other than a title block perhaps) is just plain wrong.

If something is 10' it should ALWAYS be 10' in your drawing, and even if you are scaling your title blocks in model space and keeping everything full size and plotting 1:96 perhaps for an 1/8" drawing you're still doing yourself a disservice, as with that approach you are stuck with everything on that plotted sheet at that scale... utilizing paperspace will allow multiple scales on one sheet (very handy for detail sheets or perhaps a 1/4" blowup off of an 1/8" plan that maybe does not fit on another sheet or causes an unnecessary sheet to be created or perhaps is just plain easier or communicates the information clearer) ANYWAY....

just draw everything 1:1 (full size) use one dimstyle set up as mentioned above dimension as necessary: for your 1/8" plan perhaps on a layer "dim96" (or whatever) use dim: upd for those dimensions and walla! perfect dims for a viewport set at 1/96xp and now another layer for an enlarged area dimensioned on a layer "dim48" (or whatever) and again use dim: upd for those dims and again - walla! dims ready to go for 1/4" - now cut another viewport, zoom to that area with 1/48xp and bam! you now have two viewports within one titleblock at two different scales... plot from paperspace 1:1 and you are good to go! just make sure that (if necessary) you go into each viewport and freeze the other "dimlayer" so it does not show up...

any other questions just ask..... hopefully that wasn't too much info & I wasn't too harsh about any of it - sometimes I can get a little intense about my opinion of the proper way to use ACAD - I've seen too many screwed up drawings and poor drafting practices over the years.

p e a c e ! ! !

-e

note:

- once you set your viewport scale DO NOT work inside your viewport

- place your viewport on defpoints so it will not plot or place it on a non-plotting layer or on a frozen layer - whatever you prefer, but defpoints is the easiest as it takes the least amount of steps/ keystrokes.

- ALWAYS plot from paper space 1:1 (same size as plotted paper)

I am sure there is more but I gotta get some work done...