Scaling in Layout

Hello

I am relatively new to AutoCAD but I am making good progress. Usually I manage to find solutions myself but I have two problems concerning LAYOUT that are defeating me.

I am running AutoCAD 2011 under Windows 7.

Problem 1

I am attempting to create a simple Deed Plan from a very detailed Topographical Survey of two acres of land. I only need to plot at a scale of 1:1250 on an A4 sheet of paper. The original survey plots at 1:250 filling an A1 sheet.

I have established a Deed Plan Layer and traced the outline of the plot of land then turned off most of the original layers so that only the minimum of detail shows.

The first part of setting up the Layout went smoothly. I had not done this before so I followed the AutoCAD video that came with the programme. I don’t have a plotter so I am using a conventional printer which I set up correctly with A4 paper.

However when I came to select the scale strange things happened. I set up a number of custom metric scales – remember I want 1:1250 (after this I will refer to the scales just by the second number to avoid typing “1:”)

At 1250 the drawing appeared to disappear or shrink into a dot.

At 5000 it appears to be sized correctly at 1250. Indeed when printed and checked it is almost exactly 1250 – or at least as close as a scale rule will show.

At other scales it is just as strange

At 500 it shrinks to a dot when it should be much bigger than the paper at A4

At 250 ditto. At 200 ditto. At 100 ditto but the dot is a little bigger. At 1000 ditto but smaller dot.

BUT at 1:1 and 1:5000 it appears to be at exactly 1: 1250.

So I can get my plan printed – but what is going on? Any assistance will be appreciated.

Problem 2

So I have my plan at 1:5000 showing up as 1:1250.

I need to annotate with a simple 4 line Text. I have established this on the Model at the right size (I think) and on a layer that is not switched off.

It refuses to show up on the Layout – well at least it used to.

Whilst typing this and checking the performance as I write, the text refuses to be present on the Layout EXCEPT at a scale of 1:1 which as I said earlier gives me a Layout drawing at 1:1250

Sorry this is so long but I am attempting to be as comprehensive in my description as I can.

I must be doing something wrong. Please show me where I am being stupid

Hopefully, your modelspace is drawn at full size or you are going to regret sleeping in math class.

Check that your dimension style is annotative, and if it is, add your new scale to the annotative scales it will show in. OR, If you are not going to use more than one scale, uncheck the annotative box in your dimension style dialog box. Annotative dimensions probably won't show correctly until your plot scale is correct.

Make sure your paperspace units are set to whatever the paper is measured with, not the same units you used in modelspace. In the scale ratio the first number is the paperspace units and the second is modelspace units. Paperspace is also drawn at full size, but the full size you are dealing with is the full size of the paper itself.

In the page set up dialog under the scale drop down list you probably want to select 1 mm = in the first box, then select however many drawing units you want 1 mm to equal in the lower box.

I am on the left side of the pond so I don't know what your standard surveying unit is, probably meters, huh? Will 1 mm = 1250 meters fulfill your needs?

I normally use 1 paperspace inch = 100 modelspace feet, but I have not drawn any land big enough that it will not fit on an Arch D 24"x 36" sheet at that scale.

Thanks for that Info Dana;

I have exhausted myself on this today so I will look at your response in detail tomorrow.

I will let you know how I get on.

And just as an aside and not attempting to teach you anything...

We tend to measure everything in millimetres (25.4 mm = 1 inch exactly) so units are usually mm but we tend to talk in metres for anything over 1000mm.

So at 1m = 1250m or 1mm = 1250mm it’s all the same there is little point in mixing up the units like 1mm = 1250m. Much easier than feet and inches.

It is strange that we are fully metric in the UK but we still buy beer in pints (different to a US pint) and measure journey distances in miles (same as yours) and petrol consumption in miles per gallon. (Our gallon is different from yours as well)

I assume you are in the US

Thanks again I will be in touch.

Thanks for that Info Dana;

 

I have exhausted myself on this today so I will look at your response in detail tomorrow.

 

I will let you know how I get on.

 

And just as an aside and not attempting to teach you anything...

 

We tend to measure everything in millimetres (25.4 mm = 1 inch exactly) so units are usually mm but we tend to talk in metres for anything over 1000mm.

 

So at 1m = 1250m or 1mm = 1250mm it’s all the same there is little point in mixing up the units like 1mm = 1250m. Much easier than feet and inches.

 

It is strange that we are fully metric in the UK but we still buy beer in pints (different to a US pint) and measure journey distances in miles (same as yours) and petrol consumption in miles per gallon. (Our gallon is different from yours as well)

I assume you are in the US

 

Thanks again I will be in touch.

Yup, in the U. S. And please, teach me something. Lord knows, I need it. I was only guessing you had the improper paperspace units on your layout.

Well, you shouldn't have a paperspace unit of 1 meter, I don't think it is even a selection.

I know that your pint is much warmer than ours.

I also find it funny that my car has tires (tyres) measured in milimeters, mounted on wheels measured in inches, and an engine which has a combustion chamber total displacement of 4.6 litres which generates 300 of something measured in horses.