INSUNITS: UNITLESS or actual value?

Hi All!

 

I have an ongoing discussion with my collegue about what setting is the best for INSUNITS. We always have a lot of blocks and x-refs so we run into problems with this often.

 

I am of the opinion that since you can never be sure that the files you get are set at the correct INSUNITS or set to any INSUNITS, it's better to have your main file set to UNITLESS.

 

My collegue (who is also my boss but lets not hold that against her) is of the opinion that since we draw in meters we should have INSUNITS set to meter and then the files that are correct INSUNITS set will work, and you'll have to deal with the rest.

 

What is your opinion? How do you handle files with INUNITS-uncertainty?

 

And lets refrain from the Everyone should just learn how to use AutoCAD and set INSUNITS correctly-argument. I can wish it as much as I like, it won't change the majority of the files I am getting.

Hi All!

 

I have an ongoing discussion with my collegue about what setting is the best for INSUNITS. We always have a lot of blocks and x-refs so we run into problems with this often.

 

I am of the opinion that since you can never be sure that the files you get are set at the correct INSUNITS or set to any INSUNITS, it's better to have your main file set to UNITLESS.

 

My collegue (who is also my boss but lets not hold that against her) is of the opinion that since we draw in meters we should have INSUNITS set to meter and then the files that are correct INSUNITS set will work, and you'll have to deal with the rest.

 

What is your opinion? How do you handle files with INUNITS-uncertainty?

 

And lets refrain from the Everyone should just learn how to use AutoCAD and set INSUNITS correctly-argument. I can wish it as much as I like, it won't change the majority of the files I am getting.

 

Personally I always use UNITLESS, whether creating blocks or setting INSUNITS.

I work in METRIC, but in my USER PREFERENCES set the insertion and target units to unitless, as shown in the image.

We too consider it to be a best practice, enterprise-wide, to use UNITLESS. It is not uncommon for me to work with one of our Canadian offices (from here in SW Florida), or an office in another country. Never mind that I work with Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical and Civil drawings all for one plan set.

ok, I'll differ.

 

I set the INSUNIT to mm so that any block that is drawn in inches will be inserted at 25,4:1. I now make all my blocks in mm.

 

Maybe its because our AutoCAD is installed and updated from the USA but I have found this a lot more predictable. Previouslly UNITLESS blocks were coming in scaled too small.

Good to hear support for my side

 

I guess that you just deal with mis-scaled or mis-labled drawings then? Do you have a habit of opening all drawings beforehand and checking? Or do you Insert/Attach it first and then figure out what (if anything) is wrong?

this has just prompted me check what I actually have and have found that my INSDEFSOURCE hasn't been set yet. I guess I haven't inserted any imperial blocks recently!

 

I'll wait to see the results.....

I set INSUNITS, typically Inches. If an outside party does set INSUNITS explicitly it seems sensible to take advantage of the automated scaling.

 

 

 

I do agree that some verification is in order. It is usually pretty obvious – Yards and Meters might be an issue, but I doubt that scenario is all that common.

 

 

 

What is the advantage of setting in-house drawings to Unitless? When sending those drawings to other parties, are you compelled to then set INSUNITS?

Well Sean, after re-writing my argument as to why UNITLESS is better than explicitly setting INSUNITS to meter, I realise that my argument doesn't exist. Sadly.

 

It's just a principle then I think for me. It will still be wrong, no matter how I do it (very few of our sources does set INSUNITS correctly: the worst offender is our clients survey firm that send survey files set in INCHES ) so it just feels better to have it set to UNITLESS.... perhaps I'll have to change.

 

Edit: a sidenote: INSUNITS is saved per drawing but INSUNITSDEFSOURCE AND INSUNITSDEFTARGET is saved in the Registry... that could mess up the setting UNITLESS to no end!

Edited May 28, 2012 by Tiger
added info

so return their drawings with units set to light years or parsecs

so return their drawings with units set to light years or parsecs

 

now that would be fun! A very internal joke, but fun!

Edit: a sidenote: INSUNITS is saved per drawing but INSUNITSDEFSOURCE AND INSUNITSDEFTARGET is saved in the Registry... that could mess up the setting UNITLESS to no end!

I think this area is one that once you find something that works you should stick with it. No matter how many times I read the help file, what I see happening on the screen doesn't reflect what I think I read. Now that I've changed by INSUNITSDEF... settings I will have to wait and see if I've broken it or improved it.

Yeah. I remember a few years back when I was trying to write up instructions about this, everything that affected the scale of INSERT and ATTACH - I gave up...

For some reason my firm has a policy whereby we set drawing units to millimeters, but draw in meters (so in effect we drawing at 1:1000)

 

dJE

For some reason my firm has a policy whereby we set drawing units to millimeters, but draw in meters (so in effect we drawing at 1:1000)

 

dJE

 

What the deuce? That is just wrong

Tell me about it

 

Even more worrying is that we have more "problems" from people sending us drawings that're drawn in meters with INSUNITS set to INCHES than with drawings being set up as meters or millimeters and drawn to match!

 

I've come the conclusion that the vast majority of people using CAD are shockingly CAD illiterate

 

dJE