1" = 100'

[Casio47]

Hello All
I need to make a grid (already have it's own layer) where 1" = 100'. I've gone into the dimension manager and set linear dimension = 100...not sure if that is correct. At any rate, the grid needs to measure .6" x .4" or 60' x 40'.
Alternately, the factory measures 1320' x 852'8" of floor space (Outside wall length)
Thanks for the help
Charles

PS. I'm new to the community...So, howdy everybody!

[rkent]

Unless you really do need that for a unique reason the absolutely best way to work in CAD is to draw to true size. Maybe explain more what you are doing first.

[Dadgad]

Welcome to the forum.

In Autocad you should always draw everything at full scale in your MODELSPACE.
EVERYTHING.
If you are drawing the SOLAR SYSTEM, do it full size.
Drawing sub-atomic particles? Draw them full size too.
Create your grid at full size too.
Scale will later be applied to a VIEWPORT in paperspace.

You might enjoy watching the short linked video
http://www.infiniteskills.com/demos/...-demo/0310.mp4

You might also find the following post by ReMark helpful with regards to viewport
http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showth...bout-Viewports.

[Dana W]

Welcome to the forum.

In Autocad you should always draw everything at full scale in your MODELSPACE.
EVERYTHING.
If you are drawing the SOLAR SYSTEM, do it full size.
Drawing MOLECULES draw them full size too.
Create your grid at full size too.
Scale will later be applied to a VIEWPORT in paperspace.

You might enjoy watching the short linked video
http://www.infiniteskills.com/demos/...-demo/0310.mp4

You might also find the following post by ReMark helpful with regards to viewport
http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showth...bout-Viewports.

One day, I drew a supermassive black hole at full size. Then I zoomed Extents. Now I can't find my computer. It just seemed to stretch off into the distance a little at a time until it was gone. Imagine a speak'n'spell voice while reading this.


OK, so to the OP, what does the factory have to do with the grid?

Explain more how you attempted to set your linear dimension. The way you put it sounds like you really want to be setting your units to feet, and then drawing your grid at FULL SIZE.

Cad drawings get scaled at printing time, not at drawing time as if you were using real paper and a real straightedge and pencil.

You will hear it said over and over and read it here on the forum almost every day. Never draw at a scale in modelspace. It may not make a difference to you, but one day you will need to transmit a dwg file to someone, and a scaled drawing in modelspace will drive the recipient completely bullsnot crazy, and probably generate an irate email or fifty.

[Dadgad]

One day, I drew a supermassive black hole at full size. Then I zoomed Extents. Now I can't find my computer. It just seemed to stretch off into the distance a little at a time until it was gone. :

Not to worry Dana, your computer is still there, and full sized too, it is just a lot smaller than it used to be.

[JD Mather]

In any case - dimension are driven by geometry - they do not drive geometry (unless you are using the parametric tab).
Draw full scale 1:1 and then let AutoCAD layout do the scaling. No user calculations needed (read - easier, matches the real world and less likely to make errors).

[Casio47]

Drawing in 1:1...that makes sense. I'll just zoom way out to make it fit in model space, and make the text really big? The reason I want to make a grid of 60' x 40' is this is the spacing of the columns inside the factory. So, before I do anything, I wanted to position my columns inside the factory, and define the outside walls. I have used a single layer titled: "factory grid" to define the boundaries of the factory, and now I would like to make the grid where each bay (dashed line in Gray) measures 60' x 40', and the grid is only applied to the factory inside boundary. Kind of think of it, I suppose I'll need to create another layer for the factory grid if the line is dashed and a different color from the factory walls which define the boundary, which is a solid line in black. I'll go back to the dimension manger and go with a 1:1 in feet!
Now, once I do this, I'll need to create a rectangle with dimension of 1320' x 852'8". What is the command to input the dimensions as required, instead of manually drawing a rectangle on my computer big enough to cover a city block...it might look sort of strange if I have to keep walking down the street, with my computer, while drawing a line 1,320 feet long...That's a little joke I just thought of.
Thanks for the help!

[ReMark]

You're not even ready for text yet so I'd hold up on that for the moment.

A factory? Then you will want to set your UNITS "type" to Architectural and set your precision as well or have you done this already?

You can draw the rectangle representing the exterior dimensions of your building using the RECTANGLE command (you'll get a polyline not four individual lines) and inputting the two distances you mentioned previously. It goes something like this:

Command: _rectang (what AutoCAD calles the command if picked off the Draw panel)
Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: pick a point in the lower left hand corner of your screen
Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: D (for Dimensions)

Specify length for rectangles <0'-10">: 1320'

Specify width for rectangles <0'-10">: 852'8" (do not try to insert a dash between the feet and inches)

Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: rotate your rectangle for the correction orientation

When done issue a Zoom > Extents and you will see the entire building rectangle on your screen.

[ReMark]

Another way to draw the perimeter of the building. Start with the normal LINE command, pick a point in the lower left-hand corner of your screen then (with Orthomode enabled - the F8 key) pull your mouse to the right and type 1352' (the < ' > mark is important) then pull the rubberband line up and type 852'8" then pull the line to the left and type 1352' and finally, leave your mouse alone, type the letter "C" at the command line (for CLOSE) and press Enter.

Command: _line
Specify first point: pick your first point

Specify next point or [Undo]: 1352'

Specify next point or [Undo]: 852'8"

Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 1352'

Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: C

The building perimeter will now consist of four individual lines. Do you know the difference between a line and a polyline?

[ReMark]

Factory1.PNG
When you are finished it should look like this. I put dimensions on it so as to verify I used the ones you provided.

Think about layers too. Don't make the classic newbie mistake and put everything on layer "0" in white or worse yet, override, the default color and start assigning colors to individual objects. You'll learn to regret it if you do.

For a building you might want layers for the foundation, centerlines of steel, structural members, walls, doors, and windows for starters. Later on you'll add layers for text, dimensions, title block and border.