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Annotative Block Scales


MEPGuy

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I was just working with annotative blocks recently and came across and issue that I cant seem to find the solution for online or if it is even possible. I am looking to create multiple instances of the same block at different annotation scales in the model space of a drawing. Let me give a quick example below:

 

Lets say I have an electrical power plan layout with multiple receptacles and I would like one receptacle at 1/4"=1" scale and another receptacle (same block as the first) at 3/16"=1" scale. Is there a way to accomplish this in the model space?

 

Currently when I change the annotation scale for the whole drawing all the block scales are updated, I would like to individually control the scale for each separate block.

 

The reason i'm hoping this is possible because if I create a detail in the model space then chances are that it to be at a different scale then the rest of the drawing. I know that this can be accomplished in the view port paper space but was just wondering if there is a way to do this in the model space.

 

Thank you in advance for your help!

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Multiple annotation scales can be assigned to objects. Your outlets, for example, could then be displayed in multiple viewports at different scales. This is a known and commonly used feature of annotative scaling and it is covered in your AutoCAD Help file, in any good after-market AutoCAD book and on numerous websites like mycadsite.com and Ellen Finkelstein's (noted AutoCAD author).

 

Everything you draw in model space should be shown at FULL size no matter if it is as small as a paperclip or as large as a turbine at the Hoover dam.

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You should not be drawing "to scale" in model space. Maybe you missed reading that in my previous post. You are free to scale blocks upon insertion into a drawing to your heart's content though.

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So there is no way set the different blocks to individual scale in model space?

 

Why you give up so easily?

 

If you are going to be changing the scale in model space, you are going to need to turn off ANNOAUTOSCALE to prevent automatic adding of additional scales. I think it would be best for you to work through viewports. That way you are working with only one scale at a time and won't need to keep switching the model space scale. If the objects only need to be shown at one scale, delete any other scales from those objects to prevent them from showing at the other scales.

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I know that I can scale the blocks manually. I was more so curious about weather or not I can have different items at different annotation scales in the model space. It seems that it will not really be possible and i'm better off setting the annotation scales in the view ports. Unless i'm missing something?

 

Thanks.

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The properties box just displays the annotation scale that the drawing is set to, i can't manually change it for each block. However the blocks scale just fine when the annotation scale is changed in the model space so I don't think its an issue with the blocks.

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The thing is though, if each block is assigned a specific and different annotation scale, The blocks won't show at all unless the modelspace annotation scale matches the specific scale. So, no they won't show all at the same time at different scales using the annotation function.

 

The best you can do is use the annotation scale list in modelspace to see what they will look like once the viewport they show in matches their assigned annotation scale.

 

No free lunch. ;)

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The thing is though, if each block is assigned a specific and different annotation scale, The blocks won't show at all unless the modelspace annotation scale matches the specific scale. So, no they won't show all at the same time at different scales using the annotation function.

 

The best you can do is use the annotation scale list in modelspace to see what they will look like once the viewport they show in matches their assigned annotation scale.

 

No free lunch. ;)

 

 

That is not true. There is a variable to show all scales, isn't there? I'll check when I get in the office.

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That is not true. There is a variable to show all scales, isn't there? I'll check when I get in the office.
Yes, there is a variable, ANNOALLVISIBLE = 1, to show all annotative objects all the time, but it has no bearing at all on which scale is assigned to which object, it just displays all of them no matter what their scale is.

 

However that is not what the OP wants. See post #1, paragraph #2.

 

They want block "A" to have more than one annotative scale assigned to it, lets say two scales. They will insert block "A" at two different places in modelspace.

 

They want one instance of block "A" to appear at one scale, and only that scale, and the other instance of the same block "A" to appear at the other scale and only that scale.

 

The two instances of the same block are desired to appear each at a different single annotative scale simultaneously. This cannot be done using annotative scaling.

 

With annoallvisible = 1, you can see two different blocks at two different scales, but one block will always display at the same scale in two different instances of the block.

 

Which of the two scales are assigned to our one block? Both scales are.

Edited by Dana W
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So there is no way set the different blocks to individual scale in model space?
Please clarify. You are referring to "different (instances of the same) blocks", correct?
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I guess the effect could be mirrored by a dynamic block with visibility states?

 

 

dJE

Someone else will have to answer that one. It sounds plausible, but annotative objects inside of a block are locked at the current annotative scale of the current view in the block editor when it is saved. So, it probably is not possible using annotative scaling that way. Maybe each visibility state will have to be actually drawn (scaled) at a different scale.

 

Only the entire block can be annotative in modelspace, not parts of it.

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Someone else will have to answer that one. It sounds plausible, but annotative objects inside of a block are locked at the current annotative scale of the current view in the block editor when it is saved. So, it probably is not possible using annotative scaling that way. Maybe each visibility state will have to be actually drawn (scaled) at a different scale.

 

Only the entire block can be annotative in modelspace, not parts of it.

 

Probably not directly, I was thinking more along the lines of "faking it" TBH.

In state 1 you'd draw the block as you want it to appear at Annotative Scale (AS) A.

In state you'd draw the block as you want it to be appear at AS B.

 

 

I've never used annotative blocks, only text. Is it possible to have different linework/content at different scales (could you for example have hatch at one scale but not at another - I know it can change the density of hatching), or is it just a case of managing the scaling of the block itself?

 

 

dJE

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They want block "A" to have more than one annotative scale assigned to it, lets say two scales. They will insert block "A" at two different places in modelspace.

 

They want one instance of block "A" to appear at one scale, and only that scale, and the other instance of the same block "A" to appear at the other scale and only that scale.

 

The two instances of the same block are desired to appear each at a different single annotative scale simultaneously. This cannot be done using annotative scaling.

 

Yes it can be done. Tested and approved.

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