Dimensions/Scale Factor Problem - AutoCAD 2006

[mathema]

Fairly new AutoCAD user, here.

 

Okay, so I know that drawings should always be drawn at a 1:1 scale, and that it’s only when a drawing has to be printed that you actually change the size of objects. Unfortunately my current problem involves working with existing drawings whose creator may not have followed this convention.

 

I’ll try to explain what’s happening with a specific example.

 

I am currently working on an existing 2D drawing directly in the model space, and the scale factor in the title block says 6:1 (the paper dimensions are supposed to be 6 times the actual dimensions).

 

Now let’s say I draw a straight line with a length of 1. When I do a QuickCalc to measure the length of the line, I get a result of 1. No problem. But when I attempt to dimension the line using the linear dimension command, it tells me that the length of the line is 0.1667 or 1/6 of the number I actually inputted, because the scale factor in the dimension style is set to 0.1667. But the correct (actual) dimensions are currently displayed in the model space, which suggests that everything was drawn 6 times larger than it really is…

 

My question is why would someone do this? Is there really a good reason that I’m just unable to see?

 

For me it’s a problem because:

 

1. I cannot dimension new geometry correctly unless I draw it 6 times larger than its actual size.

 

2. I cannot change the dimension scale factor in the dimension style back to 1 because it screws up all of the existing dimensions (their values become 6 times larger). This is especially problematic because I have inherited dozens of drawings that have been created this way, so it would be very time consuming to redimension all of them.

 

Any help, suggestions, observations, or comments would greatly appreciated…

[faarax]

I am doing drafting for a site plan, sub-surface utilities and building footprint in addition to completed assembly.

The problem I am facing is that only the site plan dimensions are give the rest I have to figure out. when I completed the the three drawings in the final assembly, each drawing did not fit where it suppose to be.

Could anyone give hints please?

Thank you

[mathema]

I'm not sure. Have you tried creating your own thread?

 

[ReMark]

Why don't both of you zip of your drawings and post them here so we can take a look at them.

 

And faarax...it is impolite to hijack someone's thread. In the future, please start a new thread. Thank you.

[Car5858]

Mathema

 

While in model space, select all, and copy. Start a new drawing and paste into the new drawing then rescale the new drawing to full size, "save as" a new drawing name.

[daft vader]

After saving assuming you know at least one line to be known lengh, I find this to be a easy way to correct the scale.

 

input scale then hit return

select the whole drawing hit return

it will then say "specify scale factor or(copy/ref)" input R

then it will ask you to input a know lengh once done hit return you now have a correctly scaled drawing back to 1:1

[vertical horizons]

...My question is why would someone do this? Is there really a good reason that I’m just unable to see?

 

For me it’s a problem because:

 

1. I cannot dimension new geometry correctly unless I draw it 6 times larger than its actual size.

 

2. I cannot change the dimension scale factor in the dimension style back to 1 because it screws up all of the existing dimensions (their values become 6 times larger). This is especially problematic because I have inherited dozens of drawings that have been created this way, so it would be very time consuming to redimension all of them.

 

Any help, suggestions, observations, or comments would greatly appreciated…

 

It's sad that someone would actually draw something this way.

 

This is a perfect example of why you draw everything 1 to 1 in model space, then dimension everything in paperspace. Even though it may be time consuming, and a royal pain in the @#$%, in order to make everything correct, you may find that you might have to create a VIEWPORT in paperspace, and insert your border there. That way, you can control the scaling & dimensioning of the drawing from there. And if someone comes to you later, wanting you to change and/or add to your drawing, no problem. Just rescale your viewport, add another viewport, etc.

 

Sorry that you have to clean up someone else's mess.