Can't get my head around annotative tool

[bobsy852]

As the title suggests, I just cannot get my head around this annotative tool! I'm sure that in some way it must be useful for me, but it seems to just cause me to revert back to how I'd annotate drawings originally.

 

Original method: Draw drawings using "mm units.

-Scale usually at 1:50/100/200/500/1250/2500.

-Add text in model space at varying heights, adjusting the text heights one by one if it looked too big/too small for a viewport.

-If one drawing needed two viewports at different scales, copy and paste the drawing in model space so that it appears twice, however this copy would now have different size text in it so that it looks correct in the viewport.

 

As you can tell, this method can, especially for larger drawings, cause the drawings to become slow etc.

I was hoping this annotative tool would help solve this. However when I do it I get the following problems.

 

-We use a custom arrow type created by two lines which cross at a point (i've put it up in another topic somewhere). When I add annotative text to one end of this arrow, when I change the scale it either moves miles away from the arrow (for big scale changes) so it looks daft, so then i correct it for that scale, but then it overlaps it in the original scale. We also use the text as top left justification for these arrows.

 

-When labelling rooms for a scale of 1:100, if I change the scale to 1:200 the text gets so big it begins to overlap walls etc?

 

It seems like a tool I want to get to work, but I just can't get it to work as the text moves around so much. May be our methods of annotating work just don't comply with this, as using other justifications may solve the problems I'm having?

 

Or am i just being a t*t? haha

Thanks peepoles!

[ReMark]

Objects such as text, dimensions, blocks and hatch patterns can be annotatively scaled. If they are to appear in more than one viewport (at different scales) then they must be assigned those different scales.

 

The way you are currently working is not very efficient to say the least. You've created more work for yourself.

 

Another option is to forget annotative scaling altogether. Draw everything in model space at full size. Switch to a layout. Create a viewport. Assign a scale. Lock the display. Then do all dimensioning in your layout and not in model space. Place all text in your layout as well.

[bobsy852]

Tell me about it! It can take ages!

Ah I could do it that way! Still a PITA if I need to create another scaled version of the image again in a different viewport, it would mean adding all text again!

 

I understood assigning the different scales for different viewports etc.

It's difficult to explain, I'll try set up an example.

 

Ok, in the attached example, I've drawn an example of our arrow types (it's a very large arrow for this example as that's all ive drawn), and a piece of large annotative text which for this example I wanted to appear on the paper at 5mm high. I set the text up at 1:100 scale but assigned the 1:200 scale too it as well as my second viewport would be at this scale, as you can see on the attached file in the layout that this then overlaps the arrow! NOT what I want!

annotative1.dwg

[NBC]

Is there any reason (in that specific example) why the justification of the MText is not middle right or something thereabouts ?

This would make things much simpler, and the text would then not overlap the block.

[bobsy852]

hmm, the guy who's been here a lot longer than me and so sets the example of how drawings are sent out here all text justified to top left!

I was wondering if this was the issue!

[ReMark]

I found that if I erased your text and redid it, using a justification of Middle-right, it would display correctly in both viewports.

[kencaz]

Another option is to forget annotative scaling altogether. Draw everything in model space at full size. Switch to a layout. Create a viewport. Assign a scale. Lock the display. Then do all dimensioning in your layout and not in model space. Place all text in your layout as well.

 

Ouch! I would not recommend this method remark... I would discourage dimensioning in PS altogether. I also think that annotative dimensioning is one of the best tools AutoCAD has added in recent years and was created to solve exactly what you are suggesting here...

 

KC

[bobsy852]

You sound like you've used this tool before kencaz, the dimensioning annotative tool works well, not much trouble with that at all! It's the text that moves around etc!

It must be due to the justification! Thanks for having a play around with it ReMark! I'll have a word with our head drafter and see if he can justify us using different justifications! .................

[NBC]

Rather than having a word with your head drafter - show him your investigations, and the solutions posted here

That will show him that you give a damn about things that you are doing - they may be less able to disagree with you that way.

[ReMark]

kencaz: We've been on opposite sides of this topic in the past and will continue to be so in the future. I can see where annotative scaling would be of great benefit to architects for instance but the type of work I do just does not lend itself to this method. I've gone through three different tutorials on the subject just to familiarize myself with the concept and have yet to find a practical use for its application. The beauty and curse of AutoCAD is that there are usually multiple ways to achieve the same result. I do not discourage anyone from using annotative scaling. The method I propose, and use, is just another alternative. Peace out.

 

Note: There are still some users who have stuck with the original method of doing a CAD drawing by scaling everything much as one would have been done on the drafting board. Now that's a method I would totally discourage someone learning AutoCAD these days from using! LOL

[SEANT]

kencaz,

 

Many of your posts suggest you do a fair bit of AutoCAD 3D modeling. I’m surprised you are opposed to paperspace dimensioning.

 

This poll may have been pre annotative object. I wonder how the results would read these days.

 

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?2527

[melox]

Thanks Remark, just heard the penny drop.mike.

[SPARKY77]

bobsy852 the rreason the text moves on the 200 scale is the the original text is the noe that is fixed and then the 1:200 is in effect the scaled one, so you will have to go into that viewport and move it to the position you want (at least that it how I do it).

[ReMark]

Here's your annotative text back with the correction in justification made to it. Have fun.

 

annotative1[rev].dwg

[SPARKY77]

Remark can I ask what you did with that example?

I thorought that if you have a standard text hieght in a drawing then no matter what scale the viewport drawing are the text should be the same hieght (all text should apprear @ size 5 for example)

[ReMark]

All I did was change the text justification. I don't recall that I changed the height. If I did it was not intentional.

[NBC]

Select each viewport and then check the Annotation & Standard Scales using Properties.

You may need to regen the drawing once you have updated the scales.

[SPARKY77]

The 1:100 viewport wasn't at the right scale thats were the problem was.

[bobsy852]

Thanks for playing with that ReMark. You've got it lined up at those two scales now, but now suggest I decided I needed to change the viewport on the left from 1:100 to 1:50...then the text moves away from the arrow again? thus back to square 1 - where the scenario would lead me to have to move all the text around again in the drawing!

 

Remark can I ask what you did with that example?

I thorought that if you have a standard text hieght in a drawing then no matter what scale the viewport drawing are the text should be the same hieght (all text should apprear @ size 5 for example)

 

This is how I'm hoping it would work, but without moving away from arrows etc. But then again I suppose it has to doesnt it as technically the text is getting bigger if we got from 1:100 to 1:200 - or the drawing is getting smaller and so eventually things will overlap etc, so technically you can't use it?

[ReMark]

I had my best luck with just erasing your original text and putting it back in with the different justification. I'm not sure why you want to make more work for yourself but it's your drawing, your time and your effort. Have at it.

 

Now I feel better about doing all dimensioning in my layout. Look at all the hassles I avoid.