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MJ
Guest
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 Posted:
Mon Nov 29, 2004 1:33 pm Post subject:
problem with drawing units |
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Hi everyone,
I'm using Autocad with my drawing units set to architectural and in
inches.
When I changed the units settings from architecture to millimetres on the
same drawing they don't match and I suppose theres a scale difference.
Is there a way I can do my drawings in mm and feets/inches together without
constantly calculating the scale differences? Thanks in advance.
Mike J
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Michael Bulatovich
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Nov 29, 2004 7:04 pm Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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AutoCAD isn't smart enough to know the difference between units. It uses
it's own abstract units and dresses them up according to your specification.
If you want to convert a drawing drawn in inches to one drawn in metric, you
will have to scale the entire drawing accordingly.
I come up against this problem myself quite a bit since the legislation here
is metric, but wood products are in inches, so I have a little lisp routine
on my site which will convert units for you "on the fly". IOW you type
inches and acad gets the metric equivalent, or vise versa.
--
MichaelB
www.michaelbulatovich.com
"MJ" <spacecg@pacific.net.sg> wrote in message
news:coencv$kde$1@newton.pacific.net.sg...
| Quote: | Hi everyone,
I'm using Autocad with my drawing units set to architectural and in
inches.
When I changed the units settings from architecture to millimetres on the
same drawing they don't match and I suppose theres a scale difference.
Is there a way I can do my drawings in mm and feets/inches together
without
constantly calculating the scale differences? Thanks in advance.
Mike J
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B. W. Salt.
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Nov 29, 2004 8:37 pm Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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I use a metric dimstyle and create an architectural style from that and
scale the units by 0.03837.
For example, if you draw a line and dimension it as metric, then create an
architectural dimstyle from the metric one and set the units scale as
above, then dimension the line again - you will get the feet/inches
dimension.
Just switch between styles as you wish.
Or, set up the alternative units in your dimstyle as architectural
(with the scale factor as above) and then have both in the same dimension.
In article <coencv$kde$1@newton.pacific.net.sg>, spacecg@pacific.net.sg
(MJ) wrote:
| Quote: | *From:* "MJ" <spacecg@pacific.net.sg
*Date:* Mon, 29 Nov 2004 16:33:57 +0800
Hi everyone,
I'm using Autocad with my drawing units set to architectural and
in inches.
When I changed the units settings from architecture to millimetres on
the same drawing they don't match and I suppose theres a scale
difference.
Is there a way I can do my drawings in mm and feets/inches together
without constantly calculating the scale differences? Thanks in advance.
Mike J
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Pete
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Nov 29, 2004 9:30 pm Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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You could try this: Create a new drawing from scratch and select mm as
units or you can choose from a number of dwt template files that are in
metric format. Save it as a metric master drawing. Now open your drawing
file that is in inch format. Use WBLOCK, select objects or entire drawing,
base point 0,0,0, and check "retain". Acad will not let you use the same
name as the dwg so you can accept the default, new block.dwg. Close the
drawing and in the metric dwg, insert the new block.dwg (check explode) and
insert it at 0,0,0. Now you'll have to do what Michael mentioned; scale the
entire drawing so that one unit equals one mm. Scale factor 25.4. You'll
have to do a dimupdate to apply the ISO-25 dimstyle to your existing dims.
You'll most likely have some issues with this; with dimstyles and blocks
that you used in the original dwg and you'll now have two drawings that are
essentially the same. But it's worth experimenting with.
Pete
"MJ" <spacecg@pacific.net.sg> wrote in message
news:coencv$kde$1@newton.pacific.net.sg...
| Quote: | Hi everyone,
I'm using Autocad with my drawing units set to architectural and in
inches.
When I changed the units settings from architecture to millimetres on the
same drawing they don't match and I suppose theres a scale difference.
Is there a way I can do my drawings in mm and feets/inches together
without constantly calculating the scale differences? Thanks in advance.
Mike J
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| Back to top |
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Patrick Hughes
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Nov 29, 2004 10:53 pm Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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Look at the DIMALT, DIMALTD, DIMALTF, DIMALTZ, DIMALTTZ, DIMALTTD, and
DIMAPOST variables.
Setting these up properly will allow you to create your geometry in one
system (inches) and will dual dimension without having do any scaling or
manually overriding one or the other dimensions
--
Patrick Hughes
Engineered Design Solutions
http://www.engds.com
"MJ" <spacecg@pacific.net.sg> wrote in message
news:coencv$kde$1@newton.pacific.net.sg...
| Quote: | Hi everyone,
I'm using Autocad with my drawing units set to architectural and in
inches.
When I changed the units settings from architecture to millimetres on the
same drawing they don't match and I suppose theres a scale difference.
Is there a way I can do my drawings in mm and feets/inches together
without
constantly calculating the scale differences? Thanks in advance.
Mike J
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| Back to top |
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uNkulunkulu
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:03 am Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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"MJ" <spacecg@pacific.net.sg> wrote in message
news:coencv$kde$1@newton.pacific.net.sg...
: Hi everyone,
: I'm using Autocad with my drawing units set to architectural and in
: inches.
: When I changed the units settings from architecture to millimetres on the
: same drawing they don't match and I suppose theres a scale difference.
: Is there a way I can do my drawings in mm and feets/inches together without
: constantly calculating the scale differences? Thanks in advance.
:
: Mike J
:
:
You could of course just use alternate units in the dimensions style and
AutoCAD will give you both units just draw in metric and use alternate units
scaled to 25.4 and you well get the imperial equivalent.
--
VOTE FOR AN INDEPENDENT ENGLAND
VOTE SNP
uNkulunkulu
uMvelinqangi
Mina bona wena
mina bona lo mombi yena lo shatini
Skat lo Boss yena fika, nika yena iwhisky
uNkulunkulu@izulu.kya.kamina |
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Michael Bulatovich
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:11 am Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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3>>>>>>>>>>8<<<<<<<<<37?????!!!!!
BTW, the question was about drawing not dimensioning, per se.
The OP wants to input metric AND imperial dimensions when drawing.
--
MichaelB
www.michaelbulatovich.com
"B. W. Salt." <briansalt@NScix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.20041129203710.3937A@briansalt.compulink.co.uk...
| Quote: |
I use a metric dimstyle and create an architectural style from that and
scale the units by 0.03837.
For example, if you draw a line and dimension it as metric, then create an
architectural dimstyle from the metric one and set the units scale as
above, then dimension the line again - you will get the feet/inches
dimension.
Just switch between styles as you wish.
Or, set up the alternative units in your dimstyle as architectural
(with the scale factor as above) and then have both in the same dimension.
In article <coencv$kde$1@newton.pacific.net.sg>, spacecg@pacific.net.sg
(MJ) wrote:
*From:* "MJ" <spacecg@pacific.net.sg
*Date:* Mon, 29 Nov 2004 16:33:57 +0800
Hi everyone,
I'm using Autocad with my drawing units set to architectural and
in inches.
When I changed the units settings from architecture to millimetres on
the same drawing they don't match and I suppose theres a scale
difference.
Is there a way I can do my drawings in mm and feets/inches together
without constantly calculating the scale differences? Thanks in advance.
Mike J
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B. W. Salt.
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Nov 30, 2004 11:46 am Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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In article <DrSqd.7860$kI6.655522@news20.bellglobal.com>, Please@dont.try
(Michael Bulatovich) wrote:
| Quote: | BTW, the question was about drawing not dimensioning, per se.
The OP wants to input metric AND imperial dimensions when drawing.
|
I thought you had answered that in saying that Acad knows no difference -
which it doesn't.
The drawing 'units' can only be defined within the dimensioning, surely,
when everything is drawn 1:1? Then the dimensions show the correct values
and the conversion factor depends on whether you draw (dimension) in
metric or imperial as your major dimension. I thought that is what the
question referred to. |
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Pete
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Nov 30, 2004 5:54 pm Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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If he drew in metric units, alternate units would need to be 1/25.4
"uNkulunkulu" <uNkulunkulu@izulu.kya.kamina> wrote in message
news:h1Nqd.26021$up1.5974@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
| Quote: |
"MJ" <spacecg@pacific.net.sg> wrote in message
news:coencv$kde$1@newton.pacific.net.sg...
: Hi everyone,
: I'm using Autocad with my drawing units set to architectural and in
: inches.
: When I changed the units settings from architecture to millimetres on
the
: same drawing they don't match and I suppose theres a scale difference.
: Is there a way I can do my drawings in mm and feets/inches together
without
: constantly calculating the scale differences? Thanks in advance.
:
: Mike J
:
:
You could of course just use alternate units in the dimensions style and
AutoCAD will give you both units just draw in metric and use alternate
units
scaled to 25.4 and you well get the imperial equivalent.
--
VOTE FOR AN INDEPENDENT ENGLAND
VOTE SNP
uNkulunkulu
uMvelinqangi
Mina bona wena
mina bona lo mombi yena lo shatini
Skat lo Boss yena fika, nika yena iwhisky
uNkulunkulu@izulu.kya.kamina
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Michael Bulatovich
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Nov 30, 2004 6:52 pm Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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The question was a bit sloppy, so it's easy to
misinterpret. I could be wrong. The best I could come up with for
these situations was a transparent unit converting
LISP as mentioned. You aren't using 3837 for conversions
though, are you? It's 3937.
I thought you Brits gave up inches, along with the Empire, long ago.
When do you use them at all? In North America, we have the US
market for Canadian wood, and our Imperial traditions, forcing us
to use inches while our laws are written in Metric. Steel and
concrete are generally done in metric. What a mess.
We convert all the time, (all carry calculators for this)
and have stacks of conversions committed to memory. The Codes
are sloppy about "hard" and "soft" conversions (accurate and
not-so-accurate),
so sometimes you end up with 24" converted to 600mm, and sometimes to 610mm.
When you get a snot-nosed idiot for a plans examiner or site inspector,
it can get pretty funny unless you are trying to make a living at this....
--
MichaelB
www.michaelbulatovich.com
"B. W. Salt." <briansalt@NScix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.20041130114623.9971D@briansalt.compulink.co.uk...
| Quote: | In article <DrSqd.7860$kI6.655522@news20.bellglobal.com>, Please@dont.try
(Michael Bulatovich) wrote:
BTW, the question was about drawing not dimensioning, per se.
The OP wants to input metric AND imperial dimensions when drawing.
I thought you had answered that in saying that Acad knows no difference -
which it doesn't.
The drawing 'units' can only be defined within the dimensioning, surely,
when everything is drawn 1:1? Then the dimensions show the correct values
and the conversion factor depends on whether you draw (dimension) in
metric or imperial as your major dimension. I thought that is what the
question referred to. |
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B. W. Salt.
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Nov 30, 2004 7:51 pm Post subject:
Re: problem with drawing units |
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In article <TY_qd.15050$Ad3.907323@news20.bellglobal.com>, Please@dont.try
(Michael Bulatovich) wrote:
| Quote: | You aren't using 3837 for conversions
though, are you? It's 3937.
|
Yes. Finger trouble :-) I think the spacing on keyboards should be
increased...
| Quote: | I thought you Brits gave up inches, along with the Empire, long ago.
When do you use them at all? In North America, we have the US
market for Canadian wood, and our Imperial traditions, forcing us
to use inches while our laws are written in Metric. Steel and
concrete are generally done in metric. What a mess.
|
Yes again, but I have been redrawing some World War II airfield drawings,
and they are in Imperial. Not for present-day use, just to produce a
decent copy of the original (reproduced from microfiche).
When we 'went metric' <laugh>, all our wood and steel stayed Imperial for
many a long year; in fact, the metric dimensions of some are just straight
conversions of the Imperial, even today. Been like that since 1972. Only
in the last 5 years or so has sheet steel been available in true metric!
| Quote: | When you get a snot-nosed idiot for a plans examiner or site inspector,
it can get pretty funny unless you are trying to make a living at
this....
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Well, mechanical engineering is a bit different; you can't put a 1" shaft
into a 25mm bearing, no matter how hard you hit it! |
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