Topic: Drawing Dimensions / Changing

[sailfl]

I am using AutoCAD 2006.  I have a file that was created by some one else.  When I check the dimensions of a line, the values are in feet / inches but I know they are mm.  There is a 4'x8' box that represents a sheet of plywood.  It measures 101' 5.75" x 202' 11.5" = 47.94" x 95.89" if converted from mm to inches.

I have figured out how to display the dimension correctly if I use Linear Dimension function but this does not help.  I need to draw in this file and I don't want to be converting every thing.

How do I fix this file so that the drawing is in real feet and inches and not the feet and inches that represent mm?

I have included a file that contains the box.

Thanks
 

[mjfarrell]

when you enter UNITS on the command line what is the drawing currently set to?


When I open it is set to Architectural, so in theory it would ALREADY be set to allow you to work directly in real Feet and Inches....
is it possible that the dimension style is using ALTER units to display the information?

when I change the Copy of STANDARD dimstyle it is set to Dimension in Decimal UNITS when switch to ARCH the 'board' measurements display the correct distances in feet/inches

In theory your drawing IS already set up to draw directly in Feet/Inches
However closer inspection of the Copy of STANDARD dimstyle shows that someone decided to apply 0.09337 SCALE factor to your dimensions...

When you set that to 1, everything will be back to NORMAL

and you can Have a Nice Day!

[cadabyss]

The geometry in the drawing was apparently created using millimeter units.  To convert the geometry to inch units, scale all geometry by 1/25.4. 

However after doing the above, there will be a small discrepancy of the rectangle size not being exactly 48"X96".  My guess someone scaled the geometry using a rounded off scale factor, i.e., 0.394 rather than exactly 1/25.4.

If you want to rescale all the geometry such that the rectangle will be exactly 48"x96" and you don't know what the scale factor shall be, then one easy method is to use the SCALE command with the Reference option:

Command: SC
SCALE
Select objects: Specify opposite corner: 4 found

Select objects:
Specify base point: (PICK LOWER LEFT CORNER OF RECTANGLE)
Specify scale factor or [Copy/Reference] <0.03942>: R
Specify reference length <2435.39800>:  Specify second point: (PICK LOWER RIGHT CORNER)
Specify new length or [Points] <96.00000>:

[mjfarrell]

I hadn't considered that the objects had ALSO been scaled as well as the DIMSTYLE issue....good catch there Steve!

[cadabyss]

Thanks Michael.  I draw for the Architectural woodworking business and often have to mix imperial and metric units.  So it's not unusual for me to discover drawings with mashed-up scaling.

To the OP, you can either keep all the geometry as it was drawn, and adjust the DIMLFACTOR in the Dimstyle to display the correct Architectural units.  Or scale the geometry to be measure exactly correct Inches and set DIMLFACTOR to 1.

[sailfl]

Thanks all for the response.

I learned that the original file was in mm and the person that provided the file to me made some changes.

Steve, I can not find a DIMLFACTOR in DIMStyle.  Are you talking about the Scale Factor?

[mjfarrell]

its on the primary units tab when you define or edit the dimension style in a box calling itself

MEASUREMENT SCALE

or from the command line:

Sets a scale factor for linear dimension measurements. All linear dimension distances, including radii, diameters, and coordinates, are multiplied by DIMLFAC before being converted to dimension text.


DIMLFAC has no effect on angular dimensions, and is not applied to the values held in DIMRND, DIMTM, or DIMTP.


If you create associative dimensions in paper space, AutoCAD multiplies the model space distance measured by the absolute value of DIMLFAC. In model space, negative values for DIMLFAC are ignored, and the value 1.0 is used instead. For nonassociative dimensions, DIMLFAC must be set manually to accommodate viewport scaling.

[sailfl]

Thanks all for the help with this problem.  I appreciate it very much.

I have a new lesson to learn.

When I am in a drawing, I create a drawing in different locations on the drawing space.  I save and then I come back I can not access all the drawing.  I must have to set the workspace some place to tell it to use all the space I have used.

Currently, I can not look at every thing that is on the work space when I open the drawing.

How do I do that???

I also have a new problem.  Before all these changes, I could create a line by selecting a point and then typing in 5" or 5' and I would get a line that length.  I can no longer do that.

Also when I check the dimension of a line, it is no longer in inches and feet but in absolute values.

I don't do complex drawings but I like things to remain the same.

I need to get back to a basic way I was doing things.

Thanks

[mjfarrell]

on Model Tab , perform a ZOOM, Extents....

in the future one should save named VIEWS around these work areas to speed getting back to them

turn DYNamic input back on....


verify your Units settings...what it is; is what you are entering....

[Daniel J. Ellis]

I also have a new problem.  Before all these changes, I could create a line by selecting a point and then typing in 5" or 5' and I would get a line that length.  I can no longer do that.

What happens when you try to do this?

dJE

[mjfarrell]

what is your  OSNAPCOORD variable set to?


Keyboard Entry

Specifies that coordinate entry overrides running object snaps at all times. You can also select this option by setting OSNAPCOORD to 1.

[Kate M]

I also have a new problem.  Before all these changes, I could create a line by selecting a point and then typing in 5" or 5' and I would get a line that length.  I can no longer do that.

Also when I check the dimension of a line, it is no longer in inches and feet but in absolute values.

Your units are likely set to Decimal. Type UNITS, and set them to Architectural instead.

[mjfarrell]

I also have a new problem.  Before all these changes, I could create a line by selecting a point and then typing in 5" or 5' and I would get a line that length.  I can no longer do that.

Also when I check the dimension of a line, it is no longer in inches and feet but in absolute values.

Your units are likely set to Decimal. Type UNITS, and set them to Architectural instead.

UNLESS the user changed it, his UNITS were already set to ARCHITECTURAL  http://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=32041.msg375236#msg375236

If this is what you see on your command line:

Command: l LINE Specify first point:
Specify next point or [Undo]: 5'

Point or option keyword required.

Specify next point or [Undo]: 5"

Point or option keyword required.

Specify next point or [Undo]:

Then YES your UNITS settings need to be adjusted.