AutoCAD 2010/2011/2012 DWG Format

[#1]

I'm currently working on a drawing on CAD 2010 but having a hard time trying to convert so my dimensions can be converted to meters instead of feet and inches.  How can I do this? Can I convert back to feet and inches?

[#2]

Basically you can look up the conversion factor and also look up how to add a secondary measurement value to your dimension style -- better to create a new style from the existing. If done right, your dimensions will show feet and inches above, and meters in brackets below the dimension line. No need to go back and forth -- it's bilingual! I am of course assuming you are drawing in Imperial first...

Remember that 1 meter is something near 39", or that 100 mm approximates 4". That should help you when you check to see if you did it right

[#3]

Remember the old Startup dialog? Type "startup" (without quotes) and then start a new dwg. You will get the startup dialog and you can set your dwg to Metric.

[#4]

Thanks for you reply but I tried adding a second dimension but had no luck. How in the world do you add a second dimesion in meters so that both feet and meters show up as you recommended before.

[#5]

In your DIMSTYLE manager set up a new dimstyle.  Start with your current dimstyle and name the new style.  Now go to the alternate units tab and check "display alternate units" and use a multiplier of 0.3048 for meters to be displayed in brackets (1 ft = 0.3048 meters). 

[#6]

I just tried it to make sure and came up with a dimstyle that shows feet and inches above the line, and millimeters in brackets below the line -- I can still design in Imperial units but include both Imperial and Metric in the dimensions. 25.4 was the conversion factor for mine. You can reverse that and draw primarily in Metric, with Imperial as the alternate units...

[#7]

Also, now that you have converted the entities to metric, you should also look at the command -DWGUNITS (note the " - " in the command name).

Even though you scaled the geometry, you also have to get the drawing file to THINK Metric as well in case you have to import other metric files.

When you use the -DWGUNITS command, answer "NO" to all the "Yes/No" questions, and also change the insertion units found in UNITS.

And finally, you wil also have to fix your Linetypes.  Enter the command MEASUREMENT, set it to 1, enter the command LINETYPE (you will notice it now loads linetypes from the "acadiso.lin" file) and reload all the linetypes.

[#8]

Thank you for the reply. Adding a second dimension line worked. Its much easier now that it reads feet and meters at the same time. The only thing I came across is that CAD doesn't convert feet to meters it converts inches to millimeters as a default so using  the multiplier of 0.3048 for meters doesn't work we need to use 1 inch = 25.4 millimeters and than just move the decimal over depending if your working with meters or centimeters and so forth. Other than that the double dimension is great.

[#9]

Hi...I have all my work done in m and cm, but I am trying to convert those measures into Feet and Inches. Shall I follow the same process you described below.? Because different from what you explain, I am needing all those measurements to be displayed in Feet and Inches. Also, I tried by changing the units from "decimal" to "architectural", but shows a 4 meters line as it was 4 Inches long. 

Thanks in advanced

[#10]

check out this lisp I have used in the past. MAKE SURE you follow the instructions in the description!!!

http://code.google.com/p/geaux-cad/downloads/detail?name=Scale-List.lsp&can=2&q=#makechanges