Which is the easiest way to create texts, dimensions, etc. and plotting : model space or paper space ?
There is no definitive answer to the question. The "easiest" or the "best" method depends entirely on the preferences/requirements of the drawing/project.
I mean for simple 2D structural drawings such as sections, elevations, plan including rebars, text and dimensions for beams, slabs, columns.
For these type of drawings, what do you recommend ?
@aj_17 wrote:
... and plotting : model space or paper space ?
Paperspace
The CADWhisperer YouTube Channel
aj_17 wrote:
I mean for simple 2D structural drawings such as sections, elevations, plan including rebars, text and dimensions for beams, slabs, columns.
For these type of drawings, what do you recommend ?
My answer remains the same.
While I beleive annotating in Paperspace is "easier" I personally do so rarely, because of shortcomings in the method, not the least of which you must not pan/zoom/scale or otherwise rearrange the layout after placing dimensions lest you find yourself redoing them. I make no claim that modelspace annotation is without shortcomings of it's own, there are just fewer in my application.
Using Annotative scaling in modelspace is AutoCAD's newest (and IMO most efficient) method, especially when there's a need to display drawing elements at different scales.
27 years of CAD experience (since v1.2) tells me that base files (xrefs) have no text in them, only graphics. After those files are xref'd into a sheet file and set up for presentation via viewports (mviews), annotation is added in paperspace, dimensions are added in modelspace. Lock your viewports and all will remain correct should you inadvertently execute a pan or zoom from within a viewport. All plotting is done exclusively from paperspace.
Well the majority mentioned model space
But if I use annotive texts/dimensions and I need parts of my drawing to different scales (so that some smaller parts become more visible), won't it become a mess to deal with the texts/dimensions in model space ?
@aj_17 wrote:
Well the majority mentioned model space
But if I use annotive texts/dimensions and I need parts of my drawing to different scales (so that some smaller parts become more visible), won't it become a mess to deal with the texts/dimensions in model space ?
Nope... avoiding the "mess" is exactly what annotative objects do for you. Annotative objects automatically rescale to match the different display scales and/or aren't display at all if they aren't assigned that scale.
Google "AutoCAD Annotative Objects" then watch a few of the videos on the "Videos" tab.
From what I have understood so far in annotative text: first you need to identify your plot scale (after choosing specific height, style, etc), then use annotative scale = plot scale, so that the text resize itself according to the plot scale chosen.
Is this right ?
I would totally agree with nestly2, there is no right or wrong answer, it all depends on what the drawing is being used for, customs, workplace standards, plotting considerations, etc. etc.
I use to do all of my dimensioning, text, etc. in model space and now prefer to doing it all in paperspace.
I have done both paperspace and model space dimensioning and annotations. I think the first two questions you have to ask yourself are: "What type of drawings are you producing?" and "Who is going to use them?"
From experience:
If I have to insert my drawing into another drawing, I want my dimensions and annotations in paperspace. If my model has to be rotated or scaled, I don't want to worry about dragging all the text and dimensions along with it when the next user might not find them useful.
If I am using my drawing as a stand alone presentation. Drawing the text, and dimensions in model space using annotative objects, dimensions and text is my preferred method.
Either way, having a single dimension style is the way to go. I see drawings all the time where the text doesn't match heights from sheet to sheet because there are nine different styles all with different scales. Or people prefer to "scroll" scale and don't match the viewport with any scale.