Dynamic Scale Bar in 2013

[cooks33]

I recently discovered the "Scale Bar" function located in the Layout Tools tab on the Ribbon. With this tool, you can insert a dynmaic scale bar, link it to a viewport, and have it adjust as you adjust the viewport scale. The problem I'm having is getting the text below the scale bar to read like I want.

The scale bar I'm using is "Scale Bar 4 Imperial." Currently the text below the scale bar (which is the scale ratio) reads: 1:600 (see attached image). While this ratio is correct (1 inch in paper space = 600 inches in model space), I do not want this displayed. I would like to have 1" = 50' displayed below the scale bar. Does anyone know how to modifiy the dynamic block so that this can be achieved?

Thanks!

[ToddRogers-WPM]

Yeah, the scale bar seems to use a factor of 12, so if you have a drawing of 1"=20', then it will show 240.  This is completely STUPID.  Not sure why this was designed this way.  You can use mine that I have attached.  It's a dynamic block.

[cooks33]

Can I use this block in the "Scale Bar" menu? The text in your block doesn't look dynamic, unless I'm missing something.

[ToddRogers-WPM]

It's not dynamic to the viewport, but it IS a dynamic block. If you click on it, then you will get a triangle grip which holds all the variations of scales. Todd Rogers, A.E./P.S.E. [cid:image001.gif@01CD65BD.1B676E40] [cid:image002.jpg@01CD65BD.1B676E40] www.tcadsys.com480 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. E. Suite 234 Houston, TX 77060 P: 281.445.6161 F: 281.445.5999 Check out some of my videos on Total CAD's blog site... Design Detention PondCheck out Total CAD Systems' blog site at http://totalcad.wordpress.com/ Check out my blog site at http://civil3dj.wordpress.com

[andrewpuller3811]

IF you look here : -

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013\Sample\Symbols

You will find the file - "Map - Scale Bars.dwg" which is the file civil 3d looks to to get the scale bar blocks.

In the help, check out the "To create a custom scale bar" topic in the"AutoCAD Map 3D User Help > Visualization and Styling > Working With Display Maps > Adding a Scale Bar" Section.

There is also a file "Map - North Arrows.dwg" that is used for the north arrows.

If you are going to edit these files, make sure you create a back up of the files first.

[cooks33]

Yes, I've tried to edit the Scale Bars blocks, but I can't seem to figure out how to modifiy the text below the scale so that it dynamically updates and reads the drawing scale (1"=50', for example).

[andrewpuller3811]

Only thing I can see is once the scale bar is in the drawing, select it and in the properties pallete, you can change the value of the Map.ScaleBar.ScaleRatio attribute to 1":50'. This will only last until the scale of the viewport is updated, then it will be set to 1:300 or whatever the new scale is.

[rsanchez]

a workaround for this is to use one of the build in scale bars without the scale label then use an mtext, insert a field, in field category select Objects, click icon to select the viewport, select from the property list Custom scale and the desired format, then it will update if the viewport scale changes but need to do regen.

[JamaL9722060]

That’s really very frustrating that the built-in scale bar is not “annotative” and thus its text don’t not change proportionally to the selected scale of the viewport (attached)!

Thanks

Best

Jamal

[Jfactory]

If you had your units in feet and things scaled to feet, your drawing unit of 1 would be 1 foot. Then the scale would work nicely as 1:50

Otherwise you can double-click to open attribute editor and you can manually change it.

Sorry for bumping this old thread but I was having issues and I found this thread and thought I'd offer what I learned.

[rsanchez]

I set the units to feet and still shows the scale factor multiplied by 12,
the viewport scale is 1"=100' and the scale bar shows 1:1,200
[cid:image001.jpg@01CE6786.CDD4D880]

[BrianHailey]

Insert the block, redefine it so the attributes are no longer using the "special" attribute name Map is looking for. Sync your block using the Block Attribute Manager (BATTMAN). Put a field into that attribute that returns the viewports scale name.

If this is something you will use a lot, go edit the blocks in the drawing listed in a previous post and then you won't have to redefine the block when you insert it (you'll still need to add the field though).

[jmayo-EE]

The bar is scaled by 12 in paperspace? Can you use CHSPACE and just let it go to model space?

[jmayo-EE]

I'll answer myself, no...

[LyleHardin]

Ours works quite nicely. It's out of the box. There are occasionally issues with decimals showing up. Here are the settings. This one does happen to be messed up (see the custom fields), but right now I'm in plain AutoCAD and cannot do anything about it.

Here is a screen cast showing how to fix the decimal problems I occasionally have.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/60045c9b-3495-41b4-8251-386a676d58a5

[Joe-Bouza]

Not trying to poo poo your new found tool but be prepared for some issues with your vport loosing the view if you are using civil3d in these vports.

I can't quote any known issue document but I'm fairly sure that they do cause problems with c3d files. Plan production sheets in particular

[LyleHardin]

Not really so "new found". We've been using this for a few years and have not noticed anything getting corrupt or missing. At least not that anyone has told me about.
We've just some issues with the scale bar itself. Thanks for the heads up though. We'll keep that in mind when things go wonky as they do now and then with C3D.

[mohdyaseen78650]

Dear Sir,

   I would like to know how to create the scale bars in metres, please show me the procedure or video it will be appreciated

thanks and regards

[fishautodesk124]

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@BrianHailey wrote:

Insert the block, redefine it so the attributes are no longer using the "special" attribute name Map is looking for. Sync your block using the Block Attribute Manager (BATTMAN). Put a field into that attribute that returns the viewports scale name.

If this is something you will use a lot, go edit the blocks in the drawing listed in a previous post and then you won't have to redefine the block when you insert it (you'll still need to add the field though).

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Hello,

I am trying to watch your screen cast but when trying to enlarge the view it does not allow me and it to small. Can you redo the screen cast to make it larger.

Thanks

[fishautodesk124]

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@trogers wrote:
It's not dynamic to the viewport, but it IS a dynamic block. If you click on it, then you will get a triangle grip which holds all the variations of scales. Todd Rogers, A.E./P.S.E. [cid:image001.gif@01CD65BD.1B676E40] [cid:image002.jpg@01CD65BD.1B676E40] www.tcadsys.com480 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. E. Suite 234 Houston, TX 77060 P: 281.445.6161 F: 281.445.5999 Check out some of my videos on Total CAD's blog site... Design Detention PondCheck out Total CAD Systems' blog site at http://totalcad.wordpress.com/ Check out my blog site at http://civil3dj.wordpress.com

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Hello,

I am currently using civil 3d 2012 and still learning about this dynamic scale bar block. When I d/l your file I get a message scale_block.dwg contains authoring elements. Open block editor. yes no cancel. I next click yes and I do see the triangle but where do I go from here?.

Can you explan to me how can I get this to work.

Thanks