Divide model equally in layouts

[qchenTPPXV]

Hello,

I want to divide the model equally into 4 parts and place them in layouts. The 4 layouts should have the same size for viewport. Could you share with me the way to achieve it? Thanks

[pendean]

Well, you don't ever divide your model: that's never a thing in AutoCAD.
You just create a viewport for each layout to cover one quadrant.

if needed, you can draw a 4-square-grid in modelpace to help you with identifying your quadrants.

[David_W_Koch · Accepted solution]

@qchenTPPXV 

One way, assuming that you are modeling in model space at "full size" (real-world size) and that you do not want any overlap:

1. Determine the overall extent of your model when viewed in the view direction you are going to be showing in the layouts.
2. Divide that into the desired four quadrants.  I like to draft the extents on a non-plotting layer, so I have a visual on the model tab of the extents of each.  Make a note of the quadrant width and height.
3. Using the VIEW command, create a named model view for each quadrant.  Snapping to the non-plotting quadrant boundary lines makes this easy.

    

4. Determine the sheet size to which your layouts will be plotted, and the title block or other paper space graphics that need to be included on your layouts, so that you can arrive at the maximum size your Viewport can be.
5. Based on that maximum size and the model space width and height of your quadrant, determine an appropriate scale for the Viewport.
6. Divide the model space width and height by the scale factor of the selected scale to determine the size of the Viewport.
7. EXAMPLE (using imperial units):  Quadrant size 240'x216'.  Sheet size 42" x 30".  Title block allowance reduces the available size to 35" x 29".  Allowing for a title mark below and some clearance at the top and sides gives a final maximum size of 34" x 27".  240' x 12"/ft / 34" = 84.7.  216' x 12"/ft / 27" = 96.  So the height will be the controlling dimension, and 96 just happens to be the scale factor for a standard scale, 1/8" = 1'-0", so that is the scale for the Viewports.  The Viewport width will be 240' x 12"/ft / 96 = 30".  The Viewport height will be 216' x 12"/ft / 96 = 27".
8. Set up a layout, with a title block and/or other graphics.  Add a Viewport of the calculated size and position it as desired within the sheet extents.  Activate model space in the Viewport, and use the VIEW command to restore the model view for your first quadrant.  If you did the math correctly, the first quadrant should fill the Viewport and the Viewport scale should be the determined scale.  I recommend locking the Viewport if all works out as planned.
9. Duplicate the layout tab three times.  Restore the second, third, and fourth quadrants in the second, third, and fourth layout, respectively.

The attached file generated the graphics above, and has four layouts with four Viewports of the same size, each showing a quadrant of the overall area in model space.

[qchenTPPXV]

Thank you very much, David. Just one question, in the model space, shows the actual position. In layout, the viewport is rotated. Is there any way to capture "1" in model? I know that another way is to use UCS to rotate the view for viewport in layout.

[David_W_Koch]

If you are saying that, with the current view set to a Plan view of the World Coordinate System, the area to be seen in the layout is not orthogonal, then yes, the best way to get that would be to:

• Set up a rotated UCS, orthogonal to the area to be viewed in the Viewport.
• Run the PLAN command, and use the rotated UCS as the basis.
• Create the named view.

Doing the above will result in the extents of the named view filling the rectangular Viewport, orthogonal to the viewport.

[David_W_Koch]

Here is a modified file, where the areas to be shown in the Layouts are rotated.  I did not pick up on that in your original sketch.