X-Y Grid Referencing

[Anonymous]

I'd like to think I am not a complete idiot, but I cannot figure out how to make the connection between what the drawing properties that specifiy grid referencing and what actually happens on the drawing. I've tried various combinations of parameters, but I cannot correlate the results with the properties I enter.

I've attached a jpeg of an example from a D size drawing using the ACADE15 template. I've selected the lower right hand corner as the point of origin, specified the column widths. I think I should be able to select A-1 through D-8, but the source/destination keeps coming up with A-1 no matter where I am on the drawing. Playing with the parameters yields apparently random results.

Any pointers would be cheerfully accepted

[Icemanau · Accepted solution]

OK, When you set up the X/Y grid, you need to selct the UPPER LEFT corner and not the lower right. By selecting the lower right, you are telling ACADE that anything above and to the left of that point is the first set of co-ordinates.

ACADE works the grid from LEFT TO RIGHT and TOP TO BOTTOM. That is why the drawing in the origin is pointing to the upper left corner of a frame.

Other than that, you seem to have everything set.

One suggestion I do have is to change your grid so that the horizontal and vertical units are identical and are full numbers rather than having a decimal.

Regards Brad

[Anonymous]

Got it, aside from the upper left hand point-of-origin, the trick is setting the values in descending order. It's a little wonky around the C-5 source pointer, but close enough for government work. I'll clean up the spacing values to match the grid sans decimal, that will probably clean it up.

Thank you.

[Icemanau]

If you are going to modify the grid settings, don't forget to modify the markers on the title block as well.

Glad I could help.

Regards Brad

[Anonymous]

Hello,

can you please let me know how did you change the drawing template so that you can see horizontal and vertical numbers?

I changed the drawing referencing to X-y grid but I can't see the numbers and alphabets on each side!!

i'd appreciate it if anyone knows the answer reply to this.

thanks

[Icemanau]

This is a change to the actual title block to show the reference numbers/letters. It is not something that ACADE does automatically.

Find and open your template dwg.

Add your numbers/letters along the top/bottom and down the sides along with the division marks and an internal border.

Set the XY origin point to the TOP LEFT corner of the internal border.

Adjust the dimensions to match your divisions.

Check and set the numbers and letters for the XY grid numbering.

NOTE - you can reverse the numbering by typing in the numbers in reverse order if required.

Check the format for how the XREF displays and any seperators as required.

Click OK and then 'Save' the template dwg, making sure that it is saved as a template file (DWT extension).

Open a new dwg using the new template to check how it looks and works.

Get this working before trying anything fancy.

For my template, I have attributes along the top instead of number.

Along the bottom, I have fields that are linked to the attributes.

This allows me to have several sheets to a dwg with the numbers continuing along the top just by changing the attributes and then setting the X starting value in each dwg. For example, Sheet 1 would have 1 - 16 along the top with the X set to start at 1. Sheet 2 would have 17 - 36 and the X starting value set to 17 and so on.

Regards Brad

[rhesusminus · Accepted solution]

Just a little side note.

You CAN make AcadE insert the labels, using this tool:

[Lott99]

Is grid referencing widely used to tag devices and wires?

[richardb15]

Dear all @rhesusminus @Icemanau  - Does X Y grid referencing actually accept a decimal value or does it just round down  to integer.   Seems when I enter 66.6667 I get the same X Y  spacing as 66.  This means my xrefs are a bit off and a very sharp eyed client picked this up.   Integral ones, like 68, work OK. 

Any guidance would be welcome.

Cheers

Richardb15

 

[Icemanau]

The position shown in the cross reference is determined by the insertion point of the block.

At the normal printed resolution anything under a mm can barely be seen so they may be looking at a block where the insertion point is just on one side of the line or the other and think that it way out if the are looking at the start or end  of the block.

IF you have made custom blocks with insertion points that are not in the centre, then that could also show up as different to the supplied blocks.

Having just tested the problem, the grid spacing retains the positions after the decimal with no problem and uses the specified distance setting as required. T

Regards Brad

[justingrenierF3C2P]

@Icemanau ,

1. What attribute did you create that allows you to change your column numbers?  I see that they are just text after inserting the XY grid and I have not found a way to modify them easily if I add the XY grid to my template.  When I change the column text my components are still labeled with whatever value the XY grid had when it was initially inserted.

2. Is there a way to modify the line length in the XY grid?  This isn't part of the XY grid setup window and I can't locate the acad symbol that is being used to create the grid.

Regards, 

Justin

[Icemanau]

I just used normal attributes along the top of the dwg to change the visible co-ordinate.

Along the bottom, I used fields that looked at the top attribute that was vertically in line with it and displayed it's value.

To change the values, I just double click on the title block to show the enhanced attribute editor and change the values there.

I've never used the auto generated grid so don't know how it works or even if it uses blocks.

The title block had already been created when I started working at both this company and my previous workplace.

All I did was modify it to allow the grid to be changed and made sure the title block worked properly with ACADE.

As such, I wasn't setting a grid up from scratch.

Regards Brad