using multiple units in AutoCAD

[mathieu.p78]

When I started using AutoCad for Mac years ago in 2011 I believe I found a way to use multiple units in the same drawing.

Everything was drawn in millimeters but when annotating it showed both in mm and shaky at once.

FYI: Shaku is a Japanese measurement unit and equals approximately 303mm/1 shaku

I remember it wasn't all that complicated to set it up and worked perfectly for years. In the mean time I have migrated to a new system and newer versions of AutoCAD but can't find out how to set it up as I used to.

So my question is multifold:

How do you set up a project to show two measurements at the same time when annotating?

And how to do you setup a custom measurement unit? 

All help is welcome!

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Welcome to Autodesk Forums!

Hi Peeters,

You can edit dimension style with menu Format -> Dimension style.

In Dimension Style Manager window:

Then go to "Alternative Units" tab and adjust all settings you need there:

save settings with OK and Close and use modified dim style.

[mathieu.p78]

Thanks that was helpful and exactly what I was looking for.

Now I have the next issue:

If I would like to draw in mm (with shaku showing already as the alternate dimension between[]) but then also be able to annotate dimensions in Inches. What would be the best workflow to do so?

Can I open a copy of the file, change the units I am working in annotate dimensions in inches and keep the previous dimensions in metric [and shaku] still showing?

[maxim_k]

I believe you cannot use 3 dimension units in one dimension style, but you can create new dimension style and setup it for using with additional units using Primary units tab settings.
But the drawing itself will stay metric as you cannot mix metric and imperial units (for measurement, not for annotation) in one drawing.

[pendean]

If I may ask, what is the final output intent that you wish to achieve, or to put it another way, what are you wanting to hand someone as a final result of all of your hardwork?

Explain your end goal (not your task in AutoCAD), perhaps its something we all do all the time but have a different workflow than what you imagine.

[mathieu.p78]

Thanks for your question. 

Ideally I would like to design in Shaku as a unit and have either metric OR inches/feet shown as the alternate unit. 

I do understand that this might be impossible since shaku is an obscure unit as 1shaku = 10/33 meters.

I would like to avoid working with a workaround such as designing in metric and showing shaku as alternate and then make a new version of the project with dimensions annotated in both imperial inches AND shaku. 

Imperial is fractional and shaku is decimal which is another hurdle. 

Maybe working with decimal inches and shaku is easier to setup but on the printed drawing contractors really need to see fractional inches. 

A direcy way to work with inches and shaku is what I am looking for. 

So the final result is always imperial and shaku. I am used working with different units and bending my mind or conversions are the easy part it seems...