How can one fix dimensions so they don't scale with the drawing?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am using AutoCAD 2018 and I am trying to make my own detail view, as I am unable to do so without making a 3D model and using VIEWBASE in the Layout tab. So I am in need of copying a section of my drawing and scaling in up, but the dimension values also change when I start scaling it up. I know for a fact that it can be done, as I've been working on roughly 30-or-so drawings over the past 2 weeks and out of the 8 that need detail views, this is the only drawing that has had scaling dimensions. I'm just looking for the option that will toggle this effect.

The most of these didn't scale is because I'm just cleaning up these drawings and every file that I needed a detail view in was not drawn by me. The file that I am in need of help with right now was much older than any of the others and wasn't held up to the same standards that my company had before I started this project.

I'd appreciate any help that anyone could give me. Thank you.

[BrianBenton]

To make sure I understand...you take linework and make it bigger so a dimension on a line that was 10" long that is now twice as big measures to be 20" long??  To dimension things this way it's not a simple toggle. You need a dimension style that is set to scale the values accordingly. 

An alternative way to do this is to use a second viewport in paper space set to a different scale. No need to make a new/different dimension style. You might need a new layer so that the alternate dimensions don't show up in your original viewport. 

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to keep the dimensions from scaling with the section of the drawing that I want to copy and scale up. These are small pieces of the drawing that are used over and over again that I want to make sure I can call out and not have to put dimensions on every single piece that is repeated. It's also fairly small compared to the overall drawing and I have enough room on the paper to make a detail view that is about 2-3 times the normal size of the original part. I just want to make sure that the dimensions will say .500" when I scale it from 1:1 to 3:1 or anything else for a scale. I know it's possible, but I'm using drawings that already had this feature set so I'm trying to find how to do it with the one that doesn't have it set.

[Kent1Cooper · Accepted solution]

I don't believe that can be done as a "feature" in the process  of Scaling things.  But after  Scaling, you can select the Dimension(s) and give it/them a linear scale factor to compensate:

If you Scaled things to twice as big, change that 1.0 to 0.5, etc.

[Anonymous]

Make a block (dimensions included) and scale the block as needed.

[neaton]

A problem you may not have thought of with changing the scale of anything is that eventually someone will have forgotten they were scaled up or down and wonder why the dimensions don't match what is drawn. If you are going to scale the detail up to fit a specific size on the plans, you are better off using overwritten dimensions since eventually someone with change the dimscale value back to 1 and your detail is now incorrect.

Nancy

[Kent1Cooper]

Or:  EXPLODE the Dimension(s) before Scaling.

[scot-65]

One more angle at your issue:

Is the enlarged detail (meaning no longer 1:1) to be placed
on a page that has a different "base" scale?
Example: 1/4 scale drawing with a 1" scale detail embedded.

If so, there are several items to consider:
- Scale the entire detail - text, leaders and all.
- Text objects will enlarge. You will have to restore the height.
- Leaders will need adjusting (i think DIMSCALE). Or redo.
- DIMSCALE remains unchanged (however keep this setting
in mind) for dimension objects where as DIMLFAC will have
to be adjusted. The value of DIMLFAC is the inverse of how
many times you scaled up the drawing. By default DIMLFAC
is 1.0. Using the example above, the detail is scaled up 4 times.
The inverse is 1/4 or 0.25.

And welcome to these forums.

???

[RobDraw]

Technically, you are going about this the wrong way. The scaling should be done with a viewport so that the objects are still sized accurately at 1:1.

[Anonymous]

I have been drawing with autocad for many years.

But when drawing layouts with viewbase I have a problem. If I have a drawing at example scale 1/2 the dimensions I put with the drawing also come at scale 1/2.

The dimensions should be the real dimensions (scale 1/1)

How can I solve this?

[pendean]

>>>...The dimensions should be the real dimensions (scale 1/1)...<<<
@Anonymous Why would it auto-change all by itself if I may ask: did it in other versions than the one you are using now by chance?

[Anonymous]

I have this problem in autocad 2022, also in autocad 2020 I have this problem.