how to draw in feet and inches in AutoCAD

[Anonymous]

Please can someone help with setting up AUTOCAD ACCORDING TO US standards of measurement(FEET & INCHES). I used to work in mm and it was already setup for me. I am new to this and I have a job interview . Can someone please help me ASASP

Really important

Thank you

@Anonymous, 

john.vellek has edited your subject line for clarity: how to draw in feet and inches

[Anonymous]

and also I use AUTOCAD 2013

[ArchD · Accepted solution]

Set your units to Architectural.

Unit input would be things like:

2"

2-1/4"

2'3-1/2"

6

(Just a number would be in inches, in this case 6")

[scot-65]

command LUNITS
4

command DIMLUNIT
4

And welcome to these Forums.

???

[Anonymous]

thank you for your input.

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

HI @Anonymous,

I see that you are visiting as a new member. Welcome to the Autodesk Community!

When you start a new drawing, select your acad.dwt or No Template-Imperial. This should start you with an Imperial environment. You can check by typing -DWGUNITS.

Once you have done this you can use Units to make sure that you are set for Architectural rather than Decimal or other formats.

You might also consider going into Options>User Preferences>Default Scale List to set up any unique scales that you want to use in your viewports.

Next, consider setting your Dimstyle to reflect Architectural as well.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

I am checking back to see if my post or others helped you with your problem. Please add a post with how you decide to proceed and your results so other Community members may benefit.

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if a post or posts solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

thank you for your reply. It was very helpful.

[Anonymous]

This answer does not help. What I am trying to do should be simple. But everything in this program - now after I have purchased it - is not intuitive.

I am trying to draw a house layout.. So all I want to do is to draw a room say 12 feet x 15 feet. There is no straightforward way to do this. Instead I am forced to put in a starting point and then an opposite end point. Well why do I even care about those points. I want a box 12x15 - and to top it off while I am drawing the box I want to see the dimensions of the box NOT the X, Y coordinates. The coordinates refer to implementation of the rectangle - I am a user I want to draw a simple box in feet and see that as I move the cursor.

Also, each block is an INCH not a FOOT.  ( I have set the Units to Architectural and inches)

How do I do this in this world class app... not impressed so far.

Steve

[neaton]

If your drawing is set up to architectural units each unit is an inch so use the ' mark to let ACAD know the length is to be multiplied by 12. See @ArchD's reply above for how to enter feet and inch lengths. The attached screencast shows how to draw the rectangle with Rectangle and PLine commands.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/a6585b1f-f96d-4b3e-9cac-d18bd236e4df if the screencast doesn't load.

Nancy

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@sfoundsEL6R3 wrote:

This answer does not help. What I am trying to do should be simple. But everything in this program - now after I have purchased it - is not intuitive.

I am trying to draw a house layout.. So all I want to do is to draw a room say 12 feet x 15 feet. There is no straightforward way to do this. Instead I am forced to put in a starting point and then an opposite end point. Well why do I even care about those points. I want a box 12x15 - and to top it off while I am drawing the box I want to see the dimensions of the box NOT the X, Y coordinates. The coordinates refer to implementation of the rectangle - I am a user I want to draw a simple box in feet and see that as I move the cursor.

Also, each block is an INCH not a FOOT.  ( I have set the Units to Architectural and inches)

How do I do this in this world class app... not impressed so far.

Steve

[RobDraw]

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@Anonymous wrote:

This answer does not help. What I am trying to do should be simple. But everything in this program - now after I have purchased it - is not intuitive.

How do I do this in this world class app... not impressed so far.

---

A lot of people get formal training for using AutoCAD. If you want it to read your mind, wait a few years. That technology is not very far off. If you want answers, leave your predilections aside until you actually know what the program can do.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your response. Helpful. but...

If you perform this as you do with a grid it doesn't layout correctly. Specifically, set the units to Architectural - precision 0 and inches. Set grid to snap to 1/2 and snap x and y spacing = 1, let grid x and y = 0 and major line = 5.

When you draw the rectangle, count the grid boxes and they in no way equal 12 and 15 (or whatever you enter for dimensions).

thanks

Steve

[neaton]

See snip below: Grid of X=1, Y=1. The 12x15 unit rectangle shown below matches the grid. What are you seeing when you do it? Please attach your dwg file so we can help you better.

Nancy

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thank you for your response. Helpful. but...

If you perform this as you do with a grid it doesn't layout correctly. Specifically, set the units to Architectural - precision 0 and inches. Set grid to snap to 1/2 and snap x and y spacing = 1, let grid x and y = 0 and major line = 5.

When you draw the rectangle, count the grid boxes and they in no way equal 12 and 15 (or whatever you enter for dimensions).

 thanks

Steve

[RobDraw]

Try to think about what the program wants. It's a complex set of tools that you can do amazing things with.

[Anonymous]

Great thanks.. Very good tech support..

Steve

[RobDraw]

You're welcome. 

[Anonymous]

 i am make a rectangal  220x198 fit 220 fit show in 1 inche how secal use tell me sir plz

[Anonymous]

i am make a rectangle 220x198 so +

220 fit size show in 1 inches and print out 220  fit size show in 1 niche with seal manual 

[Anonymous]

type in rec at the command line. Place a point at one corner. enter@12',15'  Now there is a rectangle on the screen that is 12'X15'. 

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I have a follow-up quesion. I know how to draw a line of 1 inch or 12 inches in AutoCAD. 

In AutoCAD, when I type 1 (without ' or ") as the lenght of a line, the program considers it automatically 1 inch.

How can I change/set the default to feet? I mean when I type 1 (without ' or "), the program consideres it as 12 inches autocatically and not 1 inch.

Thank You!