Trouble understanding scale in paper space

[nh451368]

I feel like AutoCAD handles scale differently from every other program and it's breaking my brain. My model is set to inches (architectural). when I type DWGunits the units are set to feet. Now, I'm struggling to figure out how to make it so that the scales I select in paper space are actually correct. When I set up a new sheet, in the page setup manager I had it set to 1:1 as seen below:

[https://imgur.com/a/1p8DYxz](https://imgur.com/a/1p8DYxz)

However, I don't think this is actually accurate. My model is pretty small, only around 13 feet wide, however with the settings shown above, when I select 1/8" = 1', the model fills the whole 12x18 page. 1/8" = 1' is pretty small, so I feel like such a small object in model space shouldn't be filling the whole page. So I went back to page setup manager and changed the setting to this:

[https://imgur.com/a/TvD66Vf](https://imgur.com/a/TvD66Vf)

That obviously scaled everything weird, but now with that setting a 13 foot wide object fills the whole 12x18 page at a 1-1/2" = 1' scale, which seems more reasonable I guess? but maybe I'm wrong. Which one of these is actually correct?

If I had a scale ruler on me I would print them out and check it with that, but unfortunately I dont.

[paullimapa]

All the links you shared cannot be found

Perhaps you can attach and share your dwg for everyone here to take a look?

[pendean]

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@nh451368 wrote:

I feel like AutoCAD handles scale differently from every other program and it's breaking my brain. My model is set to inches (architectural). when I type DWGunits the units are set to feet.

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How does that work? And why those choices if I may ask? You are probably drawing something way larger than a 13-foot object if it fills an 11x17 page.

When everything is in inches (UNITS=ARCH and DWGUNITS-=INCHES) this is what your design should look like

[jreidKVSUZ]

I put a drawing together to help in how you can check your drawing's scale.

Hope this helps!

JRR!

[Wojty1]

@nh451368 

I wrote an explanation of how scales work in AutoCAD, maybe it helps:
https://1drv.ms/b/c/b94bc0f382aae2aa/EUZvojwtmrZPotnGa3nMlQABFZRrWQulKyB0Kf3MUon-MQ?e=o7PXk6

[nh451368]

This is great, though honestly I'm still somewhat confused. How does the scale of a particular viewport on a sheet relate to the scale that is defined in the page setup manager? I'm also confused by how your examples can apply to an imperial scale, where the scale I'm using is for example 1/4" = 1'. You give an example scale of 1:100 in the imperial example and use 100 in your equation.

(Sorry for late response. Currently travelling).

[nh451368]

see attached

[paullimapa]

The 1st thing I see is that in Model tab you're in some kind of 3d visual view mode:

To change this to 2d drawing mode execute the following command:

VSCURRENT

2dWireframe

Next I see that the objects you have drawn are in Inches so they're not in Feet. But since you used the dwgunits command to change the drawing setting to Feet, I repeated the command to change the setting back to Inches but without scaling the drawn objects because they're actually drawn correctly in inches:

Then I executed the SCALELISTEDIT command and saw that for some reason all the paper units = drawing unit are showing 1 drawing unit which is incorrect.

The correct ratio should be paper units = 12 drawing unit. 

To resolve this problem I select the Reset button and choose Imperial scales:

Now they all show the correct scales of 12 drawing units. You do still have a number of incorrect scales listed on the top of the list because these are still currently used by or assigned to objects like your paperspace vports.

Then I go into one of your layout pspace vports and find from the list of the now corrected scales that will fit with your drawing in your 12x18 title block which happens to be 1" = 1'-0"

For example in layout bldg plan I select the pspace vport then under the Properties window I change the Standard scale from 3/32" = 1'-0"_1 (which is incorrect) to 1" = 1'-0" (which is now the correct scale factor):

Repeat the same with the Annotation scale

Now its very easy to verify that this works because it's 1 inch = 1 feet. 

Go into Modelspace and use the DIST command to measure object snapping from one end of the plan to the other which shows about 14 feet:

Now go back to Paperspace and repeat the DIST command again but this time don't object snap to anything and you'll get 1'-2" or 14 inches. Since 1 inch = 1 feet then the vport scale factor is accurate:

One last thing I would do is to change your Scale read out on your title block for this layout by using a Field to link it to your Vport Standard Scale:

Double clicking on your title block should automatically launch the EATTEDIT command to bring up the Enhanced Attribute Editor. Then select Scale & in the edit box delete the current value shown there which is 1/4" = 1'

Then right mouse click and on the cursor menu and select Insert Field

On the Field dialog box that appears under Field category select Objects. Under Field names select Object. Under Object type click on the cross hair icon and select the vport object. Then under Property select Standard scale. You'll now see under Preview the vport scale used as 1" = 1'-0" Now click OK and back in the Enhanced Attribute Editor you'll see the Value automatically populated in grey which represents a Field. Finally click OK to complete the scale edit.

Now anytime you change the pspace vport scale again and do a Regen the Scale value in the title block will automatically change to reflect this.

I've attached the modified drawing for you to continue with the remaining layout changes on your own.