Viewport size is not precise when using MVIEW Fit command

[kostastomp]

Hi everyone,

I have lets say an A3 paper sheet in landscape orientation (420mm x 297mm) with a 5mm margin all around, so the printable area becomes 410mm x 287mm.

The MVIEW -> Fit command should create a viewport that fits the printable area.

However, I noticed that it's not very precise. For instamce, in my case  it becomes 409.99590185 x 286.99713016.

I mean practically there should be no difference, but on the other hand, we use CAD to be precise...

Any ideas on how to fix this?

Sheet printable area setting

Layout page set up

Viewport size

Viewport and printable area gap

[RobDraw]

Using fit does not guarantee precision. If you want precision, assign the desired scale. Remember that the viewport needs to be slightly bigger than the objects within it in order to account for lineweights.

[kostastomp]

Thanks for your response RobDraw.

Unfortunately we cannot snap on the corners of the printed area or on the corners of the paper sheet, so I use the mview fit command only as a workaround, to create an object with a size equal to the printed area and so that I can then snap on the corners.

Once I create that viewport with the fit command, I draw a rectangle on top of it and then I delete the viewport as I don't need it anymore. I use that rectangle to centre the frame of my drawing and to posision my title block precisly, instead of trying to position them just by clicking "close enough".

I hope this makes sense.

If you could suggest a better way of doing what I am trying to achieve, I would be gratefull.

[pendean]

Post your DWG file please.

[ChicagoLooper · Accepted solution]

Your 5.0mm calculations are only true if the measurement occurs from the edge of you sheet. Make your PRINTABLE AREA exactly equal to you sheet size by forcing your margins to zero (0) or no margins whatsoever. Doing this will allow you to draw your viewport at 410mm wide X 287mm tall. Image-1.

Yes, you are correct, you can't snap to the corners of your sheet. But you can still snap to them by doing this:

1. Draw a rectangle exactly W420mm X H297mm put it as close to the sheet border as best you can. Draw this rectangle on a non-printable layer so it doesn't appear on your finished sheet.
2. Then, in the plot dialog window, use the Window Option to designate the printable area of your layout. You can now snap to the corners of the non-printable rectangle. Image-2. 
3. Click Preview=>click APPLY TO LAYOUT BUTTON=>OK to print.

NOTE:

Since the non-printable rectangle represents the sheet edge, you may need to adjust the position of you viewport using the non-printable rectangle as a reference.

[kostastomp]

Thank you all for your responses.

The only way to do it precisely, is to set all the margins around the paper sheet equal to zero, then start the draw rectangle command, type 0,0 as the starting point and then create the rectangle by typing the dimensions of the sheet. After that, you can offset it inwards to place the actual frame around the drawing.

With this method, there is no need to try to click as close at the edge as you can, you have a snapping point right there. Also, you don't have to print with "Window", you print the "Layout".

I just thought that the MVIEW FIT not beeing precise was a bug, but it seems that it's just the way it is.

Maybe autodesk should fix this behaviour or at least make it possible to snap at the corners of the paper sheet and at the corners of the printable area.

[ChicagoLooper · Accepted solution]

Yes, the rectangle itself can be prompted to start at 0,0 but the sheet, the white thing representing the page, isn't always positioned with the lower left corner at 0,0. Drawing the rectangle and demarcating a centered-window will force the white sheet to where it belongs. 

Q:Why doesn't the lower left corner of the sheet position itself correctly at 0,0?

A: Because AutoCAD is finicky.

Obviously it's finicky, as evidenced by YOUR opening post with description and measurements provided by you. It it wasn't finicky you wouldn't have posted in the first place. Right? 

[kostastomp]

Oh, I wouldn't have know!

I thougth that the sheet would always be with its lower left.

Thanks for mentioning!