Annotation with a variety of random scales

[Zsuzsu5]

Hello, so I'm just learning about annotation. I figured out the general workings but having one problem. In model space I have drawn 33 small wall details. Some are larger than others. When I go to me layout tabs I use the zoom feature to fill my screen so the scale is often say 0.6453 or .9555 or random numbers like this not a nice clean 1:1. I'm having difficulty finding how to select my scale when it is different for each layout and each time I zoom in and out. Hope that is understandable. Thank you

[steven-g]

Hopefully you are drawing your details at full size (1:1)

At the bottom of your AutoCAD window there is a drop-down which allows you to pick the scale you need.

If that gives you odd results then please post a .dwg so we can better help answer your question.

[RobDraw]

Don't make the scale to fit the details. Make the details to the size that looks good at a specific scale. Your approach is going to make a mess out of things if you continue.

[Zsuzsu5]

So you suggest I draw a 2x4 wall to a different size than 1:1? In my layout where my template is a 1:1 is took large, and a 1:2 may be too small to fill the space the way my client wants. I need something inbetween that is different everytime I use the zoom window to capture what I want printed.

[Zsuzsu5]

Yes my model drawing is 1:1. When I go to my template in layouts I then zoom in to fill my page. The scale is not necessarily 1:2 or 1:4 but maybe 0.333756. How do I pick then a specific annotation scale from the list. I have 33 details I need to dimension and put notes on. I would like these all the same size print. As I put on these details the is zooming in and out to snap onto lines. So when I zoom to get the largest view the scale is slightly different each time unless I type in the 0.?????? numbers.

[RobDraw]

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@Zsuzsu5 wrote:

So you suggest I draw a 2x4 wall to a different size than 1:1?

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No, but I do suggest not using a bunch of random scales. That's just bad CAD.

[Zsuzsu5]

I'm not understanding bad CAD. I need to draw 33 details of how to install a product. My client gave me drawings he wanted to scale and then print as large as possible to fill a particular square in a template. How would you suggest I do this?

[RobDraw]

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@Zsuzsu5 wrote:

How would you suggest I do this?

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According to standards and established best practices. It sounds like you need to brush up on Drafting 101. There are tons of books on this subject out there.

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@Zsuzsu5 wrote:

I'm not understanding bad CAD. 

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In this case, it's using a variety of non-standard scales. Having 2x4 walls at a bunch of different printed sizes is going to look sloppy. 

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@Zsuzsu5 wrote:

My client gave me drawings he wanted to scale and then print as large as possible to fill a particular square in a template. 

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Sometimes clients don't understand what they are asking for. Your job is to help them understand how it is normally done. If you want to follow these instruction, don't draw 1:1 so that you don't have to manage all those non-standard annotation scales.

[pendean]

Post your DWG file, lets see what you got and are working with.

[Zsuzsu5]

I've attached a pictures of what I'm trying to do. The first pictures is a 1:1 pictures the second isn't as we want to fill the page. I'm now trying to have same size text and dimensions on both. Thank you 

[steven-g]

What you are trying to do is bad practice, it doesn't matter that a detail fills the page nicely, it has to be to an acceptable industry scale 1:1    1:2    1:10 etc. using a scale of 0.4638 just because it fills the page nicely, is BAD CAD. Really bad. If it looks strange then try positioning the detail differently maybe add a second detail onto the same layout, or position notes around the detail to fill a bit of the empty space or use some kind of border around the detail with a scale and description to make it visually more acceptable. But what you are asking is a bad practice and you should forget it before it becomes a bad habit.

This is the reason why you cannot select annotations for those types of sizes. (Yes you could create them but you would need to create new annotation scales for every drawing you ever create) is that something you really want to spend your time doing?

[pendean]

So you don't know how to scale viewports, or are afraid that 1:1 does not work with your badly-drawn details, got it the first time you posted: share your DWG file please, pictures only show the problem, not how to fix it. You want to fix it, right?
Or just go back and forth like you did with others for a few more hours/days?

FWIW annotative TEXT / Dim/Mleader style if you want all the text to automagically size to be the same in all scaled viewports: look up the topic in HELP and on the web.

TIA

[Zsuzsu5]

I don't do details like this in a plan. These are separate sheets of paper the client wants to use that show the details up close. I've attached a detail. one is at 1:3 one at 1:4. It is either zoomed in too far or not in far enough. I'm just looking for the print to be balanced and actually see the details in the drawings.

[pendean]

DWG file please.

[Zsuzsu5]

My apologies, I thought this was a forum where I could ask for help as a new person using AutoCAD Lt. Instead I'm just constantly insulted being told that I've done something wrong and that I have bad CAD practice. This isn't a normal project for me. I was asked to modify a client's existing drawings to what they wanted them to look like. I just haven't run into this particular problem. Thank you for your generous help.

[pendean]

DWG file please

[RobDraw]

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@Zsuzsu5 wrote:

Instead I'm just constantly insulted being told that I've done something wrong and that I have bad CAD practice. 

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No one is insulting you. Criticism is hard to take for some people but if we didn't tell people about bad practices when we see them, how would they learn?

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@Zsuzsu5 wrote:

Thank you for your generous help.

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You're welcome.

[RobDraw · Accepted solution]

The solution is to not use annotative scaling. Just do your annotation in paper space. One size fits all.

[Zsuzsu5]

This worked perfect for this problem. Thank you.