TEXT SIZE IN PAPER SPACE

[PHILLIPS7609]

I'm new to Autocad so this may be sound like a stupid question. How do you adjust the size of your text/deminsions when in paper space? I understand that text and dimension sizes should be preset on a template, but when you do a layout you have the option of setting the drawing scale. Now, if you have five different viewports, all having different scales and all including text or dimensions, how do you make all of your text plot to the same size while keeping the scales of your viewports?

 

[IFRs]

Text and dimensions should be drawn in paper space.
Text height is goverend my the TEXTSIZE system variable.
Dimension text height should be set to "Scale dimensions to layout (paperspace)" in the Fit tab of the Dimension Style dialog

 

[TerraSouth]

That's not a stupid question. It's a very good question.

 

[saruman26]

Personally, I never put text associated with the plan or profile views in paper space - it is always in my "working" drawing that I reference into my "plot" sheets. In order to make this work, I stick to the same scale throughout a project to the greatest extent possible.

For example, if the project is chosen to be at 30 scale (1"=30'), my text in model space is set to a height of 3.00 feet. When the drawing is then x-ref'd and scaled in a viewport at 1:30, the text appears in paper space at a height of 0.1".

Occasionally I am forced to create an additional drawing at a different scale (i.e., an overall site layout at 60 scale), for which I will make separate drawing file and change all of the text heights to show at 0.1" when scaled in paper space.

Please let me know if this doesn't sound clear to anybody - just because it makes perfect sense to me doesn't mean it's perfect.

 

[IFRs]

Wow. I always put text and dimensions in paper space. One reason is that an XRef then only grabs the model. In mechanical drawings, that is good.

 

[JStephen]

How I work it (based on a combination of tradition and ignorance...):

I've got my standard Dimension style set up to give "paper size" arrows, etc. I draw my model space widget. I create a viewport in paper space, zoom around till it looks about right, then actually measure it in paper space to see what the scale is- then reset the scale of that viewport to exactly some even number- say, 1/32 or something like that (I draw big things on small paper, FYI). Then I go back to model space. I define a new Dimension style, identical to the original, with the "Fit" factor set for that scale...in this case, it would be 32. Then I dimension, and draw any lettering in at that same scale. So all my dimensions are 32 times as big as on paper in model space, but are correct size in paper space. If I have a half-dozen viewports of different scales, I'll have that many dimension styles defined, usually called STD, STD32, STD24, etc.

"I always put text and dimensions in paper space. One reason is that an XRef then only grabs the model." I very seldom use xrefs in that way, so that isn't an issue for me.

I've been aware that I could dimension in paper space, but it just never did seem like that good of an idea. I think it's only in the last three or four years that they made paper space dimensions associative, so if you moved your viewport around, it wouldn't mess up the dimensions. If I understand right, you still have to manually set a Scale factor for the dimension style for each viewport? Or does it automatically pick up dimensions from model space now?

 

[IFRs]

" you still have to manually set a Scale factor for the dimension style for each viewport? "

Nope.

 

[PHILLIPS7609]

WOW! I had no idea there were so many different options and techniques. I thought I was just missing something. I guess it really just boils down to what works best in the environment you're working in, huh?
Anyway, thanks for all the help guys. I do see things a lot clearer now.

T.P.

 

[JStephen]

Hey, IFRs, I had to run over and try that. It's pretty cool.

The dimension is automatically scaled to model space IF you have associative dimensions set. Otherwise, it will still snap to the model space points, but gives a dimension in paper space.

And, leader lines and text and weld symbols and the like aren't associative, so if you move anything around after you have them in place, they don't move like the dimensions do.

I can forsee a minor problem if you have details drawn up and need to move something to the following layout...guess you can cut-n-paste the paper space stuff over there, though.

 

[IFRs]

You can right click a layout tab and COPY it - it will do just that. Then erase what you don't need.

 

[Flareman]

Just my opinion but the WHOLE POINT of Paper space is so that the model doesn't become cluttered with unnecessary text and so that you can open different windows on the same detail without showing text applicable to other details.

If you ever progress to a 3-d model (the ultimate goal of every good designer ??) you need paper space to do any text at all otherwise the text rotates with the UCS.

Either way, the most beneficial thing I have found is to always work with the properties box because you can fix anything through that, relative to scales, layers etc etc.

 

[JStephen]

Flareman, I think your observations simply point out the variations in usage of AutoCAD.

To me, the big advantage of paper space is letting you draw (and dimension) at 1:1 scale and then being able to put everything on one page.

Maybe I'm not a good designer, but my ultimate goal is not a 3D model, it's the product itself, built in a timely and economical manner.

I'm not a 3D guru, but from what little I've done using AutoCAD for 3D, it seems very very cumbersome.

 

[IFRs]

My experience with 3D, making mostly mechanical assemblies, is that once you get used to the bacic language and structure of the objects, with a bit of planning and organization, 3D is GREAT and is not really much slower than 2D ! I use 3D when it is appropriate and 2D else.

 

[JStephen]

Okay, trying the dimensions in paper space..so far so good...except when I "zoom extents", it includes the center of an arc that is way out of my drawing area- any way to avoid that? (arc has an arc length dimension, which is probably where the "point" comes in).

 

[IFRs]

If you put the arc dimension definition objects on the layer defpoints, then freeze the layer defpoints, zoom extents should be OK.