scale

How do people manage scale(s) in AutoCAD? Let me clarify my question.
Dimensions have dimscale. Dotted lines have Global and local linetype scale. Then, of course, there is a print scale. It's only dawned on me today that it's all a complete mess.
Are there betters ways with which to manage all these variables? Do individual layouts have better ways of managing object and global ltscale?
The most awkward is the insulation linetype (batting). Is it possible to override (ignore) global linetype scale? My insulations get all screwed up in layouts.
Henry Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering University of Bath http://staff.bath.ac.uk/abshhkc http://3thirteen.co.uk snipped-for-privacy@bath.ac.uk

Checkout PSLTSCALE.
Conny

You could try MultiSCALE, part of MultiDRAFT. www.multisuite.com
The software includes lots of other structural engineering CAD tools for AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT and there are site licence discounts for educational establishments.
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Henry wrote:
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Using layouts, plotting is always done at 1:1 (our setup, at least).
This being the case, the only issue is linetype scaling. If only one scale is required, LTSCALE=scale of drawing/PSLTSCALE=0. If multiple scales are required in the drawing, LTSCALE=1/PSLTSCALE=1.
Dimensioning can be set to follow the viewport scaling, though I don't use that method. We don't have many actual dimension objects on our plans, so I prefer scaled dimension styles.
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I don't know how anybody else does it but I always draw everything fill size and then use paper space to dim and plot or from model space set the following variables in these ratios: ltscale;.5 - textsize;.125 - Dimscale;1 R. Wink
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Henry,
I've got some tips you'll probable need in the nearby future. 1.) Allway's draw 1:1 2.) Set your LTScale according to your plot scale 1:50 --> LTScale = 50 3.) Do one of the folowing: * Design your papersizes 1:1 in modelspace and rescale them to your plotscale ** Disign your papersizes 1:1 in paperspace (Layout) and zoom in with your viewport 4.) In case of ** it can be quite useful to create a layer that does not plot and draw a viewport sized rectangle and zoom in on that.
Hope to have been of some use to you,
M. Moelands

Others have answered your scaling questiion so I will addres the batting. Do a search on There is a lisp routine for that that is far supperior to the linetype.

CW wrote:
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Although you can draw the insulation using lisp or manually, a linetype is far more efficient and will result in a smaller drawing. Using layouts is probably the easiest way of handling drawing scaling as you can have more the one layout showing different parts of the same drawing at different scale, not to mention all the other benefits of using viewports, the only problem comes when you have to pass the drawings on to people who aren't using AutoCAD.

The Batting Lisp routine can be found on my AutoCAD Download Page at http://www.cadalot.co.uk
Regarding scales
Draw in Model space at 1:1 Draw in Paper Space at 1:1 (Title Block and Notes only ) Use Zoom in Viewport for scale Use scale factor for dimensions (still dimensioning in Model Space) Use scale factor for Lines so they view in Model and Paper space as they will plot. Have Custom Lines to get exactly what we want out of the plotter and printers.
HTH
Alan (Cadalot)
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Henry, lots of people have chimed in with good tips for you, and certainly using Alan's batting lisp routine will work well. However, there is another option that you may find useful: individual object linetype scaling. I do this all the time for linetypes that are out to lunch in terms of the scale of my drawings.
As has been suggested, always draw at 1:1. I'm assuming you're plotting from paper space using viewports. Set your overall linetype scale to plotted scale if you won't be plotting in more than one scale. This way, most of your drawing geometry will have correctly scaled linetypes. Then select the linework for your batting and give it its own scale factor relative to the overall linetype scale. That's it, you're in business. The only drawback to this method is you may need to remember that you have some objects in your drawing that are individually scaled.
Unfortunately, because AutoCAD is somewhat hopeless in terms of handling scales of different base units, particularly within the same drawing, you'll find some predefined linetypes that are out-to-lunch in your particular drawing. If the linetype was defined with inches in mind, and you're drawing in feet, for example, you'll find that the linetype will not scale correctly. That's why, for instance, you'll find two separate linetype definition files come out of the box with AutoCAD - one for imperial base units, and one for metric.
Frankly, drawing scale handling is one of my biggest pet peeves with AutoCAD. Up here in Canada, where we use both imperial and metric scales on a regular basis, I often have to re-scale the actual geometry of drawings that need to be converted from one base unit to another - a huge headache that Autodesk should have dealt with ages ago. You'll find the same problem going between inches and feet as base units. As a result, some linetypes will have scaling problems. And then there's dimension styles - don't get me started.....!
Of course, if you're really handy, you could go into Acad.lin and add a definition of the batting linetype that would work in the base units you're using. It's tedious and a slight learning curve, but I've had success with a number of linetypes I've added for my personal use. Good luck!