Scale PDF

[johnny]

I would love someone from the forums or Chief Architect explain to me how you can accurately scale a PDF using an associative length contained in a drawing.  Point to point resize would work fine if the aspect ratio stayed the same - but it doesn't.

 

Thanks for the help.

[Chopsaw]

Transform and replicate keeps the aspect ratio the same.  Just scale a known distance.  The longer it is the more accurate it is likely to turn out as long as it is an accurate number like on a survey, and calculate the scale factor.

 

Or convert your PDF to .dwg so you don't have to mess with an embedded pdf. Still needs to be scaled but a little easier with snaps.

[johnny]

12 minutes ago, Chopsaw said:

Transform and replicate keeps the aspect ratio the same.  Just scale a known distance.  The longer it is the more accurate it is likely to turn out as long as it is an accurate number like on a survey, and calculate the scale factor.

 

Thanks - to clarify so when you say "scale a known distance" that would be taking a measurement of the base scale and doing the math on the % difference for a scale factor?  I assume there isn't an easier way.

 

In Vectorworks we have a similar tool to the point-to-point resize with the option to keep the aspect ratio the same.  Therefore, when we bring any object like PDF into the drawing we simply point-to-point and type the new dimension.  I guess I was thinking somehow point-to-point inside Chief could be constrained.  This other method you mention works though.

[johnny]

2 minutes ago, solver said:

With Point to Point, you need to do both axis.

 

To resize the image/PDF

1. Locate two walls or other objects in the image that you know the exact size of in the X and Y axes and make a note of their length.
   
    
2. Select the picture or PDF and then click the Point to Point Resize  edit button located on the Edit Toolbar.
   
    
3. Choose two points on the image between which you know the distance. Click the first point and then click the second point.
   
    
4. In the Point to Point Resize dialog that opens next, type in the distance between the two points you selected in step 3.
   
   
   
    
5. Repeat this process for the opposite axis.

 

But if you have say a site plan that has no clear 90 degree X/Y there is no way to keep the scale contained so its pure madness.  Honestly, Chief would only need a little checkbox in that Dbx to say "Keep resize contained" and it would work fine.

[Chopsaw]

7 minutes ago, johnny said:

Thanks - to clarify so when you say "scale a known distance" that would be taking a measurement of the base scale and doing the math on the % difference for a scale factor?  Got it, thanks.

 

Yes exactly.  I think this is what you are looking for in terms of accuracy with a floor plan or survey.

 

P.S.  Use a cad line set to a decimal number style to measure with.  That tape measure thing is useless until they get it fixed.

[glennw]

Or... once you have your scale factor, you can also do it in the PDF Box Specification dbx.

Open the dbx and make sure Retain Aspect Ration is checked, in either the Width or Height, leave the existing size and add "*your scale factor" (multiply by your scale factor).

Click  OK.

 

It always amazes me how many ways you can skin a cat in Chief.

 

[Richard_Morrison]

On 11/25/2018 at 8:43 PM, johnny said:

In Vectorworks we have a similar tool to the point-to-point resize with the option to keep the aspect ratio the same.  Therefore, when we bring any object like PDF into the drawing we simply point-to-point and type the new dimension.  I guess I was thinking somehow point-to-point inside Chief could be constrained.  This other method you mention works though.

Where suggestions go to die....

[architect]

Sometimes if I know the size of the "paper" the PDF was saved as (say 24x26)  I can set the same paper size to be viewable via edit-drawing set up. Then just resize the import PDF  to match that "paper" size on screen....I always check it by drawing a line to measure a known dimension

 

P.S.: Set the Chief drawing scale to the scale of the PDF

 

Eric

[MarkMc]

I deal with this in a variety of ways. Most often I'm converting the pdf to dwg if at all possible-easier to scale and lower impact on performance. Sometimes I convert pdf to PNG so I can use the maintain aspect ratio-again lower impact on performance than a pdf. The last option is to measure a known distance in the pdf prior to import which give me a ratio to work with. I do this in Bluebeam but think there are other programs that can do that? And yes having aspect ration available for PDFs would be nice

[Kbird1]

On 11/25/2018 at 8:48 PM, Chopsaw said:

 

Yes exactly.  I think this is what you are looking for in terms of accuracy with a floor plan or survey.

 

P.S.  Use a cad line set to a decimal number style to measure with.  That tape measure thing is useless until they get it fixed.

 

I think this image about the Scale Factor came from a Dan Baumann Video I was watching Online...

 

 

 

Are you using the CTRL Key with the Tape Measure CS?  otherwise it with snap to the Grid if it's on which IS a PITA and I have no idea why it does that....

 

 

[rwdozier]

I have skinned the PDF scale cat several ways in CA, but mostly use known horizontal or vertical distances to calculate a resize factor for the Transform / Replicate Object dialog box. I wish CA had a calibration tool like Bluebeam REVU. Just my two cents...

[johnny]

On 11/29/2018 at 10:34 AM, Richard_Morrison said:

Where suggestions go to die....

 

I forgot all about that suggestion...  its the simplest thing to implement.  Just a checkbox or something on "retain aspect ratio" and let the computer do the work.