Having a scaling issue

[myrtsbnye]

Lately when I send plans to layout the scale is different than what I request. When I send a floorplan, elevation or section to layout the scale is set at 1/4":1'. But, once the drawing is in layout the scale is shown as either 23/64":1' or 47/128":1'. This is something new as it was always shown as 1/4":1' before. I don't know if I had changed something in default settings or what.

Any help would be appreciated. I am running Chief Architect Premier X12 if that helps.

I've attached two pics if that helps

[Chopsaw]

What does it say when you create a PDF ?

[Alaskan_Son]

What macro are you using, and is that an actual layout box or just a text box? If it IS a layout box with that scale macro in it, select the layout box and see what its scale is set to.

[myrtsbnye]

Chopsaw, the scale on the PDF shows 1":1".

 

Michael - I'm not sure what you are asking. I just click the "Send to layout" icon on the menu and "Send to layout" dialog box pops up. I check the page I want and I confirm the 1/4":1' scale is checked. Then send it to layout. Then scale is shown as 23/64":1' or 47/128":1' and then 1":1" once it has been printed to PDF.

[Alaskan_Son]

13 minutes ago, myrtsbnye said:

Chopsaw, the scale on the PDF shows 1":1".

 

Michael - I'm not sure what you are asking. I just click the "Send to layout" icon on the menu and "Send to layout" dialog box pops up. I check the page I want and I confirm the 1/4":1' scale is checked. Then send it to layout. Then scale is shown as 23/64":1' or 47/128":1' and then 1":1" once it has been printed to PDF.

OK, that explains it. Depending on how you look at it you are either using the wrong macro in the right place, the right macro in the wrong place, or perhaps the wrong macro in the wrong place.  Based on what it seems like you’re doing I would recommend just typing your scale in manually.  

[Chopsaw]

Seems like you must be using the %scale% macro in a text box ?

 

Maybe try using a layout box label with %box_scale% macro.

[myrtsbnye]

Yes I was using the %scale% macro in a text box located in the layout border. But, it seemed to work before.

Anyway I followed your advice Chopsaw and added %box_scale% macro within the layout box label. This looks like it works.

 

Thanks for your help Chopsaw and Michael

[Chopsaw]

The %scale% macro is typically used in plan views and then sent to layout which is another method.  Unfortunately none are a perfect solution and as Michael says the most reliable is to do it manually until another solution is provided.

[Alaskan_Son]

3 hours ago, Chopsaw said:

Unfortunately none are a perfect solution and as Michael says the most reliable is to do it manually until another solution is provided.

 

I wasn't actually suggesting that manual entry is the most reliable.  I was just saying that I think it might be a better method for this particular user based on the general approach and workflow they are using. 

 

The OP was placing an independent object (a text box in this case) on their layout page(s) to display the scale.  This means that the scale is being reported completely irrespective of the actual views that it is representing.  My view is that any scale macro being used should either be connected to and dependent on the actual view that it is representative of or that it should be entered manually.  There are several methods a person could try to use but some are just bad or problematic practices in my opinion (and I am therefore you'll see that I have typed them up and then crossed them out)...

1. Use the %scale% macro in layout.  As was already discussed in the thread above, this simply doesn't work.  The %scale% macro reports either the onscreen scale of the view it is in (when you're actually working in Chief) or the printed scale of the view it is in (when you print from Chief).  When used in layout this macro is almost entirely useless because the view you are working in is a 1 to 1 scale.
2. Use the %scale% macro in plan and in the same view you are sending to layout.  This method is great and can be one of the most accurate and automated but can also require some pretty meticulous positioning of the text box in the plan view in order to get it to display where you want it on the layout page.  The main thing here is that the macro is actually reporting the scale of the view that it is representing.
3. Use the %scale% macro in plan but send the view to layout twice.  This makes it a little easier to position the scale macro where you want it because you can simply crop the 2 views:  one where the scale macro is not displayed, and one that only displays the scale macro.  The problem with this method is that you have to make sure the 2 views are always using the same scale.  If you were to adjust your scale after the fact, you would need to make sure to adjust both.
4. Use the %box_scale% macro in the layout box label of your actual view and leave the label right there with it's layout box.  This method is good as well but kinda limits what you can do with text formatting and means that you have to use the layout box label.  This kinda sucks if you don't like to use layout box labels or if you are using them for something else.
5. Use the %box_scale% macro in the layout box label of one of your views but drag the label over to your title block.  This method is okay if your page only has the one view but it's kinda messy because you have to reposition the label if you move the layout box, and again, you have to use the label meaning you can't really use it for anything else.
6. Use the %box_scale% macro in an independently placed layout box.  This makes it easy to place in your title block independent of your actual views.  Again though, you're forced to use layout box labels, but even if this isn't a problem to you, your layout box is no longer representative of any of your actual views.  It's its own independent entity.  This is a case where I believe it makes more sense to simply type the scale in manually.  You get more control over the formatting by simply using a text box anyway.
7. Use the %box_scale% macro in a text box and connect it to your layout box with a line/arrow.  This is a decent method as well and is another case where your scale is going to accurately represent it's view when printed to scale; however you have to make sure the arrows stay connected and you have to jump through a few minor hoops to make the lines/arrows invisible (using line style or layer settings).  This method always allows for an easy way to drag the scale text over to your title block.  Again though, this can be a little weird and potentially inarticulate if you have multiple layout boxes on any given page.

 

 

At the end of the day there are a few main points I would leave you with:

• The %scale% macro is the most accurate specifically because it will actually adjust to reported printed scale.  If you print some 1/4 in =1 ft drawings at 1/2 Scale Check Plot then your scale will read 1/8 in =1 ft.
• %box_scale% is relatively accurate as well but will not adjust for printed scale.  If you print some 1/4 in =1 ft drawings at 1/2 Scale Check Plot then your scale will still read 1/4 in =1 ft.
• Unless you are using the %scale% macro to report your Check Plot Scale (not something I've actually seen anyone do), then it really should only ever be used in PLAN.
• Any scale macros you use should really be getting their information from the actual views they are supposedly representing; either by being placed in those views or placed directly with those views. 
• If the scale label or text box you're using is going to be positioned independently of the view that it's supposedly representing (typically in the title block), then I would suggest that manually typing is the most flexible and stable method and that in most cases will be equally as accurate anyway.
• If your construction documents are such that you are consistently including only one scale on each page, you consistently use the same scale, you want to include your scale in the title block, and you commonly print your plans at 2 different scales, then this is one scenario where you may consider using the %scale% macro in a totally independent plan view and then cropping that view and placing it in your title block.  Repeat this for the appropriate pages where you're using different scales and the results will adjust to accurately represent printed scale whether your printing to scale or at 1/2 scale.  This is really the only good reason I can personally think of to use any of the scale macros when they're placed independently of the views they're representing.

 

Obviously there are a lot of approaches a person could take and you have to decide what works best for you and your workflow but those are my personal thoughts on the matter.