Scaling on layout , Linear scale bar

[MarkDi]

Setting the label to "specified text"  - %scale%

 

 

gives a dynamic scale based on the screen image size  not of the drawing image

 

 

Is there a setting to fix this to actual scale, rather than these strange factions ?

 

Scale of drawings set to 500m = 1m

 

Are there any METRIC scale bars for 1:500 and 1:100 ?

 

Thanks

 

Mark

 

[robdyck]

When you send a drawing to layout, you will have the opportunity to add the scale factor of the drawing in the drawing's label. This can be set as a default for layout box labels so that each drawing always displays the correct drawing scale. 

The following video may help you and if I understand your question accurately, the most helpful information starts around the 20 minute mark of the video.

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/48/creating-layouts-and-construction-documents.html

[DBCooper]

If you are using %scale% in your plan, what it shows on the screen is going to change depending on your zoom but it should show the actual scale when printed or saved as a pdf.  Try a pdf and make sure it shows what you want.  If it doesn't, then you might have a problem with your page setup.

 

If you want to show the scale for a layout box, you can also use %box_scale% as part of the label.

 

 

[Michael_Gia]

10 hours ago, MarkDi said:

Setting the label to "specified text"  - %scale%

Are you trying to set the size of your text with that?
 

Because that’s not what that dialogue box is for. 
It just returns whatever value the plan file has set for the scale at that zoom extant. 
 

Look up videos on setting print size in Layout. 
 

Chief has an arcane system for this so don’t get your hopes up. It’s a mess. 
 

Also, Americans see nothing wrong with 1-17/32 = 1 as a scale…. lol 

 

What I hope for in the future is that we could click on screen for a zoom level of 100%. So we can see what the printer size would be.

 

As it stand you have to print to pdf first, then View Actual Size in order to know what your print will look like. 
 

As a result even the, Show Line Weights, is pretty useless as you never really know if your looking at 100% zoom or 110% or 87%.

 

It’s ridiculous. 

[MarkDi]

Thanks for some clues, I will try the suggestions.

 

Looks like %scale% and zoom are linked 

 

In the PLAN view

Print size is set to ISO A4

Undo zoom

Gives scale 123/128m = 500m, close but should be 1 ? as scale set to 1:500

However not always consistent

61/64m = 500m

25/32m = 500m

etc

 

Using Chief Architect Premier X13

 

[TeaTime]

As @DBCoopersaid before, yes %scale% will adjust as you zoom, but it will print what the printed scale is.

Just ignore that it looks wrong on the Layout, once its printed it should be right.

 

%box_scale% will always report the scale of the layout box itself, but I think that was a recent addition, I don't think X13 has that.

 

[Joe_Carrick]

17 minutes ago, TeaTime said:

%box_scale% will always report the scale of the layout box itself, but I think that was a recent addition, I don't think X13 has that.

 

%box_scale% has been in the program for at least 15 years.

 

Graphic Bar Scales should always be placed in the plan views sent to Layout.  That way they will always be correct in the Layout. 

[TeaTime]

8 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

%box_scale% has been in the program for at least 15 years.

Well, I would assume you'd know better than most! I stand humbly corrected.

I must have been conflating the relatively new Layout label "Use Callout" option which uses %box_scale%.

Maybe time for another cup o' tea...

[LyndonBrett]

Is there a way to add a scale bar directly to the layout without having to create it in the plan view and transfer it every time? I'm trying to improve our workflow efficiency. Currently, all scale bars are created as plan drawings, but they often disappear due to being used in various client projects saved in different folders, causing them to lose their connection with the template. Any suggestions?

[ValleyGuy]

1 hour ago, LyndonBrett said:

Is there a way to add a scale bar directly to the layout without having to create it in the plan view and transfer it every time? I'm trying to improve our workflow efficiency. Currently, all scale bars are created as plan drawings, but they often disappear due to being used in various client projects saved in different folders, causing them to lose their connection with the template. Any suggestions?

I just made two different sized graphic scale bars, saved them into the library and put them on a tool bar for easy access. Scale bars are saved in all my plan SPV's and saved Elevation Cameras / X-sections. If any of these views get sent to the layout, the scale bars are just like a door or window and adjust to whatever the scale is used in sending the view out to the layout. I rarely need to add them as they always present with each saved view. They are on their own layer to toggle on or off as needed. 

20 min of work once and they are forever there on every project, never lost, never at the wrong size, and rarely needing any workflow maintenance.

[JiAngelo]

Shayne can you post a picture of your graphic scale bars?

 

Mark, if I'm understanding you correctly, ignore %scale%.  Like DBCooper said, one can use %box_scale% (and %sheet.size%) in either

1. the label of the layout box itself - OR
2. Create a text box with those macros and an line arrow reference pointing to any layout box on the drawing page.

We use variations of " %automatic_label% | %box_scale% "  in the label of our layout boxes versus on the drawing sheet because sometimes we mix scales on the same page.  Front elevation might be 1/4" and sides/rear might be 3/16" or 1/8".  The video shows this does not enable underlining.

 

Our layout box borders are generally turned off, but if you position an arrow+text box at one corner.  Here's an example showing sheet.size and different arrow types referencing upper corners of two layout boxes.  The larger text under the elevations is the layout labels with %sheet.size% added to the right only.  

 

As for a graphic bar scale we drew the following years ago on the layout page 0 as part of our template.  It appears on every page in the title block.

It is drawn to real sheet.size page dimensions.  Works great if we print at sheet.size.   Our problem is we normally draw sheet.size = 34x22 for final plots, but we have 17x11 printers in house.  So we print at 1/2 scale in the print dialog, but the macros don't adjust to the "Check Plot" 1/2 scale we are printing.  The graphic bar does reduce proportionally, so the 1" box actually measures 1/2" on the printed page (and so on..) and we adjust for this internally but anyone else is lost looking at a 17x11 print.

 

I'd overlooked that sheet.size variable.  Adding that in a corner of our titleblock would indicate scale is off if your holding a 11x17 page and it says 22x34.

 

My question:  Is there a check.plot variable? like creating %box_scale.check_plot% - that would make the macro's match the printed scale vs. sheet.size?  We could then create 2 PDF's for each project 34x22 and 17x11 with all the scales automatically adjusted.  (and sheet.size in the title block so we know the difference.) 

 

 

John.

[Joe_Carrick]

2 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

Graphic Bar Scales should always be placed in the plan views sent to Layout. 

This ensures accuracy in the layout.

Layouts may feature views at varying scales and can be printed on sheets of different sizes.

[ValleyGuy]

1 hour ago, JiAngelo said:

Shayne can you post a picture of your graphic scale bars?

 

Here are the scale bars. 

It seems I have a very simplistic way of dealing with all the scale issues I read about.

In my residential home construction world today, there is only one semi-important point, and one really important point when it comes to printing at scale. 1) I send all things that will be scaled to the layout in increments of what you would find on a scale ruler. This I found isn't really important to too many people as most now are only reading the measurements provided, or working off of a monitor with a cursor type tape measure. Most trades here don't want paper anymore, they just want digital plans sent to them, even the permit office and building suppliers. Putting things to the layout as per scale ruler sizing is more for my OCD and a few out in the field still using a tape on proper sized plans. I actually very rarely even supply any paper copies to my clients. ...times are a changing! 

2) As I only use a layout sheet for 11x17 size, I always Export to PDF using: fit to paper at 100%. Everyone using a commonly found 11x17 printer can print the emailed PDF at 100% and it scales perfectly every time. The odd few that want bigger, print at 200% and get properly scaled 22"x34".

I found that most of the digital world advancement messed up any control that I would have in putting the plans onto paper anyhow. Instead of trying to fight it, I decided to just include a scale bar to control things out on the job site. In the real world, different guys show up with all different sizes of plans with their own doodling and coffee stains, they don't care - they just use their cigarette package and a pen to make a distance that they want from the paper plan they have and hold it up to the scale bar to guess how long it is- easy peasy. All of the important technical measurements are included and any scale measuring is usually for estimating only. The scale bar isn't used that often, or even at all according to some guys.

As far as how readable the the plans are, I have different saved dims and text layers for each SPV, Elevation, X-Section, CAD, Layer set... On my 27" monitor, a 11x17 piece of paper fits almost perfectly to my screen if my library is open and tool bars are present. So what I am looking at on the monitor is the same size of what the printed paper page will look like (at Drawing Scale: fit to page at 100%). If I can't read it on the monitor, I won't be able to read it on the paper - adjust as necessary.