Convert an Imperial Template to Metric without loss of millimeter accuracy

[TheAlchemist]

I see plenty of answers that say you cannot accurately convert an existing imperial plan to metric without loss of accuracy....but I am trying to figure out if I can convert imperial plan templates and imperial layout templates (blank ones - which do not yet include a design) to metric without creating issues with the accuracy as the deisgn progresses.  

 

I have read that converting existing imperial plans (with walls and designs in them) into metric results in a loss of accuracy as CA rounds down to the nearest fraction of an inch which is less accurate than a millimeter.  I am working with European cabinetry and need millimeter accuracy.  I have access to some great imperial plan templates and layout templates that I could use (to save time from building my own from scratch) if converting them to metric before I start drawing will be accurate to the millimeter.  Otherwise, I need to build my own template from the out-of-the-box CA metric templates which will take time.

[DBCooper]

I don't think so.  A template is really just a plan and even though you have not drawn things like walls, windows, doors, and cabinets, you still have some already stored in the plan as defaults. 

 

The only thing I can think of doing would be to place the defaults you can into a plan, save them in the library, open a new plan in the units you want, place the library objects, and then use the set as default on them.  Might still do some rounding though.  

 

[TheAlchemist]

@DBCooper thank you.  To confirm, if millmeter accuracy is what I am needing, then the best plan is to start with a Metric template and customize it to make my own template? 

[JiAngelo]

I think you have this "loss of accuracy" reversed.  converting from inches to millimeters is accurate as follows

• 1" and 1/2" require 1 decimal place accuracy (25.4mm & 12.7mm specifically.)
• 1/4" requires 2 decimal accuracy, (6.35mm)
• 1/8" requires 3 decimal accuracy (3.175mm)
• 1/16" requires 4 decimal accuracy.  (1.5875mm)

Chief won't let you specify 1/32" accuracy.

 

This image has the red boxes drawn in inches.

 

Converting from millimeters to inches is where accuracy becomes a problem.

This image has the red boxes drawn to 0 decimal place millimeters.

. 

 

Notice the loss of accuracy compared to the first image.

• 25mm doesn't equal 1" -- 25.4mm does.
• 13mm doesn't equal 1/2" -- 12.7mm does.
• 7mm doesn't equal 1/4" -- 6.35mm does.
• 3mm doesn't equal 1/8" -- 3.175mm does.
• 2mm doesn't equal 1/16" -- 1.5875 does..