Help switching to inches from mm

[siderus]

I received a drawing that was drawn in metric. I would like to draw in inches on it. I can't seem to get it to change. I changed the drawing units to Arch with inches. I brought in a DIM style that is in inches, actually fractional with " as a suffix. When I dimension something it is in mm with the " after it. What am I missing? I also tried to start a new drawing and copied the drawing to the new file, it worked before i imported the drawing but after, everything was mm again. I used copy with base point to transfer the drawing to the new file. Where else would that be controlled from. Please help I'm in a pickle and need to get this working ASAP.

Thanx in advance. By the was Autocad 2012

[ReMark]

Take a moment and think. It's a scaling issue. 1"=25.4mm. And 1mm=0.03937 inches.

 

By the way, you are using an imperial template file for your new drawing right? Just checking.

Edited May 11, 2012 by ReMark

[siderus]

I have duct that is 200mm Which is just under 8" round. I drew and 8" round elbow in another drawing imported and it was tiny in comparison. I am going to try to rescale based on changing the 200MM to 7.87401" that should straighten me out but is that the correct way? Rescale the whole drawing?

[daft vader]

isnt the drawing 1:1 as everyone is always saying to draw in ? or has it been drawn to scale ?

[ReMark]

Of course the 8" elbow was tiny. You would have had to scale it up by a factor of 25.4 right? Now, where have you seen that number before? Ring any bells?

[ReMark]

isnt the drawing 1:1 as everyone is always saying to draw in ? or has it been drawn to scale ?

We have two drawings each done using different templates; one is metric and the other is imperial.

[ReMark]

Going from metric to imperial.

 

1 mm = 0.03937 in.

 

Convert 500 millimetres to inches: 500mm x 0.03937 = 19.7 inches

 

Now do that for 200 millimetres. What do you get? Answer: 7.874 inches.

 

If you were going from imperial to metric you would multiple by 25.4.

 

Should you be the type of person who wants to draw/dimension objects in units opposite to the one your template is set up to use then I suggest you take a look at a couple of lisp routines that Ellen Finkelstein has posted here...http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/acadblog/switch-between-imperial-and-metric-measurements/

[rkent]

isnt the drawing 1:1 as everyone is always saying to draw in ? or has it been drawn to scale ?

 

The metric drawing was drawn 1:1 while assuming 1 unit = 1mm.

The OP now wants an imperial drawing at 1:1 while assuming 1 unit = 1".

So as Remark has pointed out one must change the size of the objects by a scale factor between the two systems.

[Dadgad]

You may want to check your INSERTION SCALE while you are at it. You can also access this variable by typing UNITS at your commandline, which will call up the drawing units dialog box.

[daft vader]

Remark you said "We have two drawings each done using different templates; one is metric and the other is imperial. "

but I am sure you have said many times before in reply's to other OP's that you must always draw at 1:1 and what you do with in the view point is what changes it .

 

I know am only a beginner and I know you are not and I only ever draw on a metric template so have never tried to do what the OP is requesting, but to me if its been drawn in model space at 1:1 in a metric template but its wanted in imperial template why can't the whole metric drawing just be copied from paper space to the imperial template paper space and it be right, as it was drawn at 1:1 is it not just a case of choosing the correct scale in the view port once there ? ie 1-3" or 1-3feet etc

 

Please explain where I am looking at it wrong kind sir

Edited May 13, 2012 by daft vader

[ReMark]

If I were wrong then AutoCAD would not have BOTH imperial and metric templates.

[Ste1978]

Just select the whole drawing and scale it? Simples!

[Dadgad]

Remark you said

 

Please explain where I am looking at it wrong kind sir

 

It seems counter intuitive, and yes we should draw and model at 1:1.

The program offers metric and Imperial templates, each of which includes scale factors and a dimensional unit bias.

I do not understand why it is done this way either, but the software applies whichever scale the template is based upon, to the items or entities drawn or modeled.

 

A straight line might be saved as a vector of length 1000 units.

If it is inserted into a drawing of a different dimension type (metric versus imperial) then a scaling factor needs to be applied at that time.

Look at post # 9 and you will see that your target scale will be the units in which you are working.

If the units (metric or imperial) of the source drawing are different than the target drawing units the scale factor will be applied, without your having to do it.

This is why it is always a good idea, when starting a new drawing to ensure that you are working on a template of your chosen measurement system.

You can set your default QNEW template as shown in the image, and you should also set your INSERTION SCALE in your user preferences and DRAWING UNITS.

 

FYI if you call him that he may get SIRly

Edited May 14, 2012 by Dadgad

[daft vader]

Thanks Dadcad for your answer, tell me when you are drawing in a imperial template, do you input 1foot 6" OR 1.5 UNITS thats what I do not understand ? prehaps us metric guys have it easier

[Dadgad]

While I was raised and lived in the states for most of 50 years, the work that I do these days is all metric based, and yes it is so much easier.

I can remember talk back when I was in elementary school about our imminent switch to the metric system, which of course never happened.

When working in a dimension style with UNIT FORMAT set as architectural, and you enter a value for a direct entry, it is interpreted as inches.

As I recall there is a way to enter feet directly too, but at the moment I can't recall how to do it.

 

If you entered 1.5 it would be taken as 1 1/2 inches.

[ReMark]

Input would be 1'6" for an imperial drawing set to use architectural units. One could also use 18".

[Dadgad]

Input would be 1'6" for an imperial drawing set to use architectural units. One could also use 18".

 

That was what I thought, and was trying, but as the dimension upon which I tried it was on a metric template, it wouldn't accept that input.

Interesting, thanks for clarifying ReMark.