1/4" and 1/8" scale on one layout - dim size?

[Wolfgang Richter]

hello fellow chiefers,

I have moved the floor plan as usual to the layout in 1/4" scale, but the crawl space foundation I moved over in 1/8" scale. The dimension numbers are hardly legible and so are the door labels.

I ask this question 2 years ago and got an answer from Tim O'Donnell. This was version 10. Highlight the 1/8" plan in layout, and while it is highlighted, double click the dim button and double the number size.

In X1, it does not seem to work any more. Any suggestions?

[gawdzira]

I hope you get a much better response than I am about to give because this sort of thing is killing my workflow.

I have dimensions on different layers for site plan and floor plan. I know I will output the site plan at 1/8 so I make my text and dimensions at 12" as opposed to 6" on the floor plan.

I am hoping this thread will help me change my evil ways.

[spark]

hello fellow chiefers,

I have moved the floor plan as usual to the layout in 1/4" scale, but the crawl space foundation I moved over in 1/8" scale. The dimension numbers are hardly legible and so are the door labels.

I ask this question 2 years ago and got an answer from Tim O'Donnell. This was version 10. Highlight the 1/8" plan in layout, and while it is highlighted, double click the dim button and double the number size.

In X1, it does not seem to work any more. Any suggestions?

Assuming you've got the latest released update (11.4.1.7) and your problem only exists with sending floor plans to layout, you can open the layout box and set the Dimension Number Height to a larger value. This will only affect the layout box. This is only available for views sent from plan.

EDIT: This is also assuming that I added that option in 11.4.1.7 and not 11.5. If the latter is the case, get the 11.5.3 update.

[spark]

Opening Dimension Defaults with the layout box selected did work in 10. Changes were made to make editing more consistent in X1 resulting in the "loss" of this functionality---items are deselected when you click elsewhere in the program. Effectively, you could no longer open dimension defaults for the layout box.

The upshot is Number Height was the only thing that when changed affected the layout box (hence the reason it was added to the layout box specification.)

[gawdzira]

Thank you. I just checked it and I am running 11.4.1.7, it works like a charm.

[gawdzira]

Spark, it sure would be nice if there was a scale factor option for the rest of the text in a layout box.

[Wolfgang Richter]

Thank you, Sarah, for the quick reply and pointing out the new dim change availability in the layout dbx. Forgive me, but sometimes I do not see the trees for the forest any more.
Do you have a solution to increase the size of the door labels?
I have X1.11.5

[spark]

Thank you, Sarah, for the quick reply and pointing out the new dim change availability in the layout dbx. Forgive me, but sometimes I do not see the trees for the forest any more.

Especially when we move the trees on you.

Do you have a solution to increase the size of the door labels?
I have X1.11.5

If there is a better way I wouldn't know. I really only work with dimensions at Chief. You may want to try the Help Article Database. I did a quick search and found one on resizing/changing font for door and window labels.

[WendyWelton]

Sarah,

Very cool. Thank you!

I'm with Wolfgang - would love something similar for the various labels. I will have mutiple layout files for a single plan. The construction documents are at 1/4". I have design sets at 1/8" that do have door and window schedules. It's a real drag continually opening the schedules to change the size of the labels.

[spark]

Sarah,

Very cool. Thank you!

I'm with Wolfgang - would love something similar for the various labels. I will have mutiple layout files for a single plan. The construction documents are at 1/4". I have design sets at 1/8" that do have door and window schedules. It's a real drag continually opening the schedules to change the size of the labels.

Would it be better to have the option(s) to re-scale the text(s) larger when sent to layout or to "not scale" when sent to layout?

[gawdzira]

I think that a good workflow for this would be to have the option to scale all text in the layout box (either up or down). That way, no matter what the scale of the text in the plan file, I would out put to layout the same relative size differences of text but be able to control the printed size in layout.

In most cases I am drawing a plan and outputting 1/4" scale. I am drawing residences and most of them under 2k square feet so 1/4" scale is great. When I send the plan to layout for the site plan I am sending 1/8 scale (now I want to double my text size). If I am working on a kitchen detail plan I might send the kitchen at 1/2" scale (now I want to reduce my text size). Or maybe I am trying to do a presentation on 11x17 and it would work at 3/8 scale?

I know what most of you are thinking, "3/8 scale, is he daffy? An innovator? From Canada?" I am none of those although I lived in B.C. for a year...I am just sleep deprived and over stimulated on Monster energy drinks.

[Wolfgang Richter]

Hello Sarah,
Since you ask the question, to have the option to rescale text up or down similar to the dimension option would be great. It is interesting what gawdzira mentioned about the 1/2" scale kitchen. I did the very same thing yesterday to make a rather crowded kitchen more legible for the cabinet professionals.

Thank you Wendy, for your contribution. I feel honored to get co-input from a guru like you.

[WendyWelton]

Sarah,

I would not use a feature that rescaled all text - too much havoc on formating.

I would use, and would dearly love, a feature that assigned the dimension and/or label sizes to the layout box - or resized just those items to fit the assigned scale of the layout box.

[WendyWelton]

or....

hmmm....

on second thought - I would use text auto sizing if we could override it. I'm picturing the ability to tell individual text whether to be a certain size or to obey the layout box text size setting. I do have certain types of text that I copy, put on a different, layer and resize for my 1/8" and 1/2" - I do my room names manually for instance. For it to be useful the text box would need to resize correctly - not leave a ton of white space and not start wrapping words that didn't used to wrap - arrows would need to stay attached correctly...

[WendyWelton]

Wolfgang,

Thank you, most humbly.

And - you can do what you need in X1. Select the dimensions - open the dbx - put the correct text height size in without the (D). It will now hold that size no matter what you do to the defaults.