Is an automatic scale bar possible on layouts?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I have been searching past threads for any topics relating to a scale bar that updates according to the scale of the drawing that has been placed on the layout. I have had no luck in finding a working solution.

Does anybody know whether this is indeed possible using the AC_OriginalDrawingScale Variable?

I am able to create an object that displays the scale as a string. Is it possible to convert this into something that can be used in if statements to then create the appropriate scale bar?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Jarrod Phillips

[Piotr Dobrowolski]

Are You trying to make it as a drawing description marker or just an object to be placed on the viewpoint and then saved to view?

Piotr

[Anonymous]

Hello Piotr,

Thanks for the response. I am trying to create an object that is simply placed on a layout (or master layout if possible) as an object that picks up the placed drawing scale from the title block and displays the correct scale bar. So basically I would have a bunch of if statements saying if the scale is 1:50 then draw the 1:50 scale bar etc. My issue is in turning the string that I get from the AC_OriginalDrawingScale Variable into something the if statements can recognise.

I hope this makes sense.

Thanks in advance,

Jarrod

[Barry Kelly]

Layouts and masters themselves have no scale - they are 1:1.
The drawings (views) you place on the layouts do have a scale and the drawing title can reference this.
However any object you place on the layout or master will have no reference to the drawings (views) you have placed, so therefore will have no idea what scale they are.

Only the 'Drawing Title' in the drawing settings can reference the scale of the placed drawing.

So you would need to create a drawing title object with a scale bar - if that is possible.
I am not sure as I never use drawing titles.


Or you need to create a standard object that you can place in the Archicad model for each view (plan, elevation, section, etc.).
This can reference the scale of that view and can adjust automatically as you adjust the scale.
So even multiple views saved with different scales should show the correct scale bar.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

I think that what Jarrod is looking for should be feasible.
We already have the ability to create an automatic text than can find the scale of every drawings placed on a layout and display them (see attached picture).

The question is what is the name of the variable used by the automatic text and can we use it in a GDL object?
If yes, it would definitely be really useful.

Johan

[Anonymous]

The answer was on the GDL Center : you cannot read or use any autotext variable in GDL, so you won't be able to use the <DRAWINGSCALE> variable in an IF statement...

So it looks like it won't be feasible without using the method proposed by Barry.

[Karl Ottenstein]

In the USA / North American library, for years we had an NCS drawing title that included a scale. I just verified that the object from the AC 14 library does (mostly) work in 23 - image attached.

That NCS Drawing Title 14 responds to the width of the drawing as well as the scale. The settings for the Graphic Scale are under a parameter panel titled "Additional Data" as seen in the second screenshot. The NCS Drawing Title 23 does NOT have the scale bar as an option. I really can't see why this was eliminated.

I didn't take the time to see when, between version 14 and now, the Graphic Scale was eliminated. Just opened an old archive that happened to be from 14. The only issue with using this AC 14 object in 23 is that the scale text position parameters don't work properly, so it isn't possible to slightly drop the scale below the horizontal title line as it was previously. Probably an easy fix.

Should I check with Graphisoft to see if I'm allowed to post this object here? (And, maybe I'll search all old libraries to find the most recent version that includes the scale.)

[Karl Ottenstein]

So, this is weird... likely a bug? The Graphic Scale is part of the (USA) NCS Drawing Title 23 as seen in the attached image.. which was obtained by using a pre-created Favorite for the Drawing Tool delivered with the default USA template.

What seems like a bug, is that there are no visible parameters to make the scale appear or not appear, or to alter it's appearance. I looked at the code and indeed the Additional Data (and other parameter blocks) have been disabled for some reason, although all code to use them is there. Will report.

Anyway... for the original poster - yes, a title object can display a dynamic scale bar... and I'll also ask if I can share this object here to make it available to non-USA customers.

[Lingwisyer]

If you go for a scale bar that scales with a view, you just convert glob_scale into the relevant factors.

In regards to using a drawing title, you should probably use ac_drawingScale over ac_originalDrawingScale as this will prevent miss labelling if someone decides to magnify a view for whatever reason.



Ling.


Edit: updated object

[David Maudlin]

Karl wrote:
What seems like a bug, is that there are no visible parameters to make the scale appear or not appear, or to alter it's appearance.

What I see for NCS Drawing Title 23: Drawing Settings > Drawing Title > Title Content - Back Referencing and Additional Data > Show Additional Data > select Graphic Scale, which enables pen and font controls.

David