Printing from Ac8.1

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain how to print a portion (8.5 x 11) of a 24x36, 2d drawing directly, at scale, from AC8.1 to a laserjet printer? As I am creating a drawing, I would like to be able to print tests of various areas so that I can see pen weights are appropriate and the drawing is reasonably readable. At this time am not concerned about hatches or fills. Would like to stay in AC, but maybe needs to be done in PM. The closest I have been able to come is to use the marquee tool, but it is not to scale, and I don't think the pen weights/text are as I set/expected.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Hi David,

David wrote:
Can someone explain how to print a portion (8.5 x 11) of a 24x36, 2d drawing directly, at scale, from AC8.1...

Set your scale and display options correct (for pen weight, fill display and so on). Click on the %-button at the bottom of the plan view and move around your drawing so that you see what you want to have printed out in the plan view. Also, try to stretch the plan view's window to have about the same ratio (w x ht) as your paper size (you might have to go a bit back and forth between Print dialogue and plan view to adjust it depending on your selection i print dialogue box).

Then all you have to do is go set paper size and layout direction + go under the ArchiCAD print sub menu in the print dialogue box to then set "Entire drawing" or "Current view only" + "Scale options" (see attached pict.)

Good luck

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the tip. My problem is that my original drawing was created at a scale that is 1/12th the scale I thought it was. Anyone have any ideas on how to rescale an AC8.1 file that was created by merging an AutoCad Land Development drawing that uses a different type of scaling methodology. Regardless of the drawing scale that I specify, a measured line is 12 times longer than it is supposed to be. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Link]

It's the same problem as here right?: http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=5111

You need to reimport the DWG. Hopefully you used XREF Management - simply detach the current DWG and attach it again with the correct drawing units (1 foot). Otherwise you will have to do it manually, by deleting the DWG and bringing back in. Either way I would back up first and use XREF Management to bring it back in, if practical.

(Hey Susan - good to see you again. Merry Chritsmas and please pass on my regards to Ben!)

Cheers,
Link.

[Anonymous]

Am I correct in thinking that any work that I have done in AC8.1 (i.e. relayering) to the original dwg will be lost?

[Anonymous]

Link wrote:
You need to reimport the DWG. Hopefully you used XREF Management - simply detach the current DWG and attach it again with the correct drawing units (1 foot). Otherwise you will have to do it manually, by deleting the DWG and bringing back in. Either way I would back up first and use XREF Management to bring it back in, if practical..

Link is right about bringing in DWGs from people who use decimal feet by changing the drawing units to 12 inches. And you should always check that the drawing came in at the right scale before you do any work on it. I have a feeling that you did not use XREF management to bring it in and have moved things around.

If I'm not using XREF Management, I never really worry about what scale a DXF or DWG comes in at anymore, even though I try to set the drawing units properly. You can waste lots of time trying to figure out what scale something came in at with many possible scenarios.

As long as there is one known dimension in the drawing you can:

1. Make sure all of the DWGs layers are visible (nothing else)
2. Activate the Arrow tool and Select All
3. Chose Edit/Resize
4. In the Resize Dialog box check Define graphically as well as the remaining 4 Options.

5. Click at one end of the object of known length (I believe you mentioned a 48' object showing up as 4") (it could be a dimension string)

6. Click at the other end of the object of known length(in your case the "R" value in the coordinate box should read 4')

7. Without moving the mouse, type R, type 48 (length of object), hit the Enter key (Return on a Mac)

The entire DWG is now properly scaled and the work you have already done not lost (changing layers)

I even use this trick if I bring in an image (gif, tiff, jpeg) of a plan I would like to trace over.

Woody

[Djordje]

woodster wrote:
As long as there is one known dimension in the drawing you can:

Don't forget to switch the grouping off/ungroup first ...