Figure Tool: Place drawijng at a given scale

[Anonymous]

The Figure Tool would be much improved if there was the option to open and place drawings at a given percentage of the original drawing.

We place detailed, scaled drawings into ArchiCAD via the Figure Tool. Each time I must go through a trial and error process to get the scale of the drawing to match the scale of the ArchiCAD project.
Currently, the only option is to change the feet and inches. It would speed this process if we could set a scale for the figure tool at a percent of the origiunal drawing's size. That way once we find the percentage we could use that for all of our placed drawings.

Thank you,
John

[Rob]

...and possibility to lock X and Y while editing on plan, so the aspect ratio will stay fixed when resizing it by the corner.

[Ben Odonnell]

johncassel wrote:
We place detailed, scaled drawings into ArchiCAD via the Figure Tool.

John,
I'd really like to hear the process you use to get scaled images. What program do you use? How accurate is it? I have never been able to get a rasterized image to be exactly 100% to scale.

Thanks.
Ben

[Anonymous]

Ben wrote:
I'd really like to hear the process you use to get scaled images. What program do you use? How accurate is it? I have never been able to get a rasterized image to be exactly 100% to scale.
Ben

Ben,
I am only using these drawings as an underlay as a guide for creating an accurate model in ArchiCAD. The first step is to put a graphic scale on the drawing. Next the scaled drawing is scanned using a Mustek 11"x17" scanner. You can buy the Mustek ScanExpress A3 USB on Amazon for $156 and they pay for the shipping.

If the drawing is larger than 11"x17" I open it in Photoshop and paste the scans together into one large image. I allow for a good bit of overlap as the edges of the scan are sometimes not as accurate as the main body of the scan. Registration here is a bit of trick that takes a bit of doing. Photoshop is a good tool for rotating the drawing so that the vertical lines are at 90 degrees.

The drawing is saved as a tiff and placed into ArchiCAD using the Figure Tool. Next is the process of getting the placed drawing to scale. I use the line tool to measure the graphic scale and resize the placed drawing in the info bar.

What I'm asking for from ArchiCAD is the ability to use the figure tool to place drawings at a given percentage instead of the feet and inch size for the placed drawing.

formZ allows for placing a drawing at a given percentage of the original drawing. This way I only need to determine the percentage once for all of my placed drawings. AutoCAD has a feature that allows the user to resize a placed drawing by measuring the graphic scale on the drawing. Either of these methods are faster that the trial and error method that I presently use to place scaled drawings in ArchiCAD.

Thank,
John

[Aaron Bourgoin]

I'll follow up this post with a bit more trial and error, but it seems to me that the jpeg import is affected by the Zoom factor on screen. If it is set to 100%, the results are more reliable.

I have also been trying to cut fenced areas from Acrobat files and paste them into ArchiCAD. In this case, the zoom at both ends seems to have some effect.

Food for thought. I'll try and respond with a more systematic comment.

[Ben Odonnell]

johncassel wrote:

Ben wrote:
I'd really like to hear the process you use to get scaled images. What program do you use? How accurate is it? I have never been able to get a rasterized image to be exactly 100% to scale.
Ben

Ben,
I am only using these drawings as an underlay as a guide for creating an accurate model in ArchiCAD. The first step is to put a graphic scale on the drawing. Next the scaled drawing is scanned using a Mustek 11"x17" scanner. You can buy the Mustek ScanExpress A3 USB on Amazon for $156 and they pay for the shipping.

If the drawing is larger than 11"x17" I open it in Photoshop and paste the scans together into one large image. I allow for a good bit of overlap as the edges of the scan are sometimes not as accurate as the main body of the scan. Registration here is a bit of trick that takes a bit of doing. Photoshop is a good tool for rotating the drawing so that the vertical lines are at 90 degrees.

The drawing is saved as a tiff and placed into ArchiCAD using the Figure Tool. Next is the process of getting the placed drawing to scale. I use the line tool to measure the graphic scale and resize the placed drawing in the info bar.

What I'm asking for from ArchiCAD is the ability to use the figure tool to place drawings at a given percentage instead of the feet and inch size for the placed drawing.

formZ allows for placing a drawing at a given percentage of the original drawing. This way I only need to determine the percentage once for all of my placed drawings. AutoCAD has a feature that allows the user to resize a placed drawing by measuring the graphic scale on the drawing. Either of these methods are faster that the trial and error method that I presently use to place scaled drawings in ArchiCAD.

Thank,
John

John,
Thank you for your very detailed explination. Muchly appreciated. I'll have to give it a go myself.
Cheers.
Ben

[Anonymous]

I only would second the motion. Placing topo drawings, or sketches onto topos, or any other imports could be much easier.