Introduction to Annotation Scale

September 29, 2009 By Edwin Prakoso 20 Comments

Annotation scaling was introduced first time on AutoCAD 2008. I love this feature. This feature add benefits to AutoCAD layout. There are some work around AutoCAD users do before this feature exist. But now, presenting our drawing in different scales is very easy and quick. If you are interested to learn this feature, this tutorial will be a nice reading to start. First, what are annotations? Annotations are every object in your drawing which is not a model or geometry. We use it to show dimensions, text as description, symbols, and pattern to show sections, materials, etc. The problem with annotation occurs when you need to represent your drawing in different scales.

Two images above are the same model in different viewport, with different scales. If we draw the model and prepare it to a certain scale, say 1:100, when we need to represent the drawing in 1:200, the text, hatches, and all other annotations will be shown in half size to what we expected. AutoCAD users used to create annotations in layout. But there are some downside. 1. It works for text and dimension, but not for hatches.

2. You may need to create more than one annotation to the same object, if you show them in different viewports. When you need to change the text content, you will have to change them all manually. Sometimes you left some of them unchanged. 3. When you move the viewport, some annotations might be left behind. So, if you have those problems, you may love this feature. Download and open this drawing. We are going to continue using the same drawing. Change your active scale from annotation scale list. Its on your status bar. Change it to 1:100. We are going to set our drawing for 1:100 first.

Now open your dimension style. You should see a style named 1-100 3mm. Right click on it, and rename it to 3 mm. Click modify button on the right side of this dialog box. On the FIT tab, scale for dimension features section, activate annotative.

1. On the Text tab, change text height to 3, offset from dimline to 1. 2. On Symbols and Arrows tab, change arrow size, center marks, and break size to 2.5. Close the dimension style dialog box. You see all your dimension text and arrow too small? Dont worry. We need to update them to apply the changes.

Activate update in dimension panel, annotation tab. When AutoCAD ask you to select object, just type ALL then [enter]. Now you should see your dimension correctly. Now we are going to add another scale to these dimensions. Activate automatically add scales bla..bla..bla in annotation scale group.

Change the annotation scale to 1:200. You should see the dimension size adjusted for 1:200 scale! Turn off the automatically add scales again. Try to change it to 1:50. What happen? Nothing. Open your layout. Select the left viewport border, and change the scale to 1:100. Press [esc] to deselect the viewport. Select the right viewport, and change the scale to 1:200.

Compare the dimension size on those two viewport. Even the viewports have different scales, the dimension size will always be the same! When you plot this sheet, the text in all viewports will be 3mm.

Controlling Annotation Scale Further

September 29, 2009 By Edwin Prakoso 4 Comments

In my previous AutoCAD tutorial, Ive introduced you annotation scaling for dimension. We have added two scales to all of our dimensions automatically. In this post, we will discuss how we use annotation scaling for hatches. We will also discuss how we can control it further. Two questions popped up when I first time learn about annotation scaling: 1. Can we selectively show objects in a certain scales, but not in others? 2. Showing annotation in different scales is great. But sometimes it can obstruct my drawings on relatively large scale. But I need it there in detailed drawings. To answer these questions, lets open our drawing again. Select any wall, right click, and select block editor from context menu. Heres what we are going to do: We want our brick pattern will be not too large in 1:50. And we dont want this pattern shown in 1:200 scale. Lets assume we only use those 3 scales.

First, we need to tell AutoCAD this is how we want it look like in 1:100. Change your annotation scale to 1:100.

Now we need to add annotative behavior to this pattern. Select it, right click, select hatch edit. In the options area, activate annotative.

Click OK to close this dialog. Now try to move your pointer above this pattern, you will see annotative symbol right next your cursor.

Now we need to tell AutoCAD to also show this pattern in 1:50. Select the pattern. Look at your properties palette. If its not opened yet, right click and select properties. In pattern section, click on text field next to annotative scale. You will see button next to it. Click it.

This will open object scale dialog. You will see 1:100 listed here. Click add. Select 1:50 and click OK. Now this pattern will show only in 1:50 and 1:100! This is how you can add scales manually to your annotations. Save this block and close block editor. Turn off annotation visibility. Its the button next to your annotation scale list. Try several scales. You should see your pattern only in 1:50 and 1:100. Try to compare how it looks in your layout, different viewport scale. Now lets back to our dimension. Add some more dimension using 3mm style like this.

Now, heres a challenge. Can you show all dimensions in 1:50, but only some in 1:100?

After you finish, heres the last one on this post. Activate 1:100 viewport. Lets pretend that our dimension too far from our drawing. But we feel its OK for 1:50. Select a dimension. You will see your dimension showing two sizes: On 1:50 and 1:100.

Drag your dimension closer to your drawing. Pay attention to your other viewport while doing this. Its only adjusted in your active viewport, but not in the other scale! Amazing isnt it?

Basically thats all you need to know about annotation scaling. Do you find it interesting? Will you use this feature? If you wont, what are your considerations?