1 AutoCAD: Secrets Every User Should Know Chapter 6 – Plotting

2 Background

3© 2006 Autodesk Why Are There Two Spaces? To Separate Designing from Plotting  Design in Model Space  Plot from Layouts in Paper Space  Simple

4© 2006 Autodesk Definition – Model Space Drawing Editor Opens Here (TILEMODE =1) Create 2D or 3D Models Geometry Should Be Actual Size Four Equal 3D Viewports in Model Space

5© 2006 Autodesk Definition – Paper Space Lay Out Views Here Can Be Moved, Copied, Stretched, Clipped, Erased Grip Editing Works on Views Multiple Views Multiple Scales Multiple Layouts Irregular Shapes Circular Shapes

6© 2006 Autodesk Definition – Viewports Think of Viewports in a Layout As: Floating Viewports  Not fixed Model Space viewports Or…Floating Model Spaces Or…Holes in the Sheet Through Which You Can See Your Model …Whatever Makes Sense to You

7© 2006 Autodesk Drawbacks of Paper Space Objects in Paper and Model spaces Are Separate  Cannot Be Selected at the Same Time For:  Copying to another drawing  Defining detail blocks  Creating files using WBLOCK  Exporting WMF files  But There Are Ways to Do All of These Things That’s It…

8© 2006 Autodesk Advantages of Paper Space Plotting Multiple Views of 3D Models Plotting Details at Multiple Scales

9© 2006 Autodesk More Advantages Less Time Calculating  Automatic dimension Sizes  Automatic text height  If you do it right  Automatic hatch pattern scaling  Automatic linetype scaling More Consistent Plotting

10© 2006 Autodesk Even More Advantages Move Views But NOT Geometry to Rearrange Sheet Put Multiple Layouts Within One Drawing

11© 2006 Autodesk Even More Advantages Clip Views So That Only Part of Them Plot

12© 2006 Autodesk Even More Advantages Freeze Layers by Viewport on Single Sheet

13© 2006 Autodesk Even More Advantages Store Plotting Information With the Drawing  Saves time  Improves consistency Copy Layouts from One Drawing into Another  DesignCenter  Right-click Layout tab Use Layouts in Sheet Sets

14 Preparation

15© 2006 Autodesk Preparation – Create Template 1.Define a full-sized border for each sheet size 2. Set Text STYLE Height = 0 3. Create dimstyles with “Scale Dimensions to Layout” 4. Set LTSCALE, CELTSCALE, and PSLTSCALE = 1 5. Create separate layers for:  Dimensions and detail dimensions  Hatch patterns and detail hatch patterns  Text  Viewports – non-plot, or off (don’t freeze irregular)

16© 2006 Autodesk What to Put Where Model Space  All Geometry (Visible, Hidden, Center)  2D Dimensions (After Setting Up a Layout!)  Hatches (After Setting Up a Layout!)  Text Associated Directly With the Model Paper Space (Layout)  Title Block and Border  General Annotation – Notes, BOM, Revisions  3D Dimensions if SOLPROF or SOLDRAW  Multiple Viewports With Model Space Views  Raster-Based Images for Logos

17© 2006 Autodesk What to Put Where?

18© 2006 Autodesk Why Dims in Model Space? Not too big a deal, because CHSPACE is a command now! Easy to transfer back and forth, but if dims are in Model Space they: Can Always Be Moved with Associated Objects Always Reflect Actual Dimension - Even 3D Parts if Dimensions Are Placed on Model

19© 2006 Autodesk Why Dims in Model Space? QDIM Won’t Work in Paper Space Details with Dimensions Can Be Defined as Blocks Phantom Features Can Be Dimensioned (Interior Walls) DIMREGEN Not Required for Dims in Model Space No Need for DIMREASSOCIATE Open Older Drawings DIMASO=1, DIMASSOC=1

20© 2006 Autodesk Paper Space Dimensions OK? Sure – Many People Put Them There 3D Models – May Be Better in Paper Space  DIMASSOC Must Be Set to 2  Older Drawings Set to 1  DIMREGEN After Scroll/pan with Mouse Wheel Use CHSPACE to Move Dimensions If Necessary  Paper Space  Model Space  Model Space  Paper Space

21 Overview of Procedure

22© 2006 Autodesk The Big Picture 1. Create Full Size Geometry in Model Space 2. Create Layouts in Paper Space 3. Place Dimensions, Hatches, and Notes

23 Step by Step

24© 2006 Autodesk Paper Space in Detail 1.Template: proper text, dimstyles, table styles Text Height = 0 DIMSCALE = 0 Don’t use name “Standard” 2. Create geometry with NO dimensions or hatches 3. Switch to Paper Space 4. Set up the layout with Pagesetup  Select plotter  Plot style table  Sheet size

25© 2006 Autodesk Paper Space in Detail 5. Select a plotter (after defining at least one) 6. Select a plot-style table 7. Select a paper size 8. Make sure you're plotting at 1:1 for Imperial Metric should be 1:25.4 for U.S. paper sizes Automatic if MEASUREMENT = 1

26© 2006 Autodesk Paper Space in Detail 9. Insert a full-size border and title block  May be affected by insert units! 10. Modify existing viewport  Non-plot layer 11. Add other floating viewports for details 12. Create appropriate plot scales for each Viewports toolbar Zoom XP

27© 2006 Autodesk Paper Space in Detail 13. Lock the display of each viewport (not the layer) 14. Create a dimension layer for each viewport

28© 2006 Autodesk Paper Space in Detail 15. Freeze layers by viewport 16. Add dimensions to each viewport

29© 2006 Autodesk Paper Space in Detail 17. Add hatches the same way (scale to layout)

30© 2006 Autodesk Paper Space in Detail 18. Add general annotation in Paper Space 19. Control 3D display using MVIEW 20. Place all viewports on non-plot layer 21. Use VPLAYER or drop-down list to manage visibility 22. Do a plot pre-view 23. Add more layouts by right-clicking

31 Other Considerations

32© 2006 Autodesk Other Considerations Layout Wizard – But You Need to Understand Non-Rectangular Viewports – Pline, Region, Circle  MVIEW, VPCLIP, or Viewports Toolbar

33© 2006 Autodesk Other Considerations Different Drawings on One Sheet – XREF  Warehouse Floor – Model Space

34© 2006 Autodesk More Considerations Switching Among Viewports – Ctrl-R VPLAYER  Freeze a New Layer in Existing Viewports  Freeze Some Layers in All Viewports Plot Stamp – From Plot Dialog Box OPTIONS – Display  Create New Layouts With NO Default MVIEW

35© 2006 Autodesk More Considerations Selecting Irregular Viewports - Two Objects Selected: Viewport and Mask  Freezing Viewport Layer Removes Mask  OSNAPS Reach Through Mask

36© 2006 Autodesk Other Considerations PSVPSCALE 0 for Zoom Extents 1 for Zoom 1XP 0.1 for Zoom.1XP 1/48 for ¼”=1’ PSTYLEMODE 0 for Named Plot Style, 1 for Color Plot Style

37© 2006 Autodesk Other Considerations Conventional Breaks

38© 2006 Autodesk Other Considerations Conventional Breaks

39© 2006 Autodesk Other Considerations Conventional Breaks

40© 2006 Autodesk Other Considerations UCS  Z or DVIEW  Twist

41© 2006 Autodesk Publish

42© 2006 Autodesk Publish

43© 2006 Autodesk Sheet Sets

44© 2006 Autodesk Plot Style Table Editor

45© 2006 Autodesk Other Applications Raster vs. Vector

46© 2006 Autodesk WMFOUT or DWF Plot WMFOUT - Select Objects DWF - ePlot