Layout needs a simple “set default scale” for the sheet you are working on. Default scale currently is set to full scale but hardly anything is actually drafted in full scale especially architecturally. So everything you are working on would automatically be set to a user selected default scale. Seems like this should have been there from the start as THE most basic 2d drafting parameter but according to the forums it is not a feature. Please this would make layout a useable 2d drafting tool.
Change scale and save as template. Use this template as default. Done.
That didn’t work. I selected 3/4" scale I made a line at scale. I saved it as a template. I opened up a new project and selected my new template but when I entered a line length I sill did it at full scale. Any other ideas?
You can draft and make drawings on layout but it’s not really meant to be used that way, it works together with sketchup where you can create any object on 3D or even 2D drawings, then export to layout and there set the scale of the viewport, and add dimensions, text, hatches and everything you need to create a construction document. Drafting on layout is a bit cumbersome imo, I use to draw everything on sketchup, if the object needs to be scaled even if it’s a simple object, to make objects without a scale and which shape is very simple, sometimes I use the drafting tools on layout. But I’ve never needed the complete page to be fixed with a scale, and I don’t know anyone that uses layout that way, it would be good to know if more people need this feature otherwise it won’t be worth it to do it for the developers.
I’m routinely drawing in Layout and don’t find it cumbersome at all.
My SketchUp models are basic and lightweight and I only model detail in SketchUp if I want to understand complicated arrangements and interfaces.
In Layout I have built up a collection of often used objects to create my condocs – indeed I have pre-drawn details saved in scrapbooks.
Having a default page scale would be useful but would need to allow for other sections of a page that would be at a different scale.
That’s my workflow– it works well for me and of course won’t be suitable for others.
I am guessing you are just trying to start drawing in that new template - but you need to draw within that group for it to be at the same scale.
Steps I would follow:
Open a new drawing.
Start to make a scaled drawing.
Draw a shape.
Save as Template.
Use template to start new drawings.
Double click the lines you drew at scale when you created template.
Draw within this group.
Scale is already set.
Better still is to perhaps use the scrapbook to make different scales and you can just drag them into any drawing you are working on.
And, the best options, as everyone else has noted in your other thread - once you know the basics it is far easier to draw in SketchUp and then use LayOut to dimension / notate your model. SketchUp is designed for design / drawing. LayOut was designed for documentation. The scale in LO is full scale because it relates to the sheet size / fonts / notes / etc. You can certainly draw within LO at scale, but it is within the ‘make scaled drawing’ group - you can have multiple scales on the same page.
LO is a page layout program, not a drafting program.
If you really want to work this way you could think about how the program works.
Here is a file where I started a scale drawing and just traced the margins of a sheet of paper.
Now when I open the file I can double click on this rectangle and start drawing at 3/4" = 1’ scale.
3-4Scale.layout (10.5 KB)
You could do this any number of ways - scrapbooks, multiple templates, etc.
But really, learn the basics of SKP and LO and you will be much more efficient and effective with your designing and drawing.