I’m surprised that I have not seen this issue before. I want to set an enlarged detail plan at the scale of 3/8" = 1’-0" in a Layout file. Unfortunately, the available Layout scale references do not include this very specific ratio as an automatic target. I am at a loss as to how to create this scale. Can anyone offer some constructive advice as to how to accomplish this?
I also noticed that there are a few other scale ratios that do not appear as a target in the typical LO scale settings (3/32" = 1’-0", and 1/64" = 1’-0" , for example), so I am curious as to how to create arbitrary scales for LO presentations.
Have you tried creating a custom scale under Edit>Preferences>Scales?
Type in the Paper and Model dimensions and units and click Add Custom Scale. After that it’ll show up in the Scale list.
Sage advice…no pun intended. I may not have much use for the 13/64" or 3 1/2" scale but the standard target features the more popular 3" scale. At least, now I am aware of what I need to do when a custom scale has to be defined.
I’m having a devil of a time with setting up and KEEPING a new Architectural dimension scale. I set one up in Preferences" get it so I can see it (somehow) in Dimension Style, then when I draw a line, dimensions revert back to metric. Aaargh!
There is a difference between your template scale and the Units you are working in. Clikc File - Document Setup - Units to verify if your Units format is set to Inches.
Thanks! Now I just need to get my new scale (3/16"=1’) into dimension style or wherever so I can actually use it in LayOut. I have it set up (I think) in Preferences - Scale.
I suppose it is, but getting to it ? Everything is grayed (inaccessible) and reads Decimal, Meter but dimensions come out in 1/4" =1’ scale. I try opening Dimension style with the arrow pointer, in Dimensions nada. Setting scale and dimensions should be one of the first things but most of the references refer to color, text etc etc etc. This is frustratingly nuts.
In LayOut “viewport”? “Parallel Projection”? ““Pespective Views”? I’m just trying to draw straight lines at scale of 3/16” -1’ I think I’ve fooled with this long enough for today. Back to pencil and paper.
I think you may be trying to finagle LayOut into being something it’s not. It CAN be used to draw at scale, but it is really intended to present 3d models created in SketchUp in a 2D space to allow for annotation, at scale, before printing. All of the tools related to scale and units are created assuming that you will be creating viewports of 3D models.
I can see how, if all you want to do is draw lines in 2D, this would all seem like a lot…
The scale settings only apply to the viewports from SketchUp. As for drawing in LO, it’s all paper space drawing meaning if you are using a scale of 3/8" to the foot and you want to represent something that is 4 feet long, you’ll have to draw a line that is 1-1/2 in. long.
It’s a whole lot easy to do the drawing work in SU at full size and then scale the viewports.
Whew! Seems bass ackwards but I haven’t used a Cad program since AutoCad 12, years ago. It seems more intuitive to draw in 2D to scale and then send it to a modeling(?) viewport in 3D - the idea being to fiddle with a floor plan, then in S.U. raise walls and sink foundations. I’ll give it a go per your instructions tomorrow. (Fried my patience today.) Thanks for your help. Very much appreciated! TheOnly Aaron and DaveR.
Think of LayOut more as the document creation end of the process. Start in SketchUp. Draw everything at 1:1. Draw it in 2D to start if you like and flesh it out to 3D as you want. Make scenes for the various views of the model and save the file. Send it to LayOut to create the pages you want using the scenes for the viewports in LayOut.
And, yes, it is a little different from “traditional” 2D cad. As @DaveR said, LayOut is really designed to display 3D models from SketchUp in 2D space. The drawing tools are really only designed to add information to those 2D drawings. If it feels odd trying to create 2D drawings in Layout, it’s because that was really never the intention!
