Let’s talk about AutoCAD’s annotation scale, one of the most underutilized features within AutoCAD. Do not underestimate the power of this feature. It helps you keep consistent and readable annotations in your drawings—no matter the object size or the viewport scale.
When creating annotations (like text, dimensions and hatches), you set specific sizes based on the intended paper size or scale. These annotations may end up being too big or too small, making them hard to understand. This could happen when adjusting the viewport scale, printing to different paper sizes or creating different views.
What does the annotation scale work with? Text (all types), dimensions, multileaders, hatches, blocks, block attributes, tables and linetype scale.
The Status bar and ribbon have most of the tools needed for working with annotation scale.
Step 1: Use the Annotation Scale List
The first step in using annotation scale is to set up the drawing with the desired annotation scales. The good news is that AutoCAD, by default, supplies many of the common drafting scales.
From the Annotation Scale list (Status bar) menu, select Custom. Note that the checkmark in the list shows the current scale. Use the Edit Drawing Scales dialog to add, delete and rearrange the scales.
Set each scale with a name, which is how it will appear in the list. Then set its paper and drawing units to the desired scale.
Tip: Use templates (DWT) to store your annotation scales, making the list available to all new drawings.
Step 2: Configure your Styles
The various AutoCAD styles—the ones setting the default appearance and behavior of the annotation objects—give you the option of making the style annotative.
This includes text styles, whereby enabling Annotative you then set the paper text height. AutoCAD multiplies this by the annotative scale factor. You can, however, continue to use a text height of zero, meaning you set the text height as you create it. AutoCAD then applies the annotative scale to the active text height.
Enable Annotative to set your dimensions (all style values) to multiply by the scale factor. Do this as opposed to setting a fixed scale.
When you make a block annotative, the block automatically scales by the applied scale factor. Additionally, enable Match block orientation to layout when you want the block to align with the coordinate system (UCS) of the layout.
You can probably see a trend by now. When you make the style annotative, the object then scales appropriately with the active scale factor. Here you can see the process of adding a hatch and using the annotative scale to set the size.
Note the symbol that appears when you hover over an annotative object. When two symbols appear, multiple scales apply to the object.
Step 3: Model Space Put Into Action
Before setting the scale, consider enabling Automatically Add Scales to Annotative Objects When Scale Changes. When this option is enabled, AutoCAD automatically adds the scale to annotative objects as you change the annotation scale.
When working in Model Spade, set the current scale by selecting it from the list in the Status bar. If annotative objects do not have the current scale and Automatically Add is not enabled, the objects may disappear from the view. But there’s no need to panic.
Use Annotation Visibility to manage the display of the annotative objects. When this option is enabled, the objects display even if they do not have the current scale. This is useful to help find objects that are missing from the current scale. It can also help you manage the display of objects at various scales.
With existing objects or if you are working without Automatically Add enabled, you can add (and remove) scales from objects.
The right-click menu supplies convenient access to applying and deleting the current scale and accessing the Annotation Object Scale dialog. Additionally, adjust this via the Annotative Scale options in the Properties palette. Make it Annotative (if not already enabled) and then manage the applied scales with the Annotation Object Scale dialog.
When you are plotting a drawing and the plot scale does not match the active annotation scale, AutoCAD prompts you to confirm that you want to continue. This is a reminder to adjust the plot scale and/or annotation scale to match. You want your drawings to plot correctly.
Yes, AutoCAD’s annotation scale works with linetype scale. When working in model space, first use LTSCALE (you will have to type it) to set the global linetype scale. Then adjust the MSLTSCALE system variable to 1, allowing AutoCAD to scale the linetype scale by the annotation scale.
Tip: You may need to regen the drawing after adjusting the annotation scale for the linetype scale to refresh.
Step 3: Paper Space Layouts Put Into Action
Using annotation scale within paper space is like working in model space. The main difference is using the viewport scale to also set the annotation scale.
Whether using annotation scale or not, start by using PAGESETUP to set up the sheet. Then create the required viewports to properly document your drawing.
As you set the viewport scale, you should notice that although you are using different scales, the size of annotations is constant throughout. Why? That is the power of annotation scale.
In this example, notice the dimension size and text size (like “FAMILY ROOM”) are the same, although the two viewports are scaled differently.
Just as when working in model space, if objects disappear as you adjust the scale, it’s because you do not have the Automatically Add Scales and/or Annotation Visibility options enabled. The current scale is not applied to the object and it disappears from the view.
If changing the scale and the annotations does not appear to scale with the change, it’s because the new scale is not applied to the objects. Either enable the Automatically Add Scales option before adjusting the viewport scale or apply the scale to the objects afterward.
Paper space is where you will see blocks; those with match block orientation to layout enabled orient to the rotation of the layout.
Here, the UCS is rotated in the viewport. Then the viewport-orientated plan is rotated to the UCS. Notice that the graphical scale block stays horizontal.
Step 4: Working with Annotatively Scaled Objects
When you select an annotatively scaled object, AutoCAD presents a version of the object at each applied scale. You can reposition the object according to the scale. Select the object and use its grips to move it to the desired position for the viewport and/or scale. The position of the annotative object does not change in other viewports or at different scales.
In this example, I adjust the position of the dimension, change the active scale, adjust the position of the instance and then set the scale back to the original.
Obviously, you could quickly create instances of objects all over the place. Fortunately, AutoCAD provides ANNORESET to reset all instances of the object to the base location. In the ribbon, it is labeled as Sync Scale Positions, while in the right-click menu it is called Synchronize Multiple-scale Positions. You can always type it, too. Regardless of how you access it, the instance you select becomes the base for the other instances to synchronize with.
When in model space or in paper space, the annotate ribbon tab and layout ribbon tab, respectively, provide easy access to the Annotation Scaling toolset. Use these commands to add or delete the current scale, access the Scale List and Annotation Object Scale dialogs and synchronize locations.
AutoCAD Mechanical
If you are an AutoCAD Mechanical user, you can use the Scale Areas (AMSCAREA) command. Use this to define rectangular and circular areas in model space each with its own scale and to set scales different from that of model space.
With Scale Areas, you have two options:
- Length scaling helps you when you are changing the size of the geometry by keeping the annotations the same size.
- Text scaling lets you keep the drawing the same size but change the size of the annotations.