Scale by reference dimension

In AutoCAD, you can select scale by reference using a specific size. For example I have a 297'-5 3/16" line, I want to scale that line down to 8 1/2". Can someone tell me the procedure?

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  • Unknown said:

    In AutoCAD, you can select scale by reference using a specific size. For example I have a 297'-5 3/16" line, I want to scale that line down to 8 1/2". Can someone tell me the procedure?

    This is how I would do it ...

    attach your file as an reference 1:1 world coincendent  to an empty file ( xref in acad speak)

    draw a line in a different colour 8 1/2 " long over the top of your  ref file line... now  from the ref manager scale ref  and choose by points..

    this will allow you to use the the 8 1/2 "line as an acad ref line to determine the shrinking scale needed for the ref file to come down to ...

    then delete your line... and look at the ref manager and it will tell you the actual scale ... I worked it out with calculator at about 1:420 approx. or 35 ft  to the inch

    attach your drawing sheet at the ref scale  to enclose the ref file then merge the ref file  if you want to keep it at true scale it will be odd scale...

    if you want it at a round number scale then attach the ref file at 1:480 ie 40 ft to the inch  your  line wont be  8.5 " but it will fit on paper ( I recon at  approx. 7" -7/16" long)

    sorry imperial sizes are not my strength  we are  metric so its all ratios of mm to meter or fractions  of 1000:1 or 1:1000  so nice round numbers and easy calcs

    Lorys

    Started msnt work 1990 - Retired  Nov 2022 ( oh boy am I old )

    But was long time user V8iss10 (8.11.09.919) dabbler CE  update 16 (10.16.00.80) 

    MicroStation user since 1990 Melbourne Australia.
    click link to PM me 

  • Thank you for your answer, however; the term "reference" I am speaking of is not really a reference that is used in Microstation terms. The scale command in AutoCAD has many variables within the command, one of them is the word "reference" . I want to share a video with you to clarify what I am asking. www.youtube.com/watch

    Thank you
  • Chris
    1. Select the line (and any other elements you want to scale)
    2. Select the Scale command
    3. Change the Method from Active Scale to "3 Points" and check on the Proportional box
    4. identify one end of the line (of a known length) ... snap and datapoint
    5. identify the other end of the same line ... snap and datapoint
    6. in accudraw box, type in desired length 8.5"
    7. accept point .... datapoint

    Brent

    Answer Verified By: Chris Biggs 

  • Unknown said:
    Thank you for your answer, however; the term "reference" I am speaking of is not really a reference that is used in Microstation terms. The scale command in AutoCAD has many variables within the command, one of them is the word "reference" . I want to share a video with you to clarify what I am asking. www.youtube.com/watch

    Thank you

    I knew what you meant  as I now  too speak acad ( been doing tutorials on line of late) , but I am reluctant to alter a real value by scaling,  this way you still have the original real values and when you dimension them they still dimension the true value if you didnt  merge it...and everything else in the original is still relative too...

    Lorys

    Started msnt work 1990 - Retired  Nov 2022 ( oh boy am I old )

    But was long time user V8iss10 (8.11.09.919) dabbler CE  update 16 (10.16.00.80) 

    MicroStation user since 1990 Melbourne Australia.
    click link to PM me 

Reply
  • Unknown said:
    Thank you for your answer, however; the term "reference" I am speaking of is not really a reference that is used in Microstation terms. The scale command in AutoCAD has many variables within the command, one of them is the word "reference" . I want to share a video with you to clarify what I am asking. www.youtube.com/watch

    Thank you

    I knew what you meant  as I now  too speak acad ( been doing tutorials on line of late) , but I am reluctant to alter a real value by scaling,  this way you still have the original real values and when you dimension them they still dimension the true value if you didnt  merge it...and everything else in the original is still relative too...

    Lorys

    Started msnt work 1990 - Retired  Nov 2022 ( oh boy am I old )

    But was long time user V8iss10 (8.11.09.919) dabbler CE  update 16 (10.16.00.80) 

    MicroStation user since 1990 Melbourne Australia.
    click link to PM me 

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