CBCL Limited

Annotation Scaling Tutorial

CBCL Design Management & Best CAD Practices

2012 REV. 01 Aug. 2012

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 CBCL Limited AutoCAD Tutorial

Creating and Modifying Annotation Scaling

Contents
1. What Annotation Scaling is and its Benefits
2. Types of Annotative Objects
3. Creating Annotative Objects
4. Assigning Multiple Annotation Scales to Objects
5. Positions of Annotative Objects
6. Related Commands and System Variables

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1. What Annotation Scaling is and its Benefits
Annotation Scaling is a quick method to automatically scale annotation objects so their size
appears correct and uniform when plotted.

Before the introduction of Annotation Scaling, annotation objects like text and dimensions had
to have either multiple versions of their respective styles defined for all types of scale factors,
or, the user had to do the math and assign a physical size when creating annotation objects
for each required scale.

Annotation Scaling also prevents the need to duplicate notations and dimensions which reduce
the risk of errors. In other words, if an annotation object (like MText or Dimensions) need to
appear multiple times for different scale factors, the annotation only has to be created once!

Look at the graphic example below. Shown are two viewports each representing the same
object with one viewport scaled at 1:5, and the other scaled at 1:1. All the dimensions shown
are annotative, which have been assigned their respective scales when created, and will only
appear within the viewports for those scale factors. To prevent duplication, the linear 50
dimension and reference tag triangle are single objects with both the 1:1 and 1:5 annotations
scales assigned to it. You will notice they are the exact same size.

To recap, Annotation Scaling:

Creates annotation objects quickly for whatever scale needed
Prevents defining multiple styles for different annotation objects
Prevents duplications of similar annotation objects, thus, reducing errors

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2. Types of Annotative Objects
Annotation Scaling can be pre-assigned to the following types of objects:
Text
MText
Dimensions
Multileaders
Blocks & Block Attributes
Hatch Patterns

Annotation Scale factors can be assigned to either the objects type style, or as an override to
the object (note: Annotation scaling overrides cannot be assigned to blocks)

Below are graphic examples of where annotation scaling is assigned in their respective styles

Text and MText Annotation is assigned to Text and MText via the STYLE command. As
you can see in the graphic below, the two steps needed to make Text
and MText annotative to check on the Annotative check-box, and
assign the plotted Paper Text Height (eg. 2.50mm)

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 Types of Annotative Objects (contd))]

Dimensions Annotation is assigned to dimensions via the DIMSTYLE or DDIM

commands. As you can see in the graphic below, you must click on the
Fit tab and to check on the Annotative check-box

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 Types of Annotative Objects (contd))]

Multileaders Annotation is assigned to Multileaders via the MLEADERSTYLE

command. As you can see in the graphic below, you must click on the
Leader Structure tab and to check on the Annotative check-box.

Blocks Annotation is assigned to Blocks via the BLOCK command when defining a
block. As you can see in the graphic below, you must check on the Annotative
check-box.

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 Types of Annotative Objects (contd))]

Attributes Annotation is assigned to Block Attributes via the DDATTDEF command.

As you can see in the graphic below, you must check on the Annotative
check-box, and a plotted text height must also be assigned (eg. 2.50mm)

Hatch Patterns Annotation is assigned to Hatch Patterns via the BHATCH command.
As you can see in the graphic below, you must check on the Annotative
check-box.

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3. Creating Annotative Objects
When creating an annotative object, the Annotation Scale must set first.

In the bottom-right corner of AutoCADs drawing status bar, you will see the Annotation Scale
menu (See the graphic example below). Simply click on it to activate the pop-up menu, and
select the desired scale.

After the Annotation Scale has been set, every annotation type object created will now be
scaled properly. For example, if an annotation scale factor of 1:5 has been set, any annotative
MText that has been set with a plotted text height of 2.50mm will be scaled correctly when
created. In other words, the MText will have a physical height of 12.50mm, but will plot at
2.50mm when it appears inside a Viewport scaled at 1:5.

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4. Assigning Multiple Annotation Scales
As mentioned previously, one of the benefits of using Annotation Scaling is to prevent
duplication of annotation objects.

In the past, if a note or dimension had to appear more than once on a drawing for different
scales, it was either copied and scaled, or assigned to a style with predefined settings for
certain scales. This method was time consuming and created the risk for errors (ie. The notes
for one scale may be changed, but the copied version for the other scale may note)

If an Annotation Object (like MText) needs multiple scale factors assigned, there are various
ways to do it.

OBJECTSCALE Command: To add additional Annotation Scales to multiple annotation

objects, enter the command OBJECTSCALE, and after the desired objects are
selected, the Annotation Object Scale dialog box will appear listing what
Annotation Scales have already been assigned (see graphic below)

After the dialog box appears, click the Add button, and the Add Scales to Object dialog box
will appear. To select multiple scales, hold down the Ctrl key, select the desired scales, and
then click the OK button, and then click the OK button to close the first dialog box.

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Assigning Multiple Annotation Scales (contd))]

Right-Click Menu: To add the current Annotation Scale to a selection of objects, do the
following:
1. Enter the command ANNOALLVISIBLE and set it to a value of 1 (so all annotative
objects become visible regardless of the annotation scale)
2. With the cursor, click on the annotation objects to add scales to
3. Right-click the mouse, and from the pop-up menu, click on the Annotative Object
Scale fly-out menu and select Add Current Scale

See graphic example below

Properties Menu: To add the current Annotation Scale to a selection of objects, do the
following:
1. Enter the command ANNOALLVISIBLE and set it to a value of 1 (so all annotative
objects become visible regardless of the annotation scale)
2. With the cursor, click on the annotation objects to add scales to.
3. Right-click the mouse, and from the pop-up menu, select Properties
4. In the Properties Manager, under the Misc category, click on the Annotative Scale
and select the [C] menu.
5. The Annotation Object Scale dialog box will appear, click the Add button, and the
Add Scales to Object dialog box will appear. To select multiple scales, hold down the
Ctrl key, select the desired scales, and then click the OK button, and then click the OK
button to close the first dialog box.
See graphic example below

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5. Positions of Annotative Objects
As mentioned in the previous topic, annotative objects can have multiple annotative scales
assigned. Because of this, annotative objects need to be flexible so they can have
independent locations.

For example, when creating an annotative dimension object for two separate annotation
scales, the dimension can be close to the object for one scale, but may need to be pulled away
from the object for another scale because the text height and arrowheads may obscure the
object being dimensioned.

To do this, simply click on the dimension object, click on one of the grips at the end of a
dimension arrow, and then drag the dimension with the cursor away from the object until the
location looks reasonable

See the graphic below

It is always best to manipulate the positions of annotative objects by using their grip handles. If
a command like the MOVE command was used, the location for all the annotative objects
would also move regardless of its scale.

Below is another example of changing the location of annotative objects independently of its
assigned annotative scales.

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 Positions of Annotative Objects (contd..)]

There may be times where an annotative object must retain its location for all of its assigned
annotative scales.

In the graphic example below, we see a series of houses labelled with their civic addresses
that have two different annotation scales assigned. One of the civic addresses labels has been
moved from its location and no longer has the same position as its other annotation scale.

To easily relocate the annotative object with the incorrect position, simply do the following:
1. Set the annotation scale current that represents the correct position.
2. Enter the command ANNORESET, and when prompted, select the incorrect annotative
objects.

See the graphic example below for the results:

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6. Related Commands and System Variables
Below in alphabetical order is a list of commands and system variables (aka sysvars) which
aid in viewing, creating, and controlling annotative objects.

ANNOALLVISIBLE: Hides or displays annotative objects that do not support the current
annotation scale.

0 Only annotative objects that support the current scale representation are displayed
1 All annotative objects are displayed

Below is a graphic example

ANNOALLVISIBLE = 0 ANNOALLVISIBLE = 1

ANNOALLVISIBLE can be toggled On or OFF by clicking its icon located at the system tray at
the bottom of the AutoCAD window.

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Related Commands and System Variables (contd)]
ANNOAUTOSCALE: Like the OBJECTSCALE command, ANNOAUTOSCALE adds
annotation scales to annotative objects. The difference is that instead of adding annotation
scales to objects manually, they are added automatically to all annotative objects.

In a nutshell, when ANNOAUTOSCALE is turned ON, and when an annotation scale is then
set current, all annotative objects in the drawing will have the current annotation scale
assigned.

ANNOAUTOSCALE can be toggled ON or OFF by clicking its icon located at the system tray
at the bottom of the AutoCAD window.

In addition to ANNOAUTOSCALE having a system tray toggle, the command itself allows for
several methods of when annotation scales are added to annotative objects.

See below for all settings available

1 Adds the newly set annotation scale to annotative objects that support the current scale except
for those on layers that are turned off, frozen, locked or that are set to Viewport > Freeze.

-1 ANNOAUTOSCALE is turned off, but when turned back on is set to 1.

2 Adds the newly set annotation scale to annotative objects that support the current scale except
for those on layers that are turned off, frozen, or that are set to Viewport > Freeze.

-2 ANNOAUTOSCALE is turned off, but when turned back on is set to 2.

3 Adds the newly set annotation scale to annotative objects that support the current scale except
for those on layers that are locked.

-3 ANNOAUTOSCALE is turned off, but when turned back on is set to 3.

4 Adds the newly set annotation scale to all annotative objects that support the current scale.

-4 ANNOAUTOSCALE is turned off, but when turned back on is set to 4.

NOTE: ANNOAUTOSCALE should only be used occasionally when needed. Otherwise, if left
toggled ON, every annotative object will have annotation scales added each time an
annotation scale is set current causing the file size of drawing to increase as well as reducing
performance.

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Related Commands and System Variables (contd)]
ANNOUPDATE: Updates existing annotative objects to match the current properties of their
styles

When a non-annotative text object is updated to an annotative text style, the object becomes
annotative and supports the current annotation scale.

If the text style has a fixed Paper Height, the object is set to that height. If the text styles Paper
Height is set to 0, the size of the text does not change. The Paper Height value is inferred by
dividing the model height by the current annotation scale.

Below is a graphic example.

CANNOSCALE: Sets the name of the current annotation scale for the current space

The easiest and most common method to set an annotation scale current is to click on the
annotation scale menu located in the bottom-right corner of AutoCADs drawing status bar.

Simply click on it to activate the pop-up menu, and select the desired scale.

See the graphic example below.

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Related Commands and System Variables (contd)]
SCALELISTEDIT: Controls the list of annotation scales in the current drawing.

To access the annotation scale list, either enter the command SCALELISTEDIT, or click on the
annotation scale menu at the bottom-right of the drawing status.

Look at the graphic example below

When the Edit Scale List dialog box appears, you will see there are several options in
controlling annotation scales.

Look at the graphic example below

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Related Commands and System Variables (contd)]
SCALELISTEDIT (contd): The Add Button allows you to add custom scales to the Scale List
manager.

When you click the ADD button, the Add Scale dialog appears giving you the option to add a
custom scale name, as well as the math for the Scale Properties that will apply to annotation
objects and viewport scaling.

In the example graphic below, a common metric scale factor of 1:500 has been entered in the
Name field which is how it will appear in the Annotation Scale menu.

In the Scale Properties fields, a value of 1 was entered for the Paper Units, and a value of 0.5
was entered for the Drawing Units. This is the same as saying 1000/500XP when scaling a
Layout Viewport (where 1000 = 1000 millimetres in Paperspace, and 500 = 500 Modelspace
units). The math is assuming that 1 Modelspace unit = 1 metre.

When creating metric drawings in AutoCAD, it is common that Civil plans are drawn with one
unit equalling one metre, and metric details are drawn with one unit equalling one millimetre.

When creating a metric detail scale like 1:200, the Paper Units would be 1 and the Drawing
Units would be 200. This is the same as saying 1/200XP when scaling a Layout Viewport.

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Related Commands and System Variables (contd)]

SCALELISTEDIT (contd): The Edit Button allows you to edit scales to the Scale List
manager.

When you click the EDIT button, the Edit Scale dialog appears giving you the option to edit
the custom scale name, as well as the math for the Scale Properties that will apply to
annotation objects and viewport scaling.

If the values in the Paper Units and Drawing Units are greyed-out, this means the
annotation scale has been applied to annotation objects and cannot edited until it has been
removed from all annotation objects first.

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Related Commands and System Variables (contd)]

SCALELISTEDIT (contd): The rest of the buttons in the Edit Scale List menu are as follows:

Move Up Moves a selected Annotation Scale UP one position each time the Move Up
button is clicked

Move Down Moves a selected Annotation Scale DOWN one position each time the Move
Down button is clicked

Delete Deletes a selected Annotation Scale from the menu. An Annotation Scale can only
be removed from the list if it hasnt been assigned to any annotation objects.

Reset Resets the entire list back to its out-of-the-box defaults. All custom annotation scales,
and all annotation scales that have been edited, will be either deleted or reset to its original
values providing they have not been assigned to any annotative objects.

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Related Commands and System Variables (contd)]

SELECTIONANNODISPLAY Controls whether alternate scale representations are temporarily

displayed in a dimmed state when an annotative object is selected.

0 = OFF
1 = ON

See the graphic example below

SELECTIONANNODISPLAY = 0 SELECTIONANNODISPLAY = 1

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