Dimscale and Tool Palettes

David Evans-Fant

We use a variety of scales for our drawings. Is there a way in BricsCAD to use "dimscale" when inserting a block from tool palettes?

I come from using AutoCAD, all of our blocks are scaled at 1:1 and you can set the insertion scale of the blocks to "dimscale" in the properties. It automatically recognizes and inserts the block to the appropriate scale of the drawing.

Anthony Apostolaros

You could use lisp to create a custom command that combines the INSERT command with the SCALE command and the current value of the DIMSCALE variable. It would take input from the user for an insertion point, then insert a block at that location with scale=1, and then pass the "LAST" parameter and the block's insertion point and the (getvar "DIMSCALE") function to the SCALE command.

If you don't need it so automated, or if you also have other uses for retrieving the current value of DIMSCALE, you can create a script or keyboard macro that just executes the (getvar "DIMSCALE") function.

Jason Bourhill

The Bricscad toolpalette currently doesn't include an option for 'Auxiliary scale'. You would need to raise a support request and ask for this feature to be added.

BricsCAD does support annotative scaling, which scales annotative blocks automatically on insertion to match the current CANNOSCALE setting. To change an individual block drawing to an annotative one you:

• OPEN the drawing of the block
• Run the SETTINGS command, and check the ANNOTATIVEDWG option
• SAVE the drawing
  

If you keep your blocks together in a container drawing, then it is simple to change all of them to annotative in one go:

• OPEN the drawing that holds your blocks.
• Run EXPBLOCKS to open the Drawing Explorer in the blocks section.
• Select the blocks you want to change, and pick in the 'Annotative' column to change them all to annotative.
• SAVE the drawing

After that when inserting the blocks from the tool palette the blocks should automatically scale to the CANNOSCALE setting. On existing drawings you may need to check whether the block definition already exists, and update.

Regards,

Jason Bourhill

CAD Concepts

SETTING-Annotativedwg.png

EXPLORER-Annotative.png