dimension scales for xrefs

[RRBegin]

I would like to start using xref'd drawings for multiple details. Is there a way to make dimensions and text uniform for xrefs shown at different scales in different viewports?

My xrefs are drawn 1:1; they will be shown at various scales as needed.

 

[CDH]

Way I do this is by setting up different drawings with the different scales and xref them all into one file which is your main sheet.
For example, I am using sheet S2-1. I then would make S2-1a which is 3/4" = 1'-0". Then I make S2-1b which is
1 1/2" = 1'-0". Then maybe a S2-1c which is 1/4" = 1'-0"

Now I have all these drawings that are drawn 1 to 1, but the text and dims are appropriately scaled in each one.

Now go I go into S2-1 (the main sheet) and xref in one in to it. If you bring them in at a scale of 1, you will notice they are all different sizes. All you need to do is scale each one up or down so that they all match.

So if your going to plot your sheet at 1 to 1, S2-1a is scaled up 16 times, S2-1b is scaled up 8 times, and S2-1c is scaled up 48 times. All text and dims should appear the same.

Hopefully this wasn't too confusing and I hope it helps.

 

[RRBegin]

Thanks CDH...(Boy those structural folks sure are smart!)

Now, what if I want to xref the same 1:1 drawing for two different details at two different scales? Other than copying the 1:1 drawing and changing the dimscale of the copy, is there a way to scale my text and dimensions (and linetype scales also, I suppose)?

Thanks again,
RRBegin

 

[CDH]

That's what I was afraid you were asking after I made my post! Well, since I have never done that I don't know the best method. One solution would be to copy the text and dims to another layer and change their scales. Then when you xref, you turn on or off the appropriate layers. This can get confusing and is probably not what you want to do. You could also have your details drawn without dims and text and then in the file you xrefing into, put them in there at the appropriate scale. Again, this is probably not the best either, since your still doing the work twice.
I will check around here at work to see if anybody has a solution.

 

[RRBegin]

Thanks once again. Let me know what you find out.

RRBegin

 

[MarkFry]

G'day RRBegin,
The easyiest way is to put all your text in paperspace and onlt the xrefed model in modelspace, that way all your text and dims will be at the correct size.

Mark

 

[CDH]

That works for different details at different scales, but if I'm reading the question right, you want to have the SAME detail at two different scales? You would still have to do the text and dims twice if you did it in paper space

 

[RRBegin]

You are correct, I want to use the same detail for multiple details, possibly at different scales. It seems to me that the best way is to set up a template with all of the possible scales for text and dimensions, and turn them on and off as appropriate for each xref'd detail. This means that I will have to dimension as many times as I use the xref for different details.

As I understand it, if I dimension in paper space, the dimensions will not automatically update if I subsequently modify the detail in model space.

Thanks for the input, everyone. Any other ideas?