Annotative scale

Last updated: 2023-01-04

Total video time: 16:24

Annotative scaling is a way to control display and scaling of certain annotation-related AutoCAD objects when setting up a sheet layout to plot. The purpose of this scaling is to maintain readability of your plan sheet regardless of the sheet scale. For instance, you may want to label individual property parcels on a 1 IN:40 FT scale, but omit the parcel labels at a 1 IN:200 FT scale since they would not be readable. You may want to label street or highway names at a constant plotted text height on both a 1 IN:40 FT scale sheet and a 1 IN:200 FT sheet. You can accomplish both of these scenarios without creating duplicate text objects and Layers for different sheet sizes. It should be noted that Civil 3D objects will be labeled automatically based on their Label Style and these Labels will automatically scale similarly to AutoCAD objects affected by Annotative scaling.

Any object that will be affected by Annotative Scaling is said to be Annotative. AutoCAD objects available to be Annotative include Multiline Text, legacy single line Text, Blocks, Hatch objects, Dimensions and Multileaders. Many of the text-related WisDOT Styles (Multiline Text, Dimension and Multileader Styles) are already set up to be Annotative. You can also change any Non-annotative Multiline Text, legacy single line Text, Block, Hatch object, Dimension or Multileader to be Annotative through the Properties Palette.

This training module will familiarize you with basic sheet Layout concepts necessary to understand Annotative Scaling, how Annotative Scaling works and tools/best practices for managing Annotative objects. More detailed information on sheet Layouts and plotting will be covered in other training modules.

Exercise files: acad-data-c3d20.zip

Start with acad-annotatv-scl-begin.dwg

acad-annotatv-scl-01.mp4 5:08

This exercise will introduce you to the concepts of Model space vs Paper space, Layouts, Viewports, and Viewport Scales. Model space is the interface you will design your Civil 3D model in. It includes all of the Civil 3D and AutoCAD objects you will create to represent your modeled design. You can switch from Model space to a Layout interface where you will set up what your plotted plan sheet will look like. In a Layout, you can either draw objects in Paper space, which will not affect Model space, or have a Viewport object that acts as a window looking into Model space. You will learn how to switch between Model space and a Layout, how to work in Paper space and Model space within a Layout, and how to create a Viewport and work with the Viewport scale.

  1. Open acad-annotatv-scl-begin.dwg
  2. Observe the Model tab and Layout tab in the bottom left of your interface
    1. Click S11A103 Layout tab to activate the Layout

  3. Status Bar
    1.  Customization
      1. Paper space = checked
    2. Paper space active
    1. Draw a Circle on your Layout in Paper space
  4. Click Model tab to activate Model space
    1. Observe no Circle displayed in Model space
  5. S11A103 Layout tab
    1. Delete the Circle drawn in the above step.
  6. Status Bar
    1. Model space active

    Info: Activating Model space by toggling the Status Bar PAPER/MODEL button allows you to work in Model space through your Layout Viewport. This is not the same as switching to Model space by clicking the Model tab in the bottom left of your interface.

    1. Draw a Circle on your Layout in Model space
  7. Model
    1. Observe Circle displayed in Model space
  8. S11A103 Layout tab
    1. Delete the Circle drawn in Model space

    Info: Double-click in an empty area outside your Viewport as an alternative method to activate Paper space. Double-click in area inside a Viewport as an alternative method to activate Model space.

  9. Select Viewport
    1. delete
    2. Observe Model space objects not displayed
  10. Ribbon > Home tab > Layers panel > Layer Properties
    1. Filters
      1. All = checked
    2. P_MISC_NoPlot = Current
  11. MVIEW enter
    1. Specify corner of viewport: 0,0
      1. enter
    2. Specify opposite corner: 17,11
      1. enter
  12. Select the Viewport created in the previous step
    1. Observe that the Viewport scale ≠ 1IN:10 FT
    2. Viewport scale dropdown > 1IN:10 FT
  13. Status bar
    1. Lock Viewport scale

    1. Zoom in/out
      1. Observe Viewport scale unchanged
  14. Status bar
    1. Unlock Viewport scale
    2. Double-click inside Viewport to activate Model space
    3. Zoom in/out
      1. Observe Viewport scale changed
    4. Undo Zoom command to reverse Viewport scale change

Continue with acad-annotatv-scl-01.dwg

acad-annotatv-scl-02.mp4 5:52

In this exercise you will learn how Annotative Scale factors are applied based on the currently set Annotative Scale (aka Viewport Scale). Annotative objects have a constant Paper space size and a Model space size that depends on the current Annotative Scale. After completing this exercise, you will learn how to manually add scales to an Annotative Object's scales list to enable Annotative Scaling of the object. Additionally, you will learn how to utilize Annotative scaling Status Bar options to control when Annotative Objects are displayed and whether scales are added to Annotative Objects automatically.

  1. Continue working in acad-annotatv-scl-01.dwg
  2. Select S.T.H. 25 Annotative Mtext near 557+00
    1. Properties Palette > Text
      1. Observe Paper Text Height = 0.1250, Model Text Height = 5.0000
  3. Status Bar
    1. Observe current view Annotative Scale = 1 IN:40 FT

    Info: For Annotative Objects, the Paper size is set manually or by the object Style. The current view Annotative Scale is set manually by selecting from a dropdown list on the Status Bar. The Model size is set automatically and is a product of the Paper Size and the current Annotative Scale (i.e. Model Text Height = Paper Text Height x Annotative Scale = 0.1250" x (40'/1") = 5.0000'

  4. Click 1IN_40FT - 4 Layout tab
  5. Verify Paper text height
    1. Dist enter
    2. Specify first point
      1. Left-click near bottom of S.T.H. 25 Mtext
    3. Specify second point
      1. Move cursor near top of S.T.H. 25 Mtext
      2. Observe tooltip displaying approx. 0.1250
      1. esc
  6. Verify Model text height
    1. Double-click inside plan Viewport
    2. Repeat steps above on S.T.H. 25 Mtext
      1. Observe tooltip displaying approx. 5.0000
    3. esc
  7. 1IN_200FT - 1
  8. Status Bar
    1. Show annotation objects = on

    Turning "Show annotation objects" on allows all Annotative objects to be displayed regardless of whether they have the current view Annotative Scale added to their object Scales List or not. If objects do have the current view Annotative Scale added to their object Scales List, they will be scaled using the current view Annotative Scale. If not, they will be displayed using the original Annotative Scale added to their scales list.

    1. Observe all Annotative Objects displayed in plan view Viewport
  9. Select one of the S.T.H. 25 Mtext objects.
    1. Properties > Text
      1. Observe Annotative scale = 1IN:40 FT
    2. Right-click menu > Annotative Object Scale > Add/Delete Scales
      1. Add
        1. 1 IN:200 FT
        2. OK
  10. Select S.T.H. 25 Mtext from above step.
    1. Properties > Text
      1. Observe Annotative scale = 1 IN:200 FT
      2. Observe multiple scale previews displayed

    2. Use insertion grip to move Mtext
      1. Observe only the display of the 1IN:200 FT scaled Mtext is moved
      Info: When an Annotative Object has multiple scales, you have different locations for the display of the object at each scale. Do this by setting the scale of the display you want to move as the current Annotative Scale, then use the displayed Insertion Grip to move the object. The object will not be moved for the remaining object scales.
      1. esc

  11. Select 4TH AVE Mtext
    1. Right-click menu > Annotative Object Scale > Add Current Scale
  12. Select 4TH AVE Mtext
    1. Use insertion grip to move Mtext for readability
  13. Status Bar
    1. Show annotation objects = off
    2. Observe annotative objects lacking the current Annotation Scale in their object scales list no longer displayed

Continue with acad-annotatv-scl-01.dwg

acad-annotatv-scl-03.mp4 5:24

In this exercise, you will learn best practices for Annotative object management including how to use the Annotative Scaling Status Bar options, strategies for object Scales List management, how to clean up multiple insertion points for objects with multiple object scales.

  1. Continue working in acad-annotatv-scl-01.dwg
  2. Click Model tab
  3. Status bar
    1. Add scales to annotative objects when the annotation scale changes = on
    2. Note that the above Status bar option is commonly referred to as "Add scales automatically" or similar

  4. Status bar > Annotation scale dropdown > 1 IN:200 FT
    1. Observe scaling of both AutoCAD Annotative objects and Civil 3D Labels

    Info: When the "Add scales automatically" Status Bar option is turned on and you change the current view Annotative scale, the new Annotative scale will be automatically added to all Annotative object Scales lists in the drawing.

    Warning: If you find yourself switching the current view Annotative scale often, it is best to leave the "Add scales automatically" Status Bar option turned off. This will prevent you from adding extraneous object scales to Annotative objects unintentionally. You may not want all Annotative objects displayed at a given scale and thus should be more selective about adding Annotative Scales to object Scales lists. Additionally Civil 3D must read all object Scales for display generation and this can become a significant resource drain if the number of object scales is too great.

  5. Select one of the S.T.H. 25 Mtext objects
    1. Properties palette > Text
      1. Observe Annotative scale = 1 IN:200 FT
  6. 1IN_200FT - 1
    1. Observe all Annotative objects now displayed at 1 IN:200 FT scale

  7. Model
    1. Status bar > Annotation scale dropdown > 1 IN:40 FT
  8. Select all Annotative Mtext objects
    1. Right-click menu > Annotative Object Scale > Add/Delete Scale
      1. List all scales for selected objects = checked
      2. 1 IN:200 FT
        1. Delete
      3. OK
  9. Status bar
    1.  Add scales automatically = off
    2. Current view Annotative Scale dropdown > 1 IN:200 FT
  10. Select 4TH AVE Mtext and S.T.H. 25 Mtext near 380+00
    1. Right-click menu > Annotative Object Scale > Add Current Scale
  11. Select the Mtext from the above step.
    1. Relocate respective insertion points for readability
    2. esc

  12. Select 4TH AVE Mtext
    1. Right-click menu > Annotative Object Scale > Synchronize multiple scale positions

    Info: When running Synchronize multiple scale positions, the insertion point location used for synchronization is that associated with the current view Annotative Scale. Conveniently, this will be this insertion point whose Grip is displayed.