Scale factors, drawing units, and paper size

Hi,

I'm new to AutoCAD LT 2012. And I've been tasked to draw a floor plan
in two weeks. I'm trying to find tutorials that deal with the issues
as quickly as possible, but I'm having difficulty. It's not so much
the actual drawing that's presenting a problem. It's how to get a
boarder on it and still be able key in the lengths in the units I
want. I can fit the drawing to the D size plot that I want. And I set
my drawing units to inches. But in the layout, when I draw a line that
extends from one boarder to another, I measure 1'10". But I'd like it
to measure a distance of about 100 feet. How do I get all that to fit
together? I'm not sure what size paper the template boarder is
assuming. Does it matter when you fit the drawing to the paper size?
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Mike

 

Basically, with any version of autocad you set the units in model space
and you do your drawings in a 1:1 scale. Then, in paper space, you choose
the paper size and rescale your viewports so that it renders your drawing
in whatever scale you wish them to be printed with.


Hope this helps,
Rui Maciel

 

Previous got cut off. I'll come back when it gets posted to the group.
At least I think it crashed.

 

Easiest way for you to get going would be, in Model Space:

1. Know what scale you want to plot at.
2. Assuming 1/4" = 1' then draw a rectangle 144' x 96'. i.e. 4 times
the size of D size paper
3. Draw another rectangle inside of this rectangle which will be your
Border. Something like 138' x 90'
4. Draw your floor plan inside of this
5. Start PLOT and chose Window which you then pick the outside corners
of the big rectangle.
6. Set Scale to 1/4" = 1' and you should get a 1/4" scale plot for the
D size paper.

This is really not the way you want to plot for the long term but
should give you a quick output.

Charles Shade
www.cshadedesign.com

 

I think the first answer you got is preferable over the second. Draw all your geometry in model space at FULL size no matter if it is a paperclip or a luxury liner. Then use a layout and viewports. Might also want to take a look at Annotative scaling for your text and dimensions if you plan on keeping them in model space. You don't have to though as both text and dimensions can also go in your layout with minimal fuss.