How to layout and scale a drawing in AutoCAD

Page Setup

1. Open your AutoCAD drawing. 2. Select the ‘Layout’ tab (beside ‘Model’ tab in lower left corner of screen) 3. Then ‘Right Click’ on the Layout tab and select ‘Rename’ from the menu then type in the

name of the sheet size that you want the drawing to be (ie. 11 x 17) and press [Enter].

4. Then ‘Right click’ on the same layout tab and select ‘Page Setup Manager’ from the menu. 5. Select the new layout that you just renamed and click ‘Modify’. 6. In the page setup screen, select a printer/plotter from the drop down menu that can

accommodate the sheet size drawing that you wish to set up. *Note: a plotter is a large size printer that can print oversized sheets that smaller printers cannot.

7. Select a paper size from the drop down menu that matches your desired final print size (ie. 11 x 17).

8. Select ‘Layout’ from the menu options for Plot Area.

Right Click Tab

Next rename ‘layout 1’ to the new sheet size ’11 x 17’ by ‘right clicking’ on the tab and selecting ‘rename’

Select a printer

9. Select ‘1:1’ for a Plot Scale. 10. Select your drawing orientation ‘Landscape’ or ‘Portrait’. 11. Select ‘Monochrome’ or ‘Grayscale’ from the pen assignment drop down menu. 12. Finally click ‘Ok’ then ‘Close’. 13. The page set up is complete. The next step is to make the drawing which was created in

‘Model Space’ appear on the new layout sheet that you just created. This is done by creating a ‘Viewport’ on your new layout sheet.

Creating a Viewport

14. With your new layout page visible on the screen (ie. Make sure you are not in ‘Model Space’ or on another ‘Layout’ tab) click on the ‘Command Line’ (bottom left hand side of the page) so your cursor appears after the ‘[Command:]’ prompt

15. At the Command prompt type the letters ‘mv’ and press [Enter]. *Note: ‘mv’ is the command for ‘make viewport’.

16. Once again click on the command line so your cursor appears following the [Command:] prompt.

17. This time at the Command prompt type the letter ‘f’ and press [Enter]. *Note ‘f’ is the command for ‘fit’.

18. Your drawing should now appear on your new page layout. The next step is to ‘Scale’ the drawing.

Type in the command line the letters ‘mv’ then press [Enter] *Note that ‘mv’ is short for ‘makeviewport’

Now type in the command line the letter ‘f’ *Note that ‘f’ is short for ‘fit’

Scaling a Drawing

19. Click somewhere outside the page border of your new drawing and drag the mouse over a section of the ‘Viewport’ so that it becomes selected.

20. At the bottom right side of your screen locate the ‘Viewport Scale’ button (which only

becomes visible when your Viewport is visible). 21. Click the ‘Viewport Scale’ button and select a scale from the menu that appears suitable for

the page size that you have just setup. *Note: if you simply require the drawing to ‘fit’ nicely on the page then selecting a suitable scale is just a matter of trial and error until you are satisfied with the way the drawing fits the page. Otherwise, you must know the specific scale requirement (ie. 1/8”=1’-0”)

22. All the steps for ‘Layout and Scaling’ a drawing are now complete. Your drawing is ready to print. See the AutoCAD Printing help sheet for instructions on printing.

‘Click’ and

‘drag’ To scale the drawing begin by selecting the viewport by ‘clicking’ and ‘dragging’ the mouse over the ‘border’

Select 1/8”=1’0”

Next select the Scale = 1/8”=1’-0” from the menu shown here.

Need Help?

For assistance, please contact the Mohawk College Library – see this page for all of our service options: http://brain.mohawkcollege.ca/AskUs.html.

Your drawing is now scaled and ready to print