Printing elevations in scale

Jorgensen

Hi

I have a bulding that is triangular, so only one facade is aligned to the axis.

I can print this one facade in scale (printing to PDF using CutePDF). But the other ones I can't print in scale. I guess its because they are not aligned to the axsis. I have tried to align the axis to the facade and set the view to 2d. But still no go. I have to rotate the whole building to print in scale.

Does anyone one know if it's possible to 'cheat' SU to be able to print in scale ?

Thanks

Gaieus

@jorgensen said:

I have to rotate the whole building to print in scale.

Yes, that's the only solution to get SU to correctly display any of the standard views which is needed for a print to scale (even in SU 7 although much of the axis tools has been improved).

thomthom

There is a quirky work around:

Place a section cut along your elevation.
Turn on parallel projection
Align View to Section cut
Go to Print...
Untick Fit to page
Tick 2-D section slice only
(You can now type in the scale you want)
Untick 2-D section slice only
Now you can click Ok to print to scale

Jorgensen

@thomthom

Thanks - just what I needed

ps. sorry for this late reply.

Anssi

If a drawing without textures or shadows is enough, you can EXPORT any parallel view to scale:

Turn on parallel projection
Align View to a face on your elevation
Go to Export>2D Graphic>PDF or DWG file
Set your scale and size options from the Export options dialog
Export

It seems that SU uses partly the same functions both for printing and 2D exports, and Thomthom's discovery just points out that SU COULD print to scale from any angle, if only the developers allowed it. Nice workaround.

Other observation: Exports (and possibly printouts too, I haven't tried) that use the Isometric view are only to scale parallel to the screen, and all the axes directions are foreshortened. To get an isometric that is to scale the image has to be scaled up in some other application. I don't know if this is a bug or a feature, but it has existed at least since version 3.

Anssi

thomthom

@anssi said:

It seems that SU uses partly the same functions both for printing and 2D exports, and Thomthom's discovery just points out that SU COULD print to scale from any angle, if only the developers allowed it.

I don't understand at all why this isn't possible without these weird work around. Left, Right, Top and all these other viewports are no more special from any other angle except they are preset camera views...

redinhawaii

I REALLY don't get this.
I just want to print my floor plan and elevations to scale.
Why can I not just say "print" options dialogue box comes up, and I say the scale I want to print the drawings in...
I have tried for an hour to print a floor plan to scale.
What is going on?
thanks
aloha
red

thomthom

For a floor plan you should be able to print when you set the view to Top View, and choose Paralell Projection from the Camera menu. Then you should be able to print to scale.