[solved] Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

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dvhart
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[solved] Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by dvhart » Sat Feb 17, 2018 9:14 pm

I'm trying to use the QCAD Architecture Library for things like sinks, showers, toilets, etc. for a remodel design project. I'm using the library from here: http://www.qcad.org/en/qcad-add-ons

There are three floorplan toilets in the library, all with different scales, none of which appear to be 1:1 (the scale I use in QCAD). Manually scaling every element to what I think is the right size can't be the right way to do this - so I figure I must be missing something... anyone know what it is?
Screen Shot 2018-02-17 at 12.11.03 PM.png
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Husky
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Re: Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by Husky » Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:00 pm

Hi dvhart - welcome to the QCAD Forum.
dvhart wrote:... so I figure I must be missing something... anyone know what it is?
What are your Drawing Units? (Menu / Drawing Preferences / Drawing Units),
What is your inserting scale?
Husky-2018.02.17-01.png
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dvhart
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Re: Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by dvhart » Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:13 pm

Hi Husky,

Thanks for the response.

Drawing Preferences:
Drawing Unit: Inch
Paper Unit: Inch
Measurement System: Imperial

Inserting Scale: 1

I can change the Inserting Scale, but as you can see in my screenshot, the 3 toilets in the architecture/interior/bathroom are radically different scales, and I don't see anything in the library window about the scale of each individual element.

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Husky
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Re: Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by Husky » Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:48 pm

dvhart wrote:Drawing Preferences:
Drawing Unit: Inch
Paper Unit: Inch
Measurement System: Imperial

Inserting Scale: 1
That looks already good!
dvhart wrote:... the 3 toilets in the architecture/interior/bathroom are radically different scales, and I don't see anything in the library window about the scale of each individual element.
Ok, here is the thing:

QCAD is able to convert drawing Units during the insert process. The library item toilet.dxf is drawn in Meter which means QCAD will convert it from Meter to inch. Works!
The Library items toilet01.dxf and toilet02.dxf are drawn without an Unit (None) which means QCAD has nothing to calculate. That is why it fails.
What can you do?
You can use the insert/scale option or what may be a better solution in the long run is to change the Unit for those items. To do that load them direcly as a normal drawing, change the unit to the proper one and save them back into the same library folder with the same name.

Why are different Units used in the library? That is the decision of the author who created the items. Unfortunately beyond our power. :wink:
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dvhart
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Re: Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by dvhart » Sun Feb 18, 2018 12:08 am

Husky wrote: Ok, here is the thing:

QCAD is able to convert drawing Units during the insert process. The library item toilet.dxf is drawn in Meter which means QCAD will convert it from Meter to inch. Works!
Well, sort of. When I insert toilet.dxf with a scale of 1, it creates a toilet 11 inches wide and 19 inches long. That's roughly 65% of a normal size elongated bowl toilet.
The Library items toilet01.dxf and toilet02.dxf are drawn without an Unit (None) which means QCAD has nothing to calculate. That is why it fails.
What can you do?
You can use the insert/scale option or what may be a better solution in the long run is to change the Unit for those items. To do that load them direcly as a normal drawing, change the unit to the proper one and save them back into the same library folder with the same name.

Why are different Units used in the library? That is the decision of the author who created the items. Unfortunately beyond our power. :wink:
That's unfortunate, but I understand how this works (I'm a software developer myself). A set of consistent basic elements for a few domains would go a long way to improving the user experience I believe. The library is so varied in terms of scale, layers, etc. as to make it pretty painful to use.

I appreciate the time you took to respond, thank you.

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Husky
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Re: Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by Husky » Sun Feb 18, 2018 12:41 am

You're welcome.
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dvhart
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Re: Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by dvhart » Sun Feb 18, 2018 1:49 am

I opened toilet.dxf, changed the units to inches, scaled the drawing to be 29" long. I then removed all references of it from my drawing, quit QCAD, and restarted. In a blank drawing with Drawing Units in Inches, I inserted toilet.dxf from the library, and it measures 29" as expected. When I open my floorplan and insert the same object from the library (marked as a Favorite), the toilet appears as it's original size, 19" long instead of 29". When I "Edit" the object in the library, it opens as expected and measures 29". If I switch to the new "Untitled" document where it worked as expected and copy the toilet, switch back to the floorplan and paste it, it appears smaller with an odd offset blue dashed bounding box of about the expected size, as shown below. Something doesn't seem right. Is my drawing somehow caching the library object and that isn't getting updated?
Screen Shot 2018-02-17 at 4.44.49 PM.png
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Husky
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Re: Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by Husky » Sun Feb 18, 2018 2:11 am

dvhart wrote:In a blank drawing with Drawing Units in Inches, I inserted toilet.dxf from the library, and it measures 29" as expected. When I open my floorplan and insert the same object from the library (marked as a Favorite), the toilet appears as it's original size, 19" long instead of 29".
Without the dxf in my hands it's just a wild guess for me but I think this is what happens.

Changed item in NEW drawing works because there is no other information!

Old drawing: I assume there is still the unchanged toilet stored in a block. If you chose in the Library item / Options NOT to overwright blocks (same name blocks) then it will use the already stored block from the Block List. And this "old" block isn't changed at all.

Make sure to overwrite in your floorplan existing blocks and it should work as expected.

Library Item / Insert ...
Husky-2018.02.17-02.png
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dvhart
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Re: Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by dvhart » Sun Feb 18, 2018 2:55 am

Husky wrote: Old drawing: I assume there is still the unchanged toilet stored in a block. If you chose in the Library item / Options NOT to overwright blocks (same name blocks) then it will use the already stored block from the Block List. And this "old" block isn't changed at all.

Make sure to overwrite in your floorplan existing blocks and it should work as expected.

Library Item / Insert ...

Husky-2018.02.17-02.png
Right you are, [x] overwrite block resolved the issue. I had tried to purge unused blocks and assumed this was sufficient. Thanks again!

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Husky
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Re: Determine Scale of QCAD Library Elements

Post by Husky » Sun Feb 18, 2018 6:26 am

Glad to hear that.
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