I know this topic has come up many times, but I haven't seen a post about this specific issue. I have a DXF drawing template which is scaled as 1:1. However, as soon as I add a drawing view, the sheet scale changes automatically. I then have to manually change it back so I don't have scaling issues.
Kind of related to this, in normal 3 view drawings, if I change the main view to flat pattern, then decide I want to change the sheet scale, all the other views update, but NOT the flat pattern. The main view was set to use sheet scale, but then I change to flat pattern and the view changes to custom scale. Is there a way to prevent this? We are having issues where our drawings are not scaled correctly when transferred to our CNC people, so I want to make it fool proof.
Thirdly, after playing around with our "DXF" template, trying to get it to stay at 1:1, I somehow changed it so that sketches no longer show up. Before, when I would insert a flat pattern view, I could see the bend sketches. Now I have to go to VIEW, uncheck HIDE ALL TYPES and then the bend lines show up. I tried showing sketches, then resaving the template and sheet format, but it did not help.
Fourthly, how can I change the line type of formed features in a flat pattern? We had an issue recently where a flat pattern drawing was sent to a laser company and the formed feature was shown (as a different colour in SW but not apparently other CADs). They cut out the feature. I realise that we should have deleted the lines, but they have also cut bend lines on occasion. I want to make these lines output as a different line style so that it is more obvious that they are not cut-outs.
Dean,
I have the same type problem as you do with the exception that we use .DWG instead of .DXF, but I think the same concepts apply.
I have my settings in System Options > Drawings > "Automatically Scale New Drawing Views" UNchecked as Glenn suggested and that works best for me.
However I have to take 1 more step:
When doing a "Save AS:" to save the drawing file to a .DWG (or DXF in your case), go to the "Options" button in the save as screen.
In the options box, check your "Scale Output 1:1 section" .
This often defaults to "Sheet Scale = 1/1:"
Try changing it to "View Scale = x/x..." Where the view scale is correct for your desired view's scale.
We only use A size sheets here at my company.
If I make a part that is 20 inches long and want it to fit an A size sheet, I have to scale it 1/3 to fit.
If I leave the Option set at "Sheet Scale=1/1" the drawing will look fine and all the dimensions will look correct on my A size paper.
However the machinists will be paying me a visit, telling me his cad software is saying I have a part that is 60 inches long because his software sees that the " View" was scaled down to one third so it takes the modeled part and makes it 3 times the size.
Give this a try. If it works there is no way to automatically lock this setting. It's a pain, but every time I create a .dwg that is not 1:1 scale, I have to check this.
Sometimes it will default to sheet scale, sometimes to View scale and since there can be several views at different scales you need to specify the correct view size (usually will be the majority of your views).
I am not sure this is your exact problem because we just us A size sheets and it might not apply if you have larger sheets but it seems like it is the same issue.