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Super Tiny Image

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 2:50 pm
by mikegigabyte
I just installed version 3.3
I never used one of these programs before but was able to figure out how to draw a part I need to make
I had originally set it to millimeters and assumed the grid numbers on the screen were mm scale

But when I go print it, or print preview the image is as big as a pencil eraser
Where its supposed to be approx 22mm wide or 9 inches

I can do auto fit to page to bring it up larger, but its not to scale
and ive tried everything I can to get it larger, or to scale

I got some screen shots to show my problem

here is the size it would print at
Image
Image


here is the image where I thought the grid numbers were set to mm
Image

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 2:58 pm
by andrew
I've white-listed photobucket.com to show your screenshots. Please note that you can also update images to the forum when you post.

I think there is probably a misunderstanding about drawing units.

22mm is about 0.866142" which looks about right.

If your part is about 9 inches wide, you probably meant to use cm (Centimeters) instead:

22cm is about 8.66142".

If you meant to work in cm, you can simply change the drawing unit in your drawing preferences.
If you meant to work in mm, you'd have to scale your drawing by a factor of 10.

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 3:09 pm
by mikegigabyte
When I first ran the program I chose MM
and later after having this problem I found a menu and its still under MM
the only other option I saw was to set it to inches
I have the paper set to MM too, but ive tried both no change

I have this part in hand and used a MM ruler to get all my sizes
so its exactly the size I measured from

My question is why does the image show up micro size on paper when its pretty large
At some point I can see the paper size in MM and it check out right, the width and length of the paper
but my image is just way too small

And im my pics those grid numbers are they in MM?
Is there a easy way to just highlight my image and enlarge to a bigger size evenly
Ive looked all over the menus and could not find anything
When I use some measuring tool it shows the same numbers as in the grid, but no where do these numbers state which type they are


Like in photoshop there is a transform button to enlarge or shrink
although I would want something more accurate

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 3:18 pm
by mikegigabyte
I was able to get this with a few clicks in print preview
and it looks like the correct size according to the grid sizes and the typical sheet of paper

but when I print its about 6mm short width wise
and 1mm height wise

even tried to save it to pdf and on the pdf print preview its still that slightly smaller size
Now maybe its a printer thing, but the pdf shows it a little smaller too

Image

because all I want to do is figure out the way to print it, just so I know its the correct size
I want to get these cut from a metal shop and I was told I needed a file so I figure I could make the file
but since all this trouble with printing I dont want to show up with the wrong size

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 3:30 pm
by andrew
mikegigabyte wrote:I have this part in hand and used a MM ruler to get all my sizes so its exactly the size I measured from
The numbers on a Metric ruler usually correspond to Centimeters (NOT Millimeters). Millimeters are too small to be numbered.

A Millimeter equals about 0.039 inches. Ten sheets of paper on top of each other are about one Millimeter thick.
A Centimeter equals about 0.39 inches.

I strongly recommend to read up on some basics about the Metric system, for example here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centimetre
mikegigabyte wrote:My question is why does the image show up micro size on paper when its pretty large
QCAD shows your drawing exactly the size it was constructed: about 22mm wide.
mikegigabyte wrote:And im my pics those grid numbers are they in MM?
All measurements shown in QCAD (including ruler numbers) show 'drawing units'. You can check or change your drawing unit under:

Edit - Drawing Preferences - General - Drawing Unit
mikegigabyte wrote:Is there a easy way to just highlight my image and enlarge to a bigger size evenly Ive looked all over the menus and could not find anything
You can fix your problem by either changing the drawing unit to Centimeters (see above), or by scaling your drawing by a factor of 10 as follows:
- Select - Select All
- Modify - Scale
- Set a reference point with your mouse (e.g. at 0,0)
- Enter a factor of 10
- OK

As you have already discovered, when you switch to print preview, you can enter a drawing scale a the top - make sure that is set to "1:1"! Otherwise your drawing can have any arbitrary size when printed.

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 3:43 pm
by mikegigabyte
yes all sizes settings in the program are set in MM




I have a dedicated MM, and CM ruler
I just checked it to my calipers and I saw the problem
The ruler shows 1-2-3 etc but its actually means 10's, 20's, 30's etc on MM
where I thought it was 1MM
so each little line is a MM and now makes sense


and yes the scale image by 10 you had me do worked perfectly and is the same size as the part I used to measure by

Thanks for the help, now I know for sure once I save this new size its exactly the correct image

gives me some hope I wasnt going crazy and was able to quickly make a simple product with no knowledge at all

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:06 pm
by mikegigabyte
ok
one more problem now, but the opposite

I give the file to a machinest he uses solid works
and it opens right up but the scale on his computer says its like 20 feet long
where its supposed to be around 9-10 inches long

when I saved the file I only saw one format option
is there something im missing

it does print perfectly on my printer here, exact size
but not on his computer, way too big

he mentioned ansi or something if that means anything

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:56 pm
by andrew
Perhaps, you can attach your drawing file (DXF file) in this forum, so I can check if it has been configured correctly.

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:43 pm
by mikegigabyte
ok attached the file I hope

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:31 am
by Clive
mikegigabyte wrote:he mentioned ansi or something if that means anything
ansi - is referring to American National Standards Institute, see here for more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_N ... _Institute

I've opened up your file in both QCAD and AutoCAD and everything is as it should be, correct size and scale!

In QCAD
QCAD dimension check.png
QCAD dimension check.png (11.73 KiB) Viewed 17870 times
In AutoCAD
AutoCAD dimension check.png
AutoCAD dimension check.png (3.58 KiB) Viewed 17870 times
It is extremely probable that some configuration is needed on the 'Solid-Works' side, the machinist is using ansi and will be working in imperial units and have his settings configured for this!

I'm sure he can configure things from his side :wink: ...if not, you may need to work in imperial units in QCAD!

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:57 pm
by mikegigabyte
ok
he seemed to only know how to do a few things in solid works
so maybe some setting was wrong on his end


I did give him the paper copy and he said he will just re enter all the sizes and do it manually
but if I am to use him again for projects it would be nice to have my file work so he wont have to use his time to draw up projects

I know solid works wouldnt even install on this computer because that was the first one I was trying to use so I cant even see what to fix


thanks for the help

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 3:28 pm
by andrew
mikegigabyte wrote:but if I am to use him again for projects it would be nice to have my file work so he wont have to use his time to draw up projects
There are no arbitrary errors in such conversions. He very likely simply interpreted one millimeter as one inch which makes the whole drawing 229 inches wide (= more than 19 feet).

If he knows how to scale in Solidworks, he can scale your drawing by a factor of 1/25.4 to convert from inches to millimeters.

If he does not know how to do that, you can scale the drawing on your end with QCAD to 1/25.4 of its size and it will import on his end in such a way that he can interpret one unit as one inch.

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 3:40 pm
by mikegigabyte
ok I will try that here
and let him know see if he can figure it out

he seemed to do everything in inches
not sure if that has anything to do with it

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 4:04 pm
by Clive
mikegigabyte wrote: he seemed to do everything in inches
not sure if that has anything to do with it
Most definitely, he's just familiar with he's set up, that's all. This is one of those situations where one of you will need to make the adjustment in the drawing to make the job work!
I guess if you can learn to adjust things for him - it will keep him happy and you'll be the one who's learning more :wink:

Re: Super Tiny Image

Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:14 pm
by mikegigabyte
andrew wrote:
mikegigabyte wrote:but if I am to use him again for projects it would be nice to have my file work so he wont have to use his time to draw up projects
There are no arbitrary errors in such conversions. He very likely simply interpreted one millimeter as one inch which makes the whole drawing 229 inches wide (= more than 19 feet).

If he knows how to scale in Solidworks, he can scale your drawing by a factor of 1/25.4 to convert from inches to millimeters.

If he does not know how to do that, you can scale the drawing on your end with QCAD to 1/25.4 of its size and it will import on his end in such a way that he can interpret one unit as one inch.
hey I tried to scale on my computer
but its massively large when I do print preview

unless you think on his computer it will show it small?

I did just to see try -25.4 in the scale but it flipped it upside down, still very large

I sent him the info and that file I just scaled
so I will post back what happens