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Manual / Interface & settings

Units (UNITS) and System Variables

Set drawing units (UNITS), LIMITS, the BASE point, and System Variables with SETVAR.

What it does

Sets the units and settings of the drawing. They are saved with the file.

Where to find it

  • Ribbon: Manage › CAD Standards › Drawing Units
  • Command line: UNITS (UN, DDUNITS) reports the current values

Drawing Units window
Drawing Units window

Drawing Units window

Option Meaning
Insertion units Millimetres, Centimetres, Metres, Inches, Feet, Unitless (the INSUNITS value)
Precision (decimals) Number of decimals shown, 0–8 (the LUPREC value)
Measurement Metric or Imperial for Hatch/Linetype (the MEASUREMENT value)

Drawing setup commands

Command Alias Format Meaning
UNITS UN, DDUNITS – Reports the units, decimals, and measurement system
LIMITS – LIMITS <x1> <y1> <x2> <y2> or LIMITS OFF The named paper boundary, used by ZOOM ALL and STATUS (it does not block clicks outside the boundary)
BASE – BASE <x> <y> The base point when this drawing is inserted into another drawing
SETVAR SET SETVAR <name> <value> / SETVAR ? / SETVAR ? DIM Sets or lists System variables (filter with a search word)
GETVAR GET GETVAR <name> Reads a variable's value and description
LTSCALE LTS LTSCALE <value> Linetype scale for the whole drawing
DIMSCALE – DIMSCALE <value> Overall scale of Dimensions and the current Annotation scale
TEXTSIZE – TEXTSIZE <value> Default height of new text
DDPTYPE PTYPE DDPTYPE <size> POINT display size (pixels, 0–50)
QTEXT – QTEXT <ON|OFF> Shows text as rectangles so panning is faster in drawings with a lot of text

Steps: change the drawing to metres with 3 decimals

  1. Choose Manage › CAD Standards › Drawing Units.
  2. Set Insertion units = Metres and Precision = 3.
  3. Click OK. The Status bar shows Units: metres, 3 decimals.

Note: Changing the units does not scale existing objects. To resize them, use SCALE.

Try it: A backyard plot in metres

Landscape plans are usually drawn in metres. Set the drawing to metres with 3 decimals, then lay out a 12 x 18 m plot, a shed and a tree canopy.

  1. Manage › CAD Standards › Drawing Units: set Insertion units = Metres and Precision = 3, then OK.
  2. Plot: REC 0,0, then 12 Tab 18 Enter.
  3. A 3 x 2.4 m shed: REC 1.5,13, then 3 Tab 2.4.
  4. Tree canopy: C 8,6 with radius 1.8.
  5. Type LIMITS 0 0 12 18, then ZOOM A. Type UNITS to confirm the drawing is in metres with 3 decimals.

12 x 18 m plot with a shed and a tree
12 x 18 m plot with a shed and a tree

Challenge: Set LTSCALE 0.02 and change the fence line to DASHED to see why a drawing in metres needs a small LTSCALE.

See also