Scale on Individual Linear and Area Groups

Why a group has its own scale

The scale in the header is the drawing's default. Every Linear and Area group is created at that default, and each group then keeps its own copy. Usually all the groups on a drawing share one scale and you never need to think about it. Two situations call for a group to differ:

• A detail at a larger scale on the same sheet. A 1:20 detail sits in the corner of a 1:100 plan. Measurements drawn over the detail belong in a group scaled at 1:20.
• Measurements drawn before the scale was corrected. If you answered No, Keep Existing when changing the drawing scale, older groups still carry the old ratio.

Detection and Count groups have no scale. They are tallies, and the header scale does not touch them.

Where the control is

Each Linear and Area group row in the sidebar has a menu button at its right-hand end: . The menu contains Adjust Scale .

Changing a group's scale

1. 1

   In the sidebar, find the Linear or Area group.

2. 2

   Click its menu button .

3. 3

   Choose Adjust Scale . The Adjust Scale dialog opens with the text "Adjust the scale on a TAKEOFF level. Measurements will be updated automatically."

4. 4

   Pick a preset from the select (e.g. 1 : 20). The list offers None and the presets for the current scale system; under Both they are grouped under Metric and Architectural.

5. 5

   Click Confirm.

The group's total and every marker beneath it recalculate at once, on the drawing, in the sidebar and in the Live Legend. The header scale is unchanged, so groups you create next still use the drawing default.

Duplicating a group with a different scale

Duplicating a Linear or Area group with the button on its row normally happens immediately. When the group's scale differs from the drawing default, ZeroCount asks which scale the copy should use:

Select Scale for New Group

The group scale (1:20) differs from the global file scale (1:100). Which scale would you like to use for the duplicated group?

Two buttons follow, each showing its ratio: Use Global Scale and Use Group Scale, plus Cancel. Choose Use Group Scale if the copy will hold more measurements over the same detail; choose Use Global Scale if you are reusing the group's colour and name for the main plan.

Duplicating a single marker in such a group

Duplicating one marker inside a group whose scale differs from the drawing shows a notice instead of a choice, because a marker always takes its group's scale:

Notice

This group has a different scale (1:20) than the global scale (1:100) set for this file. Duplicating this linear will inherit Detail Pipework's scale (1:20).

Click OK to continue. Turn on Don't display this message again to stop the notice appearing in future; the setting is remembered in your preferences.

Where the group scale shows

• The Adjust Scale dialog opens on the group's current scale.
• The Excel export writes each Linear and Area group's scale, for example 1:20, in the row beside its name, so a reviewer can see which groups differ. See Understanding the Workbook.
• The drawing's own Update Existing Groups? prompt is what brings a group back in line: pick the drawing scale again and answer Yes, Update All to reset every group to it.

Common issues

I changed the header scale and one group did not follow

You answered No, Keep Existing at the prompt, or the group had its own scale already. Use Adjust Scale on that group, or reselect the drawing scale and answer Yes, Update All.

The measurements in a group are all out by the same ratio

The group is at the wrong scale. Adjusting the group's scale recalculates every marker in it; you do not need to redraw anything.

Next steps

• Setting the Drawing Scale — the drawing default every new group starts from.
• Managing Groups — rename, duplicate and delete groups, and the rest of the group menu.
• Drawing Linear Measurements — add measurements to a group at its own scale.
• Understanding the Workbook — where the scale appears in the export.