MeasurementScaleProperty

Tool

You can refer to this tool in any formula, macro, module, or other script in Blockpad. You can use either its name or its full path:

  • To refer to it by name, use MeasurementScaleProperty (make sure the library Library.Tools.Properties is included with Include Libaries)
  • To refer to it by its full path, use Library.Tools.Properties.MeasurementScaleProperty

 

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The Measurement Scale property controls how measurement values of dimension labels are scaled to their actual length. It also affects how typing in lengths or coordinates is interpreted, but only if Use Measurement Scale is enabled.

Canvas as piece of paper

You can think of a Blockpad drawing canvas as a physical piece of paper, with the dimensions specified by the Canvas Size property. Thinking of a normal 8.5 in x 11 in paper, if you print out a canvas of that size, you can measure the lines on it, and that is the actual geometry size in Blockpad (if the canvas scale is set to 1).

Scale ruler vs normal ruler

If you think of the canvas as a piece of physical paper with the size specified by canvas size, then the Measurement Scale is like the dimension labels are using a scale ruler instead of a normal ruler.

Measurement scale = 1

If the measurement scale is 1, then the dimension labels in a Blockpad drawing will show the actual geometry length (unless their text was modified). If you have a canvas size of 8.5 in x 11 in, and a 2 in line on it with dimension labels, the label will show 2 inches and you will measure 2 inches when you print the page.

measurement scale = 1

Measurement scale ≠ 1

If the measurement scale is not 1, the actual geometry will not change, but the value displayed by dimension labels will be multiplied by the measurement scale. In our 2 inch line example, if we set the measurement scale to 5, the line will still measure 2 inches on the physical paper, but the dimension label will show 10 inches.

measurement scale = 5

Canvas scale

All of this applies only if the Canvas Scale is set to 1. The canvas scale changes the size of the actual geometry relative to the canvas size (the piece of paper), so it can confuse the relationship between the measurement scale and the "piece of paper". It's suggested to keep the canvas scale set to 1 for any drawings where printed scale is important. The canvas scale is useful for resizing drawings where printed line measurements are not important.

Change the measurement scale of a top-level 2D canvas:
  1. Select the desired canvas in the list of top-level frames on the left side of the screen.
  2. On the canvas name, Right Click>Properties to open the properties window.
  3. Under Object, click Measurement Scale.
  4. Type in the scale.
  5. Press the Enter key.
Change the measurement scale of a subframe 2D canvas:
  1. Select a 2D canvas subframe by hovering over it and clicking the label that appears above it.
  2. Open the properties window.
  3. Under Object, click Measurement Scale.
  4. Type in the scale.
  5. Press the Enter key.
Notes:
  • When a 2D canvas is inside of a report, then the canvas/"piece of paper" will resize to fit the space it is given (the width of the report). If you print the report page, the drawing will not be to scale unless the width of the canvas size exactly fits the width it is resizing to.
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