In Layout when I create a new page Rhino always defaults to mm and will not accept the inches option.
I originally had the file in mm then I changed units to inches but the layout always defaults to mm no matter what options I choose. There is an inch option but it doesn’t work.
I attached a video capture of the problem notice trying to change to inches does not work.
I first opened the smallobjects mm template
Converted the units to inches
Created a new layout
Notice it defaults to mm instead of inches and won’t accept the edit to inches option.
I prefer to work in mm but I must do documentation including dimensions in imperial units in this case inches which I can’t do now. Also all the dimension settings stay in mm and don’t respect the inch setting. Changing units and the layout template should change the doc and layout properties to inches but it remains in metric
RM
These are two different settings in the document properties: one for model space (which you show you change in the video), and one for layout space.
-wim
Why doesn’t changing from mm to inches in layout space work? Is my main concern.
You can see in the video changing to inches is not accepted and rhino stays in mm.
The model space change was done because layout space doesn’t change from mm to inches. As well all text once one opens a mm template stay tied to mm sizes even after changing both settings to inches.
What you are doing in that video, is changing the input units from mm to inches. This is only to change the size of the layout paper, nothing else. Sure, I suppose that when you do that, it could stick to inches. Why not. But that is not going to change anything for you. You are not just setting the size of that piece of paper. You want the units on the layout to change from millimeter to inches.
Going back to your original post:
What you need to do:
Keep your model space units in millimeter
In the Document Properties, expand the “Units” section:
Wonderful that was the missing piece I couldn’t find and actually works, now I can cut and paste my inch layout pages into Metric files without the text coming in the wrong scale.
Still and forgive for asking, why is there that change units settings on the layout page that does nothing? If it always defaults to what is set in the layout units in Document properties; it seems useless. Shouldn’t that setting change the document settings; if not what is it used for? Since the setting in the layout page doesn’t work or change anyway why have that there? Wouldn’t a link to document properties be better? That layout setting, pictured in the 1st attached image seems wrong since it implies to allow one to change unit settings but won’t, it even has an ok box and a dropdown list of the unit settings metric or imperial. Seems like a bug or programming oversight.
Also what if I want one layout page to be metric and one to be imperial how does Rhino deal with that without having to reset document properties yet again for each layout page? To me it seems more productive and less error prone to have Rhino set units per layout page and not be a global setting in the document properties thus making that layout edit box actually be good for something.
It does something. It lets you set a paper size in a different unit / unit system than the one that you have chosen for layout space. I have to use my imagination here… If you only have a ruler in inches at hand, and need some custom-sized layout, being able to switch from millimeter to inch is a nice thing to have. That, or you need to find your calculator.
How useful this is in reality, or why it’s there? Beats me. I’m 110% metric. Either it’s something that was that way in AutoCAD decades ago, or someone, at some point during the past 30 years wished to have this in Rhino. Someone asks, chances are it gets in there… Do absolutely all user requests make Rhino a better product? You tell me.
… which brings me to that, I suppose.
How realistic is that, really?
-wim
I now understand that, I have been setting my paper size when I create a new layout in the properties box that pops up. The thing that threw me was there was no layout properties on the tab (see 1st attached image) only the word layout, but I should have caught that because the dialog box that pops up says layout properties. I assumed wrongly that units for layouts could be set there. Thanks for your enlightenment on that issue.
I wish this worked for me but it doesn’t. It shows the user the correct size but Rhino doesn’t change the layout page to that size.
In my northern cubit template I can’t change to inches rhino merely stays in northern cubits even though I select inches and type 8.5 by 11 in the boxes nothing happens. Is this logical, how can this help the user? I see that Rhino gives me the correct size in the page options but ignores it when I click ok. When I create a new layout page and see 8.5 by 11 in the dialog box and even choose that Rhino still does not create an 8.5 by 11 inch page but creates a 5743 inch by 7432 inch page. Check the attached file in cubits. Also perhaps I don’t understand the logic of how this is supposed to work or it’s flawed so please bear with me.
Yes they do I would have to argue requests make Rhino a better program. It’s the programmers duty to make the interface logical and readable, to fix and iron out bugs. It’s a computer brain it should be able to do all numeric conversions easily and without much ado. The interface that the programmer makes is the part where things break not the user requests. I wish McNeel would honor and act more on user requests.
It’s absolutely realistic because you have no idea what it’s like to work in two or more unit systems since you are 110 percent metric. I have to send out both mm and imperial documentation so this is a reality to me. I also have to work in antique units. In fact I have to make sure certain clients get fractions and certain clients get decimals so yea it’s much more complex than you think because that’s business. Currently I still have to have two of the same files one with metric and one imperial which makes updating much harder and error prone. If units could be on a per page layout basis it would make documentation easier for me.
Check out the attached layout page I can’t get it to change easily to 8.5 by 11 inches using the layout properties edit tab. Even creating a new layout page and choosing inches doesn’t create the page in inch size but defaults to a many inch size. Just trying to get a grip on this to make my documentation flow easier.
