Template Units do not match

When I start a new drawing file, and request the Template for Small Objects - Inches, the template opens in millimeter units instead. How do I manually set units for a model file? It seems to draw in inches, but reports length in millimeters.

Hi Dave - I do not see this here. Are you starting the model using File > 'New from template? ’ or starting a model with this as the default template? If you start Length with no selection, what does it say for ‘Units’?

-Pascal

Hi Pascal

I am attaching a screen shot of a new file started with “New from Template”
where I have chosen Small Objects ­ Inches.

My Mac is a MacBook Air, fully updated Yosemite OS, 4 gig memoryŠ.

On the first attachementI have drawn a line ³10² long, you can plainly see
"Length = 10.000 millimeters² in the status bar at the left.

The second screen shot is where I specified a 3in x 4in rectangle using the
rectangle tool. Rhino correctly draws the rectangle when I used ³3 in² and
³4 in² in the input box, but when measured with Analyze/Length, it reports
in millimeters in the status bar.

Is there a way to reset/adjust units in a new file like this? I am very new
to Rhino, but a 12 year user of AutoCAD, a current user of Sketchup, and
fairly proficient with pen and ink on vellum.

Just wondering how to correct the units thing so I don¹t have to add the
³in² each timeŠ

Thanks for your help

Dave

From: pascal steve@mcneel.com
Reply-To: McNeel Forum
discourse+f2d954d9620fc4fadf8d061b1700aba7@mcneel.com

If the analyse tool replies in millimeter, I think the document settings are set to millimeters. What does the file settings display? (File > Settings… > Units > model units)

Hi Dave- hmmm- that does not look like the default inches-small template - that file has a different grid setting ( 4 lines per large square).

-Pascal

it’s possible you think you’re opening the inches template when you’re actually opening the default mm template… (and if so, maybe a little UI rethink should happen?)

my guess is you’re selecting the inches template then clicking the ‘new model’ button… doing that will open the default mm template (or whatever template is assigned to open upon ‘new model’)

try doing “New using template” then double clicking on the small objects- inches option.

does that file now open in inches?

Thanks everyone, yes that was the problem. I was selecting the Template and then clicking New Model.

I really do not like double clicking on anything, long ago when computers were really slow and memory was very scarce this created a lot of frustration for me.

Still, how do we change units in an open model?

Go to DocumentProperties > Units

on mac, go File-> Settings-> Units

under ‘Units and tolerances’, change model units to the desired unit… at which point, you will be offered a choice to scale or not… if you choose ‘No (do not scale)’, the existing geometry will just change unit sizes… a line which is 12" long will now be 12mm long… if you choose ‘Yes (scale)’, the existing geometry will maintain it’s actual size as drawn… a 12" line will still be 12" or 305mm…

in the same dialog, you may also have to change the ‘Distance display’ setting… this setting only affects the measurements which are shown to you… but if you’re switching from an imperial unit which has feet&inches as the display -to CM, you’ll want to change the display to ‘Decimal’


also, if you want to set a certain template as your default, from the splash screen or ‘New using template’ , right click on the desired template and choose to make it your default template…
now any time you launch rhino or open a new model, it will be the template you chose as default.

you can also create a file with any customized settings (units, dimensions, mesh, render, etc) then File-> Save as Template… then make that one your default template.

Thanks, that works and I appreciate the help.