To Work With Scale Bars

You add scale bars in paper space. When you add a scale bar, you assign it to a specific viewport and you specify its location. Each viewport can be scaled differently, using its own scale bar. You can use a built-in scale bar or load a custom scale bar. You can use any AutoCAD block as a scale bar, but scale bars work best when they are dynamic blocks.

To add a scale bar to a display map

  1. If desired, create a display map and add any viewports you need. See To Work With Display Maps.

    Every map file has a default display map. If you do not create other display maps, the scale bar will be added to the default.

  2. Switch to paper space.
  3. Click Layout Tools tab > Scale Bar.
  4. Select a scale bar style from the list.

    To use a custom style, click Load Custom Scale Bar and navigate to the drawing containing the scale bar block.

  5. Select a viewport for the scale bar.
  6. In the Scale Bar Properties dialog box that displays, specify the following:
    • Scale Bar Division: Sets the distance, numeric label and units for the scale bar division. Select the map unit from the list: Feet, Yards, Miles, Millimeters, Centimeters, Decimeters, Meters or Kilometers.
    • Label: Enter the label text.
      Note: If you change the units after you enter the label, the label will update to the default label for the new unit. For example, you can set the Scale Bar Division units to kilometers and then change the label to KM. If you then change the units to miles, the label will automatically change to "Miles."
    • Adjust Divisions On Zoom: When you select this option and zoom the map in the viewport, the length of the division lines change, and the division value adjusts automatically. If this results in a fractional scale, the floating toolbar displays a warning. If you leave this option unselected and zoom the map in the viewport, the scale bar size adjusts and the division text is unchanged.
    • Scale Ratio: Select a ratio from the list or enter your own value. The map zooms to the new scale ratio when you exit the dialog box.
  7. Click OK to see a preview of the scale bar in the paper space.
  8. In response to the prompt that appears, do one of the following:
    • Click a spot to place the scale bar.

      The scale bar can be inside or outside the viewport itself.

    • Click Properties to return to the dialog box and adjust the values.
    • Click Cancel to cancel the entire scale bar operation.

To change the scale bar

  1. Select the scale bar.
  2. Click .
  3. From the drop-down list, select Scale Bar Properties.
  4. In the Scale Bar Properties dialog box that displays, specify the following:
    • Scale Bar Division: Sets the distance, numeric label and units for the scale bar division. You must enter whole integers. Select the map unit from the list: Feet, Kilometers, Meters, or Miles.
    • Label: Enter the label text.
      Note: If you change the units after you enter the label, the label will update to the default label for the new unit. For example, you can set the Scale Bar Division units to kilometers and then change the label to KM. If you then change the units to miles, the label will automatically change to "Miles."
    • Scale Ratio: Select a ratio from the list or enter your own value. The map zooms to the new scale ratio when you exit the dialog box.
  5. Adjust Divisions On Zoom: Select this option to ensure that the specification of the divisions defines the size of the scale bar. For example, if you specify divisions every 100 meters, they will remain at that value for any scale. If you do not select this option, division values will change when you scale the map and can become fractional values.
  6. Click OK.

To resolve scale bar problems

    If a scale bar is not associated with a viewport, or if it displays a fractional scale, its floating toolbar will display an error:

  1. Select the scale bar.
  2. Click .
  3. If the toolbar list displays "Fractional scale," select or enter a whole integer for the scale ratio.
  4. If the toolbar list displays "Link to viewport," select a viewport in this paper space layout or delete the scale bar.