Creating a 'to scale' drawing for architecture

[JackJJW]

I'm trying out Indesign to see if I can create scale documents in it. 

Please can some help me to...

- set the in document measurement to metres, e.g scale 1:100 or 1:50

- I'm using an A3 document 

- so that I can draw a line, or instance, that is 10 metres long

Is there a proper way of doing this within InDesign? As opposed to just doing the working in my head. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

InDesign does not really have precision drawing tools or features. You can set a document grid to almost any scale you like, and basic shapes will snap to it, but overall the features are basic and simple. It's not really any substitute for a CAD program, or even a vector illustration tool like Illustrator, or even a "drawing" tool like Visio.

Now, I've done simple technical illustrations in it, simply because I have a high degree of mastery and know what it can and cannot do, and sometimes it's just faster to whip out a few lines and shapes than it is to go to another tool. Such as—

But overall, it's not really a recommended path. Do your layouts in another, more capable tool and import them.

[JackJJW]

Thank you, that's a shame there's no way to set the scale. I only want to create simple drawings like yours but that would make it a bit too tricky. Thanks for the advice, I'll go back to exploring the more dedicated software. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Don't take it as an absolute. Peter clarified a point I kind of glossed over — yes, you can set a document grid to any values you like, including something useful for scaled drawings. (Whether they will export or print with enough precision of scale is not something I'd bet on, if your intent is to print things like model part diagrams).

But yes, you can do simple tech diagrams, and you can use a scaled grid if you choose. Just don't expect too much and aim for the very simple end of things.

[Peter Spier]

>> (Whether they will export or print with enough precision of scale is not something I'd bet on, if your intent is to print things like model part diagrams).

I see know reason whey they would be less precise than any other printed drawing from another program. Hand-drawn scaled plans are not likely to be precise, either.

Way back when I spent some time on the local zoning and planning board in my town one of the things I noticed that was while the engineers carried scales and would use them to give us approxiomate measurements, ANYTHING that needed to be precisely measured was always called out (dimensioned) on the plans or could bwe calculated fom other callouts.

I also worked for a time for a service bureau that did at least half its business printing construction darawings and the like, and the same was true for those. Accuracy of the print depends on the printing device, not the drawing program.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Maybe. But there are so many steps in between the document on the screen and the doc on paper that I'd be very hesitant to accept that a printed diagram (for a part, or such — to be used directly, or to be measured from) was accurate enough for end uses. It's not just that ID is not a precision drawing program, it's that anything could scale the printing and result in small differences.

I agree that it should be accurate... but I thought it worth the caveat. Trusting AutoCAD to manage its processes for precision output is one thing. Trusting a page layout app to be as reliable, especially in the hands of those who may not watch every detail and setting all the way to paper... well....

But yes, ID can be used to produce fairly high precision drawings on paper. I've done it... but only expecting reasonable accuracy for things like paper models.

[Peter Spier]

While I agree in genral with James on this, there's no real trick to doing scale drawings in InDesign if you chosse a ruler unit that scales appropriately and do a little math in your head.

For orders of 10 I would choose CM or MM as the ruler units. For inches-to-feet the math is a bit more complex, depending on the factor, but Picas and Points are helpful -- there are six picas per inch, and 12 points per pica.

[Mike Witherell]

Whereas InDesign's measurement system of rulers can be set to mm and cm, it cannot be set to Meters.

But you can do so in Adobe Illustrator!

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Well, that's because the maximum value that could be used is about 5.5. Not terribly useful... 🙂

I have often worked at one pica per inch for large format stuff, though. Simple 1:6 ratio with no math required.