Set the Scale

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Before you can start measuring a plan sheet, you will need to set the scale. 

There are two options to do this:

• Apply a standard scale - Most plan sheets have a scale stamped on them by the architect. This option allows you to apply the scale from a list of the most common architectural and civil scales.
• Calibrate the scale from a known distance - Sometimes a sheet may not have the scale listed, an architect may have stamped the wrong scale or the page may have been resized. This option allows you to set the scale based on a known distance marked on the plan sheet. If the dimension line you use as the known distance is labelled correctly, your scale will be accurate.

Don't worry if plans change or you have a more complex project - you can have multiple scales on the same plan sheet and can change the scale of measurements you've already drawn if needed.

See below for instructions:
Apply a Standard Scale
Calibrate the Scale from a Known Distance
Working with Multiple Scales
Change the Scale

Apply a Standard Scale

1. Open a plan sheet and locate the stamped scale.
2. Click the +Add Scale button at the bottom right of the screen.
   NOTE: If a scale has already been added to the plan sheet in STACK, it will be displayed next to the +Add Scale button. You can still add a scale but know there can be measurements with different scales on the sheet.
3. Click the Standard Scales tab and select the stamped scale from the dropdown.
4. Click Add Scale.
   The selected scale will display next to the +Add Scale button at the bottom of the screen.

TIP: You can draw a dimension line on a known distance to verify the scale is correct.

Calibrate the Scale Based on a Known Distance

1. Open a plan sheet and locate the scale graphic or a marked distance on the plan sheet so you can determine a known distance.
2. Click the +Add Scale button at the bottom right of the screen.
   NOTE: If a scale has already been added to the plan sheet, it will be displayed next to the +Add Scale button. You can still add a scale but know  there can be measurements with different scales on the sheet.
3. Click the Calibrate Scale tab and enter the dimension shown on the scale graphic or marked distance in the input box.
4. Click OK then click the two points of the scale graphic or marked distance you chose on the sheet to measure the known distance.

TIP: Once you’ve calibrated the scale, we recommend that you draw a dimension line to verify that the scale is correct.

Working with Multiple Scales

You can follow the instructions above to add multiple scales to the same plan sheet.

This is helpful if you have a plan sheet that has different drawings with different scales. It allows you to measure the different drawings on the sheet using the appropriate scale for each drawing, which affects the measured quantities you get. (Using the wrong scale while measuring would result in inaccurate measurements.)

To make it easy for you to tell if a sheet has multiple scales, each scale that is added to a plan sheet is displayed as a button at the bottom right of the plan sheet next to the +Add Scale button.

You can quickly see which scale is currently active because the button will be light green.

The active scale will be applied to any measurement you draw.

To switch to a different scale, just click the button for the scale you want to use before drawing another measurement.

TIP: If you select a measurement on the plan sheet, the scale used for that measurement will be activated. 

Change the Scale

If you draw measurements on a plan sheet then realize the scale is wrong, you don't have to delete the measurements and start over, you can easily change the scale of an individual measurement or multiple measurements.

1. Select the measurement(s) you want to change scale.
2. If the scale you want has already been added to the plan sheet, click that scale button at the bottom of the sheet.
   If not, click the + Add Scale button to add the scale you need.
   (If needed, see instructions above to apply a standard scale or calibrate the scale from a known distance on the sheet.)
3. Click the green Finish button on the left panel.

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