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Paperspace Layouts
Layouts let you prepare a drawing for printing or PDF export. They represent a physical sheet of paper and contain one or more viewports, each of which is a framed window into model space at a defined scale.
Model vs. Layout
At the bottom of the screen a tab bar shows a Model tab followed by any layout tabs you have created.
- Model is where you draw. Coordinates here are in the drawing's native units (mm, cm, or m) at 1:1 scale. There is no paper boundary.
- Layouts represent paper sheets. You position and scale views of model space inside viewport frames. Entities are not drawn directly on layouts — they are referenced through viewports.
Click any tab to switch. The active tab is highlighted with a blue border.
Creating a Layout
Click the + button at the right end of the tab bar to add a new layout. It is named automatically (Layout 1, Layout 2, …). You can have as many layouts as you need — for example one per sheet size, or one per discipline.
Renaming a Layout
Double-click a layout tab to enter edit mode. Type the new name and press Enter or click elsewhere. Press Escape to cancel.
Deleting a Layout
Right-click a layout tab and confirm deletion in the prompt that appears above the tab. The Model tab cannot be deleted.
Page Setup
While a layout tab is active, a button in the tab bar shows the current paper size and orientation (e.g., A3 ⬌). Click it to open the Page Setup panel.
Paper Size
Available sizes:
| Size | Dimensions (mm) |
|---|---|
| A0 | 841 x 1189 |
| A1 | 594 x 841 |
| A2 | 420 x 594 |
| A3 | 297 x 420 |
| A4 | 210 x 297 |
Orientation
Choose Landscape (wide) or Portrait (tall). Switching orientation swaps the width and height of the paper frame.
Viewports
A viewport is a rectangular window placed on the layout sheet. It shows a portion of model space at a specific scale and center point.
What a Viewport Shows
Each viewport independently controls:
- Center X / Center Y — the model-space coordinate at the center of the viewport.
- Scale — the ratio of paper units to model units. For example, a scale of
0.01means 1 mm on paper equals 100 mm in the model (i.e., 1:100). - Size — the width and height of the frame on paper, in mm.
Setting the Viewport Scale via the Title Block
In the Page Setup panel, type a scale in the Scale field using the format 1:N (for example 1:100 or 1:50). PlanCAD parses this value and automatically updates the first viewport's scale so that the model-space geometry fits the stated ratio. The scale text also appears in the title block when exported.
Fractional or custom ratios can be entered as decimal numbers if needed (e.g., 0.005 for 1:200).
Locking a Viewport
A locked viewport prevents accidental panning or scale changes within it. Set locked: true on the viewport to freeze its view. Locked viewports are still rendered normally.
Title Block
Every layout has a title block configuration with the following fields, editable in the Page Setup panel:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Drawing or project name |
| Scale | Displayed scale, e.g. 1:100 |
| Drawn By | Name of the drafter |
| Company | Organization name |
| Date | Drawing date |
| Revision | Revision identifier, e.g. A, B, Rev 2 |
Title Block Templates
Three templates are available (set via the template field in the title block configuration):
- standard — full border with a title block box in the lower-right corner containing all fields.
- minimal — a light header line with title, date, and scale only.
- none — no border or title block; the viewport occupies the full sheet area.
The template is applied automatically when you export to PDF.
Exporting to PDF
In the Page Setup panel, click Export PDF. PlanCAD renders all visible entities through the layout's viewport(s) at the configured scale, draws the title block, and saves a PDF to disk. A toast notification confirms the exported file name.
PDF export uses the paper size and orientation set in Page Setup. Make sure the viewport scale and center are correct before exporting.
Workflow Example
A typical layout workflow for a floor plan at 1:50 on A2:
- Switch to the Model tab and complete your drawing.
- Click + to add a layout, then double-click the tab to name it "Floor Plan A2".
- Open Page Setup, set paper size to A2 and orientation to Landscape.
- Enter
1:50in the Scale field. PlanCAD updates the first viewport's scale. - Fill in the title block fields (title, drawnBy, date).
- Click Export PDF.