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Units and Scale
PlanCAD works in real-world units. Setting the correct unit and scale at the start of a project ensures that dimensions, coordinates, and PDF output all display meaningful values.
Available Units
Three unit types are supported:
| Unit | Label | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Millimetres | mm | Architectural detail, furniture, joinery |
| Centimetres | cm | Interior layouts, smaller site plans |
| Metres | m | Urban planning, large-scale site plans |
The active unit is displayed throughout the interface: in the status bar coordinate readout, in dimension annotations, and in the measure tool output.
Changing the Unit
Units are set in the Toolbar, in the secondary bar below the main tool row. Three buttons labelled mm, cm, and m are shown side by side. Click the desired unit. The active unit is highlighted.
Changing the unit does not rescale existing geometry. Raw coordinates in the drawing remain unchanged. The unit selection controls how those raw values are displayed and how typed distances are interpreted.
Scale Factor
The scale factor converts raw internal coordinates to the chosen display unit. It is a multiplier applied before values are shown in the status bar, dimension annotations, and measurement results.
For example, if your drawing was imported from a DXF file where 1 drawing unit equals 1 mm, the scale factor should be 1 and the unit should be mm. If 1 drawing unit equals 10 mm (i.e., the file was authored in cm), set the scale factor to 10 with unit mm, or set the scale factor to 1 with unit cm.
The scale factor can be set programmatically via the project store (setScaleFactor). For most drawings started directly in PlanCAD, the default scale factor of 1 is correct.
How Units Affect the Interface
Status Bar Coordinates
The X/Y coordinate readout in the status bar multiplies raw coordinates by the scale factor and appends the unit label. For example, raw coordinate (250, 150) with scale factor 1 and unit mm displays as X: 250.0 mm Y: 150.0 mm.
Dimension Annotations
Dimension entities read the distance between their two endpoints, multiply by the scale factor, and display the result with the unit label. Changing the unit or scale factor updates all dimension labels in the drawing live.
The dimension tool respects the active unit when you type a distance in the command input.
Measure Tool
The Measure tool (Delta icon, keyboard shortcut M) displays cumulative distance and enclosed area using the current unit and scale factor. Both distance and area labels update automatically if you change the unit.
Typed Coordinates and Distances
When a tool prompts for a distance or coordinate, the value you type is interpreted in the current unit. Typing 3000 with unit mm places a point 3000 mm from the reference. Switching to m and typing 3 achieves the same result.
Grid Size
The adaptive grid snaps to intervals that keep grid lines visually 10–100 pixels apart on screen regardless of zoom. The grid interval is in raw internal units, so the effective real-world spacing changes with the scale factor.
Layout Viewport Scale
When you type 1:50 in the layout Page Setup, PlanCAD converts the ratio to a viewport scale factor by combining the drawing's scale factor and unit-to-mm conversion. This ensures the printed PDF matches the stated scale.
Practical Setup
Starting a New Drawing
- Decide on a working unit before drawing anything.
- Click the appropriate unit button in the toolbar (mm, cm, or m).
- Leave the scale factor at
1unless you are importing content from a different coordinate system.
Importing a DXF
After import, check the status bar coordinates by hovering over a known element. If the coordinates do not match the expected real-world size, adjust the scale factor. For example, if a 6000 mm wall shows as 6.0 in the status bar, the DXF was authored in metres; set the scale factor to 1000 and unit to mm, or set scale factor to 1 and unit to m.
Consistent Dimensions
Always confirm the unit before placing dimension entities. Dimensions placed with the wrong unit will show incorrect labels even if you later change the unit, because the displayed value recalculates from the stored raw geometry.