How to Show Only Inches in AutoCAD?

Configuring AutoCAD for Inches Only

To display only inches in AutoCAD, follow these detailed steps to set up your dimension styles and unit settings effectively.

Create a New Dimension Style for Inches

1. Open AutoCAD and ensure your project is loaded.
2. Navigate to the Dimension menu. Select Style to access the Dimension Style Manager.
3. Click on New to create a new dimension style.
4. In the dialog box that appears, enter a name for your style. Choose an existing style from which to start (if applicable) and ensure the option Use For is set to All Dimensions.
5. On the Primary Units tab, locate the Suffix box and type in to indicate inches. Adjust the Scale Factor to 1.0 since you only want to display measurements in inches without any conversion.

Setting the Drawing Units to Inches

1. Type UNITS into the command line and press Enter.
2. A dialog will appear. Under the Type section, select Decimal or Architectural, depending on your preference for measurement representation.
3. For the Insertion Scale, choose Inches from the dropdown menu, then click OK to confirm your settings.

Drawing in Inches Only

1. Before you begin, ensure that your drawing scale is set correctly to inches. This ensures that all dimensions and drawings reflect measurements accurately.
2. Use the drawing tools as you normally would. Units will automatically be displayed in inches based on your previously set dimension style and unit settings.

Verifying Dimension Display

1. To verify that dimensions are correctly displayed only in inches, draw a few test lines or shapes.
2. Select the dimension tool from the toolbar and apply it to your drawing.
3. Review the dimensions shown on-screen to confirm they display in inches without any suffixes or prefixes indicating other units.

Troubleshooting Dimensions Not Displaying Properly

If dimensions do not appear as anticipated, check the following settings:

• Ensure that the appropriate layer for dimensions is turned on and visible.
• Check if the dimension style you created is applied to the dimensions in your drawing.
• Right-click on any dimension that is visible but incorrectly marked. Select Edit to adjust the display settings as needed.

FAQ

Q1: How can I change existing dimension styles to inches?
To change existing dimension styles, navigate to the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you wish to modify, then click on Modify. Adjust the settings on the Primary Units tab to display inches as previously outlined.

Q2: What should I do if my drawing still shows dimensions in different units?
Double-check your unit settings under the command UNITS to ensure that the Insertion Scale is set to inches. Additionally, confirm that the dimension style applied is the one you created for inches.

Q3: Is it possible to switch back to mixed units (inches and mm) later?
Yes, you can always return to the Dimension Style Manager to create another style or modify existing ones. Adjust your unit settings in the UNITS command accordingly to accommodate both inches and millimeters.