I posted about converting AutoCAD drawing unit from one unit to other unit. The method I use in that post was to create a new drawing, then insert your old drawing to that new drawing. Your drawing will adjusted and use the new settings.
There is another method that you can use: using command line.
The reason why I didn’t mention about it before is because it’s not documented. Some novice and occasional users probably not familiar with all the options.
However, converting the unit using command line is a popular method, so I thought I should share this with you.
Converting DWG units
The command to convert the unit is –DWGUNITS. Notice the – prefix. You have to include it or AutoCAD will not recognize the command.
Now all you have to do is to set the new setups. Below is the questions sequence:
Command: -DWGUNITS
Drawing units:
1. Inches
2. Feet
3. Millimeters
4. Centimeters
5. Decimeters
6. Meters
Unit for length <3>: 1Drawing unit display formats:
1. Scientific
2. Decimal
3. Engineering
4. Architectural
5. Fractional
Linear display format <4>:Architectural linear display precision formats:
0. 1″
1. 1/2″
2. 1/4″
3. 1/8″
4. 1/16″
5. 1/32″
6. 1/64″
7. 1/128″
8. 1/256″
Linear display precision <4>:Scale objects from other drawings upon insert? [Yes/No] <Yes>:
Match INSUNITS to drawing units? [Yes/No] <Yes>:
** WARNING: you have changed the unit for this drawing database. **
** All new objects will be drawn according to the new unit, but **
** existing objects will not change size unless you specifically **
** ask to have automatic scaling occur. **Scale objects in current drawing to reflect change in units? [Yes/No] <Yes>:
Include objects in Paper Space? [Yes/No] <Yes>:
Scaling the entire database…
Scaling AecDbObject(s)…
Scaling entities in Model Space…
Scaling entities in Paper Space…
Scaling entities in Paper Space…
So which one do you think is better? I prefer inserting the drawing, but you may find this is more convenient way for you.
i want draw a line of 70mm in auto cad 2014, after draw when i check the length it showing like 4.78, I am confused, I changed the units to milimeters……….
Thanks for the clarification I’m not an engineer, but I have reached the technical stage and interrupted by a special Living situation but I’m raring to stronger in this area thanks
Hi Edwin, I have a same problem as Megha has. I don’t get dialogs saying “Scale objects in current drawing to reflect change in units? [Yes/No] :” and “Include objects in Paper Space? [Yes/No] :”, thus I can’t convert unit of the drawing given by other. I am using 2014 version while given drawing is saved in 2013 version. Can you help me solve this problem?
hello Edwin Prakoso can u help in this
i ‘ve 1 mm dwg i want to convert in feet
how do i do it help me
Apart from the previous messages that I sent you Edwin, I have now also tried opening a new autocad drawing and from there I have followed all the above steps for “-DWGUNITS” that also includes the following steps which didn’t show up earlier i.e.
“Scale objects in current drawing to reflect change in units? [Yes/No] :
Include objects in Paper Space? [Yes/No] :”
Now, when i try to Insert the drawing as you have mentioned as a block with explode, the block unit factor says inches and the default unit factor says 1. however, when i say ok nothing is inserted.
It seems impossible for me to rectify this error inspire of trying out many ways and I have an urgent deadline to meet. Please help.
Another thing that i had tried that seems to be working but without precision and I am worried about the other command problems associated with this method that I had implied. I had changed the units to architectural and inches and scaled the drawing with reference points from mm to inches.
Thank you so much for your immediate response Edwin! Truly means a lot:)
You had asked me to use the -DWGUNITS command to rectify my issue in converting my existing drawings from mm to inches.
So, I open my existing drawings and enter the same in the command line. The default Unit for Length : (this is how it shows and so I enter 1 for the same.
Therefore Unit for Length: 1 is what i enter but you have mentioned :1. I am confused as to what should be the units I should enter.
Also, I have followed all the next steps but after Match INSUNITS to drawings units command, it doesn’t show the other commands like
“Scale objects in current drawing to reflect change in units? [Yes/No] :
Include objects in Paper Space? [Yes/No] :”
Please help!
My original question was:
I have received an autocad drawing in mm but would like to convert it to inches.
Units in the drawing i received are set to Decimal and Inches. When I dimension the existing drawing, it gives me measurements in mm. But I would like to convert and draw in inches and check the dimensions in inches. I would like to use your second method – insert the drawing method. Could you please describe in detail how I can do this.
Also, when I try to create a new drawing, what should i select as i have never used different templates before. And what should the factor be when I insert?
Another problem is the dim style. When I am right now Dimensioning my existing drawing, it dimensions in mm with showing also alternative units in feet and inches.
To convert to Inch, you need to input 1 when it asked for unit length.
For “Scale objects in current drawing to reflect change in units? [Yes/No] :
Include objects in Paper Space? [Yes/No] :”
You need to select YES, AutoCAD will calculate and scale the drawing as necessary.
THE “-DWGUNITS” COMMAND IS NOT RECOGNISED IN MY VERSION (2014) OF AUTOCAD
-DWGUNITS should be available in AutoCAD 2014. It’s still available in AutoCAD 2015 as well.
Do you have other default command that’s not recognized by AutoCAD?
Hi Edwin, thanks for the reply. When I type in “-DWGUNITS”, AUTOCAD says at the command line “unknown command “-DWGUNITS”, Press f1 for help.’
I dont know of any other command that doesn’t work either.
I dont know why it wont work.
What if you use dot before the command? Type .-DWGUNITS
If it works, it means someone undefine the command. To fix it, try this:
Type REDEFINE then enter. Type -DWGUNITS then enter again.
I am pretty much using Autocad 2014 out of the box, so if the command has been redefined then someone has done that at the factory.
I followed your instructions to redefine but still end up with ‘unknown command name’
I don’t know what might be wrong. But -DWGUNITS is a default AutoCAD command. Maybe you want to repair the AutoCAD installation and see if it brings the command back.
Hello, Can you please tell me exactly how to use the -dwgunits command to go from imperial to metric starting with a acad.dwt file. Thanks.
Excellent! Thanks a lot, Edwin.
please i want to know how to create coordinate from AutoCAD to note pad,excell and other packages