By SaqibCAD
Many projects, especially in international or mixed teams, require dimensions to show both Meters (Metric) and Feet/Inches (Imperial) simultaneously on the same drawing. AutoCAD makes this possible using the Alternate Units feature in Dimension Style.
This tutorial will guide you on how to display primary units in Meters and alternate units in Feet (or vice versa) on one dimension line.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
- Open Dimension Style Manager Type DIMSTYLE in the command line and press Enter. (Or go to Annotate tab → Dimensions panel → Dimension Style)
- Create or Modify a Dimension Style
- Click New to create a new style (recommended), or select an existing style and click Modify.
- Give it a clear name, for example: Dual - Meter & Feet
- Set Primary Units (e.g., Meters)
Go to the Primary Units tab and configure as follows:
- Unit format: Decimal
- Precision: 0.00 or 0.000 (as per your requirement)
- Suffix: m (space + m for meters)
- Scale factor:
- If your drawing is in millimeters: Set Scale factor = 0.001
- If your drawing is in meters: Set Scale factor = 1
- Enable Alternate Units (Feet)
Now go to the Alternate Units tab:
- Check the box Display alternate units
- Unit format: Architectural (for Feet and Inches) or Decimal
- Precision: Choose as needed (e.g., 1/16" or 0.00)
- Multiplier for alt units:
- If Primary is Meters → Use 3.28084 (1 meter ≈ 3.28084 feet)
- Suffix: ft or leave blank if using Architectural format
- Placement: Select Below primary value (most common and clean look) or After primary value
- Adjust Text and Appearance (Optional but Recommended)
- Go to Text tab → Set text height and style.
- Go to Fit tab → If dimensions look crowded, adjust "Suppress" options or text placement.
- Set as Current and Apply
- Click OK → Close
- Select your new dimension style and click Set Current
- Now draw new dimensions or select existing dimensions and change their style to the new one.
Common Scenarios & Scale Factors
| Drawing Base Unit | Primary Unit (Desired) | Primary Scale Factor | Alternate Unit | Alternate Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Millimeters | Meters | 0.001 | Feet | 3.28084 |
| Meters | Meters | 1 | Feet | 3.28084 |
| Inches | Feet | 1/12 | Meters | 0.0254 |
Pro Tip: Always verify the first dimension using the DIST command on a known length to confirm your scale factors are correct.
Final Tips from SaqibCAD
- Create separate dimension styles for different needs (e.g., Dual-Meter-Feet, Only-Meters, Only-Feet).
- Use a clean template (.dwt) file with your dual dimension style already set.
- For architectural projects, Architectural format in alternate units gives a better feet-inches look (e.g., 10'-6").
- Test on a sample drawing before applying to the main project.
Showing both Meters and Feet on the same dimension makes your drawings more professional and useful for international clients, contractors, and site teams.
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