Viewport Scale

If the AutoCAD PDF is correct but the paper print is wrong, stop changing the DWG. Check the PDF page size and print the PDF at Actual Size/100% with the correct physical paper selected.

Fit to Paper makes the selected drawing area as large as possible on the chosen sheet. Exact Plot Scale preserves a known measurement relationship. Use Fit for drafts; use an exact scale when someone must measure the drawing.

To set a viewport scale, select the viewport border on a Layout and choose the required scale from the Viewport Scale control or the Properties palette. Lock the viewport after the view is correct.

Lock a viewport after its view and scale are correct. The lock prevents accidental zooming from changing the scale while you continue working on the Layout.

Changing a viewport scale should change the model view inside the sheet, not the physical sheet size. Keep the Layout and Page Setup unchanged, then modify only the selected viewport scale.

A viewport scale usually changes because the viewport is unlocked and somebody zooms inside it, or because a custom scale is being created accidentally. Restore the intended scale, reframe with PAN, and lock the viewport.

If the scale you need is missing from the viewport list, first select the viewport correctly, then use SCALELISTEDIT to inspect or add drawing scales. Do not use random zooming to imitate the missing scale.

Use SCALELISTEDIT when your office needs a legitimate scale that is not in the standard list. Add the scale once, name it clearly, then select it normally from the viewport scale list.

Resetting the AutoCAD scale list removes custom and unused scales and restores the drawing’s default list. Use it only after checking whether your project depends on office-specific or annotative scales.