Calibrate a sheet and measure

Lengths and areas need to know the sheet's scale. MarkupCraft keeps a scale per sheet: calibrate each sheet you measure on. Counts need no scale.

The status bar shows the current sheet's scale, or "Not calibrated".

Choose a scale from the list

Use this when the PDF is at full size (a 24 × 36 sheet that prints at 24 × 36) and the drawing states its scale.

1. Click the scale button in the status bar ("Not calibrated"). The "Sheet scale" box opens.
2. Under Scale, pick the scale: architectural (1/32" = 1'-0" to 3" = 1'-0"), engineering (1" = 10' to 1" = 100') or metric (1:1 to 1:1000).
3. Choose Set scale.

Result: the status bar shows the scale, for example 1/4" = 1'-0". Architectural scales show lengths in feet and inches, engineering scales in decimal feet, metric scales up to 1:50 in millimeters and from 1:100 in meters.

Calibrate from a known dimension

Use this for half-size sets, scanned sheets, details at odd scales, or to check a preset.

1. Find a long dimension you trust, or a graphic scale bar.
2. Choose Calibrate in the Measure group (or choose Pick two points in the "Sheet scale" box).
3. Click one end of the dimension, then the other. (Or drag from one end to the other.) Zoom in first for accuracy; ⇧Shift keeps the line at 45° steps.
4. The box says how far apart the points are on the paper and asks "How far apart are they really?". Type the Real distance, for example 24'-0", 12' 6 1/2", 7.2 m or 900 mm.
5. Pick how lengths are shown under Show lengths in: Feet and inches, Decimal feet, Inches, Meters or Millimeters.
6. Choose Set scale.

Result: the status bar shows "Calibrated: 24'-0" over 1.00 in" (the real length and the paper length), and the tool you were going to measure with comes back on. Every way of typing a length is in Units and lengths.

If MarkupCraft cannot read what you typed, the box says so: 'That is not a length MarkupCraft understands. Try 24'-0", 12' 6 1/2", 7.2 m or 900 mm.'

Measure a length

1. Choose Length (MM).
2. Click the start, then the end. Or drag from start to end. ⇧Shift keeps it at 45° steps.

Result: a dimension line with ticks and the length written on it. The status bar repeats it ("Length: 12'-6 1/2" (1/4" = 1'-0")."), and Properties shows it under Length. Feet and inches are rounded to the nearest 1/16".

If the sheet has no scale yet, choosing Length switches to Calibrate and the status bar explains: "Calibrate this sheet first: pick two points a known distance apart, or choose its scale. Then measure." After you set the scale, Length comes back.

Measure an area and its perimeter

1. Choose Area (QQ).
2. Click each corner of the room or region.
3. Finish with a double-click, ReturnEnter or a right-click (double-tap on touch). DeleteBackspace removes the last corner.

Result: a shaded outline with the area and "P" with the perimeter in the middle, for example "128.00 sq ft" and "P 48'-0"". Feet scales give square feet, inches square inches, meters square meters, millimeters square millimeters. An area needs at least three corners.

Holes (cut-outs) in an area are not built yet: measure the hole as its own area and subtract it.

Count things

1. Choose Count (UU).
2. In Properties, type a Group name, for example "Floor drains". (It stays for next time.)
3. Click each item on the sheet.

Result: each click adds a numbered dot, the first dot carries a tag like "Floor drains: 7", and the status bar keeps the running total.

• Start another group: press EscEsc once (it clears the selection), change the Group name, and click again.
• Add to an existing group: select the group first, then choose Count and click.
• Remove a mark: with the group selected, hold ⇧Shift and click the dot. Removing the last dot removes the group. On a touch screen without a keyboard, use ⌘ZCtrl+Z or Undo instead.
• Rename a group: select it and edit Group name in Properties.

A count group belongs to one sheet. Counts on several sheets show as separate groups in the markups list.

Change or remove a scale

Click the scale button in the status bar. The box shows the current scale; pick another, choose Pick two points, or choose Remove scale.

Lengths and areas already drawn are re-measured with the new scale at once. Undo brings the old scale back.

Where the numbers go

• Properties shows the selected measurement's values.
• The Markups tab lists each value, and its CSV has a "Measurement" column. See The markups list.
• The saved PDF keeps the scale on the page and writes lengths and areas as measurement comments, so other PDF programs that understand measurements can show them. See What is saved in the PDF.

For a full quantity takeoff with items, assemblies and prices, use TakeoffCraft: MarkupCraft measures for review, not for estimating.