System units - importing an autocad dwg

[stayinwonderland]

I'm not totally comfortable with system units and autocad file.

 

I brought in an autocad file and left all the import options to default.

 

Wanted to see if the size matches so picked a measurement from floor to ceiling (2400mm on the drawing).

 

But the tape measure only measured about 900mm floor to ceiling. The only way to get it to scale properly is to change the units in max to 1unit = 2.5 centimeters. The tape measure then says 240cm.

 

I've never seen anyone change the units that way, is that a botched way of dooing it? Should I have changed something when importing?

[datacrasher]

before you imported you're model into max you need to change them under the system units when in max, Then it should come out the same size as in autocad

[stayinwonderland]

ah ok. Cheers.

 

I just reset max, then changed the units and merged the previous max file into which I'd imported the dwg (because I wanted to avoid starting from scratch again). The tape was then 2400mm, floor to ceiling, and units were 1:1 as they should. Is that method also pretty safe?

[datacrasher]

that is the safest way to do it check all you're units in both softwares then check the units in max to match you're previous scene then import or merge the objects or models if you. just merge you're scene without changing the units you can always scale it up but it'll look off kelter to you're previous scene

 

if you don't change the units then some-times the models come in big or small depending on you're unit setup