Setting the scale on a plan

Scale is what turns pixels on a PDF into real feet and inches. Until you set it, CountTooling can count fixtures but can't measure runs. Scale is per page, so each sheet can have its own.

There are three ways to set it — ① two points, ② a preset, or ③ a custom value.

Set scale from two points

The most reliable way is to calibrate against something you know:

1. Pick the Set Scale tool.
2. Click two points a known distance apart — a dimension line, a door width, a grid spacing.
3. Enter the real-world length (for example 3' or 10 ft).

CountTooling works out the scale from those two points, so it stays accurate even if the PDF was exported at an odd size.

Use a preset

If the sheet is drawn at a standard ratio, skip the two-point step and pick a preset:

• Architectural — 1/4" = 1', 1/8" = 1', and the rest of the common set.
• Engineering — 1" = 20', 1" = 40', and so on.

Enter a custom scale

You can also type a scale directly — a fraction like 1/4 or a decimal like 0.25 — and apply it. Useful when you know the ratio but don't have a dimension to click.

Tips

• The scale badge on each page in the sidebar turns yellow once a scale is set, so you can see at a glance which sheets are calibrated.
• If a single sheet mixes scales (a detail blown up in the corner), you don't have to re-scale the whole page — see Scale zones and multiply zones.
• Try to measure something before you trust a takeoff. If a known 3-foot door reads as 4 feet, your scale is off — reset it and pick cleaner points.

Once the scale is set, you're ready to measure runs.