You work in the unit you're used to. Behind the scenes, imposition and nesting keep every length in points, the unit PDF files use, so a layout never drifts when you switch between inches and millimetres.
Points#
A point (pt) is 1/72 of an inch.
| Unit | In points | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 72 pt | A 12 × 18 in sheet is 864 × 1296 pt. |
| 1 mm | about 2.835 pt | A 3 mm bleed is about 8.5 pt. |
| 1 cm | about 28.35 pt | A 70 cm roll is about 1984 pt wide. |
| 1 ft | 864 pt | Used by the nesting API only. |
You rarely need points yourself. They matter when you read a PDF's own sizes, or when you send lengths to an API that works in points.
Imposition jobs#
Each imposition job has its own Unit: inches, millimetres, centimetres or points. Pick it when you create the job, and change it any time with the Unit menu in the workspace header (on wide windows). Changing the unit only changes how lengths are shown and typed. The stored sizes stay exactly the same.
| Unit | Shown with | Arrow keys and spinners step by |
|---|---|---|
| in | 3 decimals | 1/16 in (0.0625) |
| mm | 1 decimal | 1 mm |
| cm | 2 decimals | 0.1 cm |
| pt | 1 decimal | 1 pt |
Typing numbers. You can type 12.5 or 12,5, and a trailing inch mark (″ or ") is ignored. Thousands
separators work too (1,250.5 or 1.250,5). When a value is out of range, the message gives the allowed range in
your unit.
Rounding. What you type is converted to points and kept to four decimals of a point, far finer than any press or cutter can hold. Shown values are rounded to the decimals above, so a width typed in millimetres can show a last digit that differs by one after you switch to inches and back.
Estimates#
Each estimate has Units: Imperial (in, ft²) or Metric (mm, m²). It sets how lengths and areas of the parts you trace are shown. Areas show as ft² with two decimals, or m² with three. Materials are priced per ft² or per m², whatever each estimate's units.
You set the drawing's scale yourself by drawing a line over a known length, in in, ft, mm, cm or m (see Setting the scale).
A box keeps its own unit: its length, width and depth are in mm or in, whichever you chose in the
Box designer, and a definition sent through the API says which in its unit. Board
calipers are always in mm, and corrugated blanks also show their MSF (thousand square feet) per 1,000.
Equipment#
Printer and cutter settings are metric, as manufacturers publish them: sizes in mm, speeds in mm/s, print speeds in m²/h and ink costs per m².
APIs#
| API | Lengths | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating | inches, square inches | Page coordinates are PDF points (or pixels for images), origin at the top left. Money is in US dollars. |
| Nesting | the request's unit: pt (default), in, mm, cm or ft |
The response uses the same unit. Outlines are y-up. |
| Imposition | points | Job and artwork sizes, margins and spacing. |
| Equipment | mm on the machine and printer; inches in test cuts and prints | Test cuts and prints take width_in and height_in. |