To Change the Space of an Object

When you create the geometry that is actually part of the model, you create it in model space. Then, you can switch to a layout tab that represents the sheet of paper on which you want to plot. You can then place model space viewports onto the layout and set the scale for each viewport.

Anything that is actually part of the model should be created in model space. Annotations that are only needed on the printed sheet are then typically created in paper space. But what happens if you accidentally create model geometry in paper space, or if you create annotations in model space? You can use the Change Space tool to move objects from model space to paper space, or from paper space to model space.

For example, in the Floor Plan view, suppose you inadvertently added the room labels while working in model space. When you switch to the Model tab, you can see those labels. The labels really should have been created in paper space, since they only need to appear in the layout. Switch back to the Furniture Plan layout. You can then use the Change Space tool to move those objects from model space to paper space.

First, double-click in the Floor Plan viewport to switch to model space. Notice that when you move the cursor over objects in this viewport, such as the walls or the labels, they highlight, because you are now working in model space inside the viewport and all of those objects are model space objects. Now, you are ready to move the text to paper space.

On the Home ribbon, expand the Modify panel and click the Change Space tool. The program prompts you to select objects. Click to select the three room labels. Then, right-click to complete the object selection. Next, the program prompts you to set the source viewport active and then press ENTER to continue. The source viewport determines the paper space location of the transferred objects. Since the source viewport is already the active viewport, simply press ENTER. The three text objects are immediately moved from model space to paper space. You can see that you are currently working in paper space by the presence of the paper space icon in the lower-left corner and the fact that the button in the Status bar shows the word "PAPER." And now, when you move the cursor over the labels, they highlight. When you move the cursor over the walls, however, they do not highlight, because they are in model space.

There is also a block representing a telephone that appears to have been drawn on the reception desk. However, even though you are currently working in paper space, when you move the cursor over the phone, it highlights. The phone was inadvertently inserted in paper space. When you switch to the Model tab, you do not see the phone. But since the phone should actually part of the model, it should have been created in model space.

Switch back to the Furniture Plan layout. Then, on the Home ribbon, expand the Modify panel and click the Change Space tool again. The program prompts you to select objects. Click to select the phone and then right-click to complete the object selection. This time, since you were working in paper space and the object you selected was a paper space object, the program prompts you to set the target viewport active and then press ENTER to continue. When transferring objects to model space, the target viewport that you click determines the model space location of the transferred objects. Click in the Reception Desk viewport and then press ENTER. The object is immediately moved from paper space to model space and scaled by an appropriate scale factor so that its visual size remains unchanged.

Switch back to the Model tab, and now you can see that the phone has been moved to model space.