UserManual:Measurements

Standard measurements

Standard measurements tables contain sizing information which Valentina uses to calculate body measurements for standard-sized figures. It is important to bear in mind that, for the calculations to work, the body measurements must grow proportionately from size to size. However, people of different genders and ages (e.g. babies and toddlers, children, women, men, etc.) grow in different proportions. Therefore, you must provide a separate table for different genders and age groups.

Usually multi-size standard tables provide a lot statistical data that are hard to describe and require more than just the one column in the individual measurement file. Instead, you provide measurements for a default standard figure and allow Valentina to calculate the rest. To designate the default standard figure, specify a base size and a base height for your standard measurements table. Two values, size and height, uniquely identify standard-sized figures.

By size we usually understand value of chest measurement. According to our internal system of names, it is measurement G04 - Bust circumference (bustcirc). See page Measurements.

Height values grow in 6 cm and increments are limited to the values listed below.
Height (cm): 50, 56, 62, 68, 74, 80, 86, 92, 98, 104, 110, 116, 122, 128, 134, 140, 146, 152, 158, 164, 170, 176, 182, 188, 194, 200.

Size values grow in 2 cm and increments are limited to the values listed below.
Size (cm): 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72.

The format supports values described in two units: centimeters and millimeters (Inches aren't supported). Convert values described above to millimeters to get appropriate values if you use millimeters in your your table.

Usually, the process creating a file with standard tables requires specifying a base size, a base height and units of increment, then specifying a base value for each measurement. In other words, a column for this size and height you selected as a base. To enable Valentina to generate measurements for other size-height combinations, you must provide a size_increase and a height_increase for each measurement. The size_increase is the amount Valentina will add/subtract to the measurement's base value for every step up/down in size. Likewise, the height_increase is the amount Valentina will add/subtract to the measurement's base value for every step up/down in height.

Let's take a look at some examples to understand how it will work...

Here is an example of how Valentina would calculate a measurement after a new size and height combination has been selected:

distance_between_consecutive_sizes = 20 mm 
distance_between_consecutive_heights = 60 mm

// Base values for a table:    
base_size = 500 mm    
base_height = 1760 mm

// waist girth:     
base_value = 780 mm 
size_increase = 40 mm
height_increase = 0 mm

// Change size and height:
new_size = 560 mm
new_height = 1880 mm

// Calculate the number of steps to go from the base size to the new size.
size_coefficient   = ( new_size - base_size ) / distance_between_consecutive_sizes
                   = ( 560 - 500 ) / 20 = 3

// Calculate the number of steps to go from the base height to the new height.
height_coefficient = ( new_height - base_height ) / distance_between_consecutive_heights
                   = ( 1880 - 1760 ) / 60 = 2

new_measurement_value = base_value + size_coefficient * size_increase + height_coefficient * height_increase

// Calculate new measurement value for waist girth:
new_waist_girth = 780 + 3 * 40 + 2 * 0 = 900 mm

Let's look at a simpler example:

Here we see a table that has a correlation between measurements at different heights. The next thing, that we need to do to continue to work with it, is to designate the base size and base height. In this example, we will take size (chest measurement) 50 and height 80. All measurements in the column height 80 are now our base values. Then we calculate the values size_increase and height_increase for each measurement separately. In this example, the table only provides changes for heights. So, size_increase will be always equal to 0. The last thing to do is to find the height_increase values. Here are several examples for better understanding:

chest = 50, 52, 54 = 2. 50 + 2 = 52. 52 + 2 = 54
waist = 47, 49, 51 = 2
shoulder = 6.2, 6.6, 7 = 0.4
body rise = 14.1, 14.9, 15.7 = 0.8

Using measurements

To use the measurements, it should be linked to a pattern file. By default, each new pattern file isn't connected to any measurements. To understand current state take a look at window title. It will have the measurement file inside '[' ']' if one was connected to pattern, like this: pattern.val [measurements.vit]. Alternatively, you can use menu Pattern piece -> Pattern properties.

To create a measurement file, use the Tape app.

To link new measurements to the pattern file, use menu Measurements -> Load Individual ... or Measurements -> Load Multisize (Standar)...

Individual measurements

Files containing individual measurements end with suffix .vit (Valentina Individual Measurement).

Standard measurements

Files containing standard measurements end with suffix .vst (Valentina standard table). These files must reside in a specific folder for Valentina to find them. Valentina will look for the files in the following order:

• For Unix(Linux):

1. [path to valentina binary]/tables/standard
2. /home/[user name]/.valentina/tables/standard
3. /usr/share/valentina/tables/standard

• OS X:

1. [path to valentina bundle]/Resources/tables/standard
2. [path to valentina bundle]/tables/standard
3. /home/[user name]/.valentina/tables/standard
4. /usr/share/valentina/tables/standard

• Windows:

1. [folder where valentina.exe resides]/tables/standard

The paths mentioned above can be rewritten by changing the settings in Preferences. See page UserManual:Configuring Valentina

If a pattern is connected to standard measurements, to determine which standard figure is currently associated with your pattern, look at the values of size and height displayed at the bottom left of the main window. You may modify these values independently using the corresponding drop-down lists.