DIMENSIONS  

Set Dimensioning Variables - Model Space Dimensions

 

Set the Units to 1/32"

  1. Type UNITS<RET>
  2. Set "Drawing Units" to Inches
  3. Set "Length Type" to "Architectural"
  4. "Length Precision" to 1/32"
  5. Set "Area Precision" to 0.00
  6. Set "Angle Type" to "Degrees"
  7. Set Angle Precision" to 0.00
  8. Click "OK" button

 

Set a text style to use for dimensions

  1. Pick "Format" from the pull-down menu
  2. Pick "Text Style..." (this brings up the "Text Style" dialogue box
  3. Click on the "New" button
  4. Type in "DIMENSIONS" for the "Style Name:"
  5. Click the "OK" button
  6. Under "Font Name" select "romans.shx" font
  7. Make sure the "Height" is set to 0'-0"
  8. Set the "Width Factor" to 0.75
  9. Click on the "Close" button

 

Set up the first dimension style

  1. Pick "Format" from the pull-down menu
  2. Pick "Dimension Style..." (this brings up the dimension dialogue box).
  3. Click on the word "STANDARD" in the "Name:" box.
  4. Click on the "New" button.
  5. On the "New Style Name" line, type in a name for the dimension "style" you want to create. Let's assume that you are drawing a plan or elevation to be plotted at 1/4" = 1'-0" scale and you need a dimension style which will have all of the parameters set so that it will look correct at that plot scale. Therefore, just to be descriptive, name this style "48." (48 is the plot scale factor for 1/4" = 1'-0" scale drawings)
  6. Pick the "Continue" button.
  7. Click on the "Lines and Arrows" tab.
  8. In the "Arrowheads" portion of this dialogue box, make the following changes:
  9. In the "Dimension Line" portion of this dialogue box in the upper left hand corner, make the following changes:
  10. In the "Extension Lines" portion of this dialogue box, make the following changes:
  11. In the "Center Marks for Circles" portion of this dialogue box, make the following changes:
  12. Click on the "Text" tab
  13. In the "Text Appearance" portion of this dialogue box, make the following changes:
  14. In the "Text Placement" portion of this dialogue box, make the following changes:
  15. In the "Text Alignment" portion of this dialogue box, pick the "Aligned with Dimension Line" radio button
  16. Click on the "Fit" tab
  17. In the "Fit Options" portion of this dialogue box, select the "Always keep text between ext lines" radio button
  18. In the "Text Placement" portion of this dialogue box, select the "Over the dimension line, without a leader" radio button
  19. In the "Scale for Dimension Features" portion of this dialogue box, make the following changes:
  20. In the "Fine Tuning" portion of this dialogue box, check the box "Always draw dim line between ext lines"
  21. Click on the "Primary Units" tab
  22. Under the "Linear Dimensions" portion of this dialogue box, make the following changes:
  23. Under the "Zero Suppression" portion of this dialogue box,
  24. Go back and click on the "Text" tab
  25. In the "Text Appearance" portion of this dialogue box, set the "Fraction height scale" value to 0.75
  26. Pick OK at the bottom of this dialogue box. This will bring you back to the "Dimension Style Manager" dialogue box.
  27. Select the "Set Current" button.
  28. Select the "Close" button at the bottom of the dialogue box.

 

Set up additional text styles for other viewport scales

  1. This completes the set up of one dimension style. It will provide a good architectural appearance of dimensions, angles, and leader lines for drawings plotted at a plot scale of 1/4"=1'-0". You can now use this set up to create other dimension styles for other plot scales. To do this, open the "Dimension Style Manager" dialogue box (if it is not already open) and click on the "48" style to highlight it, then click on the "New" button. In the "New Style Name" box, type in a name for the new style you want to create, such as "96". Then click the "Continue" button. Click on the "Fit" tab and change the value of "Use overall scale of:" to 96. This would make it correct for 1/8" = 1'-0" scale viewports. Then click the"OK" button, then the "Close" button.
  2. The following are names and "Use overall scale of:" values for various viewport scales:

    1/16" = 1'-0": 192

    3/32" = 1'-0": 128

1/8" = 1'-0": 96

3/16" = 1'-0": 64

1/4" = 1'-0": 48

3/8" = 1'-0": 32

1/2" = 1'-0": 24

3/4" = 1'-0": 16

1" = 1'-0": 12

1 1/2" = 1'-0": 8

3" = 1'-0" 4

Half size: 2

Full size: 1

1" = 1000'-0": 12000

1" = 500'-0": 6000

1" = 200'-0": 2400

1" = 100'-0": 1200

1" = 50'-0": 600

1" = 20'-0": 240

1" = 10'-0": 120

 

Applying dimensions in Model Space

To begin using dimensions, turn on the "Dimension" tool bar - right-click on any other tool bar and select the "Dimension" tool bar. This has all the tools to create dimensions on it.

  1. Set the current layer to "A-Anno-Dims"
  2. Set the space to "Model" space
  3. Select the "Format" pull down menu, then select "Dimension Style..."
  4. Select the dimension style which is appropriate for the scale of the viewport in which the drawing will appear, for instance in a viewport scaled for 1/4" = 1'-0" scale, select the dimension style called "48"
  5. From the dimension tool bar select the "Linear Dimension" icon.
  6. Snap to one of the endpoints of the line, then the other end point of the same line - alternatively, select the line itself - AutoCAD will automatically find its endpoints
  7. Select a point through which the dimension line will pass
  8. Done
  9. To continue with a string of dimensions to the next endpoint, select the "Continue Dimension" icon
  10. Continue picking endpoints
  11. When done with the string, hit two <RET><RET> keys

 

Editing dimensions

If you want to edit text on a dimension, click on it and the "Modify Properties" window will display its properties.  Click on the plus sign to the left of the word "Text".  In the slot to the right of the "Text Override" type in the text you want to display on the dimension.  To display text with the measured dimension, type the text and then <>.  The "<>" will display as the measured dimension.  If you want to have multiple lines of text, type \P where you want to start a new line.  Note that the P must be in upper case.


Using grips to change location of dimension lines, dimension text,
and extension line origin points:

If you select a dimension string at the Command: prompt, five grips will be placed on the dimension string, one at the insertion point of the text (at its center), one at each end of the dimension line where it crosses the extension lines, and one at the origin point of each extension line. You can make any of these grips "hot" and drag them to another location.

To change the length of a dimension line, make one of the grips at the extension line origin hot and move it parallel to the dimension line. The dimension text will always be automatically updated to read whatever the new length is.

To change the location of a dimension line itself, make one of the grips hot on the dimension line and drag it to a new location.

To change the location of the dimension text (this is a common requirement), make the grip on the dimension text hot and drag it to a new location. Note that if you drag it to a location which is near to or on the dimension line itself, a break will automatically be placed in the dimension line to allow for the text to be able to be read without interference from the dimension line crossing through it.

 

 

Paper Spece Dimensions - the next big thing

Dimensioning Variables for Paper Space Dimensions

  1. Set variable DIMASSOC = 2 (in Command” prompt area, type in ASSOC <RET> 2 <RET>)
  2. Create a new dimension style and name it "psdim"
  3. Select the “Format” pull-down menu
  4. Select “Dimension Style...”
  5. Click on one of the model space dimension styles already created - this will set all of the other variables correctly
  6. Click on the “New…” button
  7. Type in the name of the Style in the “Create New Dimension Style” dialogue box: PSDIM
  8. Click the “Continue” button
  9. Select the “Fit” tab
  10. In the box called “Scale for Dimension Features” select the radio button called “Scale dimensions to layout (paperspace)”
  11. Select “OK” button
  12. Select “Set Current” button
  13. Select "Close" button
  14. Change to paperspace – to do this, select one of the tabs at the bottom of the drawing image area, other than the Model” tab
  15. Make sure that the viewport is set to the correct scale on the “Properties” Palette.
  16. Lock the viewport display on the “Properties” Palette.
  17. Dimension the objects in paperspace – be sure to osnap to end points or midpoints of object being dimensioned. Do not osnap to end points of another dimension line. Note: you cannot dimension endpoints of AEC walls in paper space - You can only dimension lines, polylines, blocks, arcs and circles in paper space!
  18. Now experiment by double clicking inside the viewport to get you into the model space displayed by that viewport. Click on a line and move its endpoint grip. Go back to paperspace (by clicking the “Paper” button at the bottom of the screen). Switch to paperspace and see that it changed the dimension.