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dimensioning vertically _a problem...


laughingjack

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hey all,

 

cant get a dimension to work in the vertical (Z) plane. i have a cube and can get dimensions to work properly in the x*y plane (horizontal) but when i try to dimension the vertical side autocad refuses to dimension anything vertical, all i get is a horizontal dimension of the distance between the 2 points i have selected vertically, set down on the horizontal plane. tried to get it to work in 3d workspace and also the 2d annotation & dimensioning workspace -no joy...

im sure there is something im missing. ive tried various forums and scoured the Help files but cant find anything to help me out.

anyone know what im doing wrong?

 

cheers!

.LJ

Edited by laughingjack
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You are experiencing a UCS issue. Try using your VIEW toolbar or Palette if you are on the ribbon, and choose your orthogonal views there. In that way you should be able to dimension like you want. If you are trying to do this in modelspace, then you can create a dimension, then 3D rotate it to the orientation you want. Warning, as they are shown they will not read correctly in an orthogonal view, as they are all on different planes.

3D dims.JPG

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ta for the reply,

 

sorry, got UCS planes mixed up.. my bad. i cant place a dimension in the 'Z' (vertical) plane.

i just figured i should be as easy as placing them in the x*y (horizontal plane)...

 

@dadgad: tried the thing with the views -no joy...

same as above but trying left hand view, i got a dimension the correct lenght and in the vertical, but 2-3 meters away from the object.

 

basically im doing a kitchen where i want to be able to fill dimensions in (vert + horiz) as i go along designing it. i have a dishwasher and stove(range) objects (BLOCKS) that are not dynamic as far as i can tell or have any ascociative prospects either. i want to be able to view and modify dimensions (sizes) of things as i go, and do this in 3d modelling view.

ascociative, dynamic dimensoining in 3D Modeling view.

so. is what im trying to do, not the right way to go about it, maybe?

or is autocad just not able to? which would be amazing if it cant, i mean dont they design buildings with this, how do they dimension the height of those?

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ok now realise that the dimension i get in the vertical (the 2-3 m away one) IS actually lined up with the X ('view depth' projection. ie away from the viewer) UCS,x=0 line (but not Z or Y). this is related to the fact that i used the LEFT view to place the dimension, and that y*z was my view (but not X, so it couldent dim it?, ie; default to 0?)?

 

... just tried FRONT view (x*z), the same but in the Y (UCS,y=0 line). i think autocad cannot tell depth of view when placing dimensions (or picking points of reference) in 3d space from a 2d view. or am i still getting this wrong...?

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You need to place the dimensions in the x-y plane of the UCS....I think you are rotating the view without changing the UCS. To try it, draw a cube. Go to the left view. Type UCS and pick the lower left corner for the first point, then the lower right corner. This sets the x-axis, the last entry point is for a point on the x-y plane (normally you can just hit enter to accept the default). Now you can place a dimension in this "left" view, which is technically in the y-z plane. We just use the UCS to fool it temporarily. Type UCS again, and select World to get the true UCS back.

 

Main point - dimensions are only placed in the x-y plane of the UCS, regardless of your current view orientation. So you have to adjust the UCS as you go.

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ta for the reply,

 

sorry, got UCS planes mixed up.. my bad. i cant place a dimension in the 'Z' (vertical) plane.

i just figured i should be as easy as placing them in the x*y (horizontal plane)...

 

@dadgad: tried the thing with the views -no joy...

same as above but trying left hand view, i got a dimension the correct lenght and in the vertical, but 2-3 meters away from the object.

 

basically im doing a kitchen where i want to be able to fill dimensions in (vert + horiz) as i go along designing it. i have a dishwasher and stove(range) objects (BLOCKS) that are not dynamic as far as i can tell or have any ascociative prospects either. i want to be able to view and modify dimensions (sizes) of things as i go, and do this in 3d modelling view.

ascociative, dynamic dimensoining in 3D Modeling view.

so. is what im trying to do, not the right way to go about it, maybe?

or is autocad just not able to? which would be amazing if it cant, i mean dont they design buildings with this, how do they dimension the height of those?

 

To the best of my knowledge Autocad can only dimension in a plane which is parallel to your UCS. There are software add-ons which will dimension 3 dimensionally, one of which I once tried, looked great on youtube, but I found it really annoying, so uninstalled it. Typically, in my experience, dimensions are rarely used in 3D perspectives, but rather applied orthogonally in viewports, arranged to suit your specific needs. There was a very good post by rkent (as I recall) about isometric oriented text, and I forget if it also addressed dimensions or not. Building heights are shown as elevations, which are done in orthogonal views. I hope that helps you out. :)

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You need to place the dimensions in the x-y plane of the UCS....I think you are rotating the view without changing the UCS.

 

This is true, and why I suggested previously using the VIEW TOOLBAR to set orthogonal views, as when you do so, your UCS follows those ortho views. If you choose an isometric view the WCS is retained. :thumbsup:

Edited by Dadgad
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gotcha...I'm always using the viewcube (well, technically I don't do extensive 3d work anyways) to rotate the view, or shift+mouse wheel, and then setting the UCS as needed.

 

thanks Dadgad for the clarification.

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I think I understand the issue now... laughingjack can label in the correct plane, just not at the correct depth of that view....try the three point UCS or UCS-Object. Your assumption is correct (if I'm reading right) that you cannot place a dimension anywhere in the UCS z direction. The fix though is to set your UCS origin, x-azis, and y-axis somewhere on the same plane of the object you are trying to label.

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thanks guys, think i got it working now. ive created a 3-point-UCS called 'vert dim UCS' which has the Z pointing horizontal and now i can dim vertically from the one direction that is prependicular to the Z axis, and in "3D modeling" workspace no less. just how i wanted. thanks again. shame that autocad has to be fooled to do this sort of thing tho ...

 

... just realised ill have to shift the new UCS to each object until they are all done ... ah well, at least i can do it now. :-)

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having trouble getting assoc. dims to stick to BLOCKS, tried a few things and found out that;

 

--BLOCKS dont like having dims (assoc. to them) follow them around...? yet PRIMATIVE cubes do...

 

--BLOCKS ucs overrides any user ucs on-screen...?

 

am i right? i have a cube that if happy to play nice with assoc dims, but the BLOCK object wont have a bar of them?

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ah... ...din think of that. ill try it out.

...still dont understand why BLOCKS cannot be associatively dimensioned though...

thanks again.

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now ive got a problem in the BLOCK editor. if i create a BLOCK from my PRIMATIVE (3D SOLID) cube (shaped like a dishwasher), then try to edit it in the B-editor, all i can get is a top-down (plan) view of the block...which means i cant dim the height...!? i tried changing the Z-plane (UCS), -no joy. is there some sort of 3D BLOCKs? or a way to change the B-editor view? i think ill just create new PRIMS to represent the various fittings i need, at least then ill have assoc. dims working on them.

Edited by laughingjack
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gee, objects with dims attached really dont like being moved around do they...

 

...ok, ive just realised, if i use 3D SOLID, i can hover over the control points and see dim values, w00t! this will work for me i think. and im assuming that if i add detail to the 3D SOLID (non-planar(like bevels)), then these will also act the same...? hmm, i shall try...

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