Dimensions in 3D drawing placed on one plane

[xjessie007]

You should not be rotating the object. You should be reorienting the UCS to the plane you are dimensioning.

"You should be reorienting the UCS to the plane you are dimensioning" ... is it possible to set up cad in a way that this is happening automatically? When I change the angle of view, so that the UCS would adjust accordingly?

[ReMark]

You could try using the Dynamic UCS. It is supposed to make working in different planes easier. Personally, I turn the feature off because I couldn't get used to it. You may find it easier to work with.

You are doing all your dimensioning in model space aren't you?

[xjessie007]

Yes, in model space.
I have dynamic UCS on, but it does not seem to be working. But I think I will be able to get used to manual UCS. After spending the whole day doing it manually, I think it will be ok. Still bothering my mind, what change could have caused the change in behavior of my cad.

[portews]

Well, it's been two years since this went up, but maybe it will help someone else who's searching for an answer.

In Autocad 3D drafting, the UCS is initially at 0,0,0 with Y up, X to the right and Z straight at you. Yours is at the top of the roof. I'll bet you started drawing with the front face of the house first, right? Dimensions always appear at the plane where the UCS is located when you make the dimension. If you draw something starting 20 ft off the "ground" (zero Z axis) and dimension it, the point will be at a Z of 20' and the dimension lines and text will be at zero. To have the dimensions tied tight to the object, you have to set the UCS origin at 20' high. Now 20' will show as zero feet high, it becomes your new basepoint.

I use manual UCS and use the UCS toolbar to locate and rotate the UCS to draw in particular place and direction. You can align the UCS to an object, a surface or the view. If the Z is showing on the UCS, rotate about the other axis that shows (X or Y) and it will make Z come straight out at you, or away from you. Now you can draw in the way you're used to.

I'd put your UCS on the bottom left corner of the house with Z up and Y to the back of the house and X to the right. Now those dimensions will lay flat on the ground and tight to the house. To dimension the left side of the house, rotate the UCS 90 degrees around the Z axis, then 90 degrees around the Y axis, so Z is pointed at you, X is up to the roof and Y points to the left. Now the text will run up the left side of the house. The text will always run in the X axis. If X points to the left the letters will be backwards. If the Y points down, the text will be upside down.

Good Luck!

[Dadgad]

Yes, in model space.
I have dynamic UCS on, but it does not seem to be working. But I think I will be able to get used to manual UCS. After spending the whole day doing it manually, I think it will be ok. Still bothering my mind, what change could have caused the change in behavior of my cad.

I suspect that your OBJECT SNAP OPTIONS have been changed, and should be set as shown in the image. You might also want to use your VIEWPORT CONTROLS in the upper left hand corner of any viewport, or your VIEW toolbar to navigate your perspective changes, as it works like you have your UCSFOLLOW variable set to 1, makes it easier to work without having to pay much attention to your UCS on the fly.