Problem with Dimensions

Good morning all,

I just started using Autocad 2013 and am having troubles with dimensions in paper space. To keep it simple I will start with a new drawing, drawing units are are set to architectural, inches. I will draw a simple line 2 feet long (in model space) Click the layout tab and measure the line and it comes out to 1'-7 5/8" everytime. And when I activate the viewport and measure it it will measure 2' again. thank you for any help you can give me.

My modelspace scale is 1:1 and viewport scale is 3/8" = 1'-0"

The problem is that your dimensions aren't associative. When they are, the dimension takes the viewport scale as its primary unit.

The easiest way of solving this is dimension in model space ,but if you don't want to do that, try snapping the object endpoints eg. when dimensioning.

Snapping can be done, before clicking the points you wanted, by holding shift en right-click, click the snapping point you want and than snap to the point of the object.

You can also enable the snapping toolbar.

I hope I helped you with your problem.

Thank you for your reply. The box marked make new dimensions associative is checked in the user preferences box, and I turned off auto snap and tried shift + right clicking to the endpoint of the lines but I am still getting the same result?

I bet if you attach a copy of the actual DWG file in your next post someone here can figure out what the problem is and tell you how to go about fixing it. A drawing is worth a thousand words.

great idea! Hope I did it right.

Dimension.dwg

Your view in the Viewport is SW Isometric. Since AutoCAD dimensions are only two dimensional objects, you are only getting the distance in the XY plane (of the Paper), also known as foreshortening.

I get it, that makes perfect sense. Thank you. Is there any way to dimension an isometric view in paper space?

I get it, that makes perfect sense. Thank you. Is there any way to dimension an isometric view in paper space?

Welcome to the forum.

Yes there is.

It can also be done in modelspace.

I am attaching a very good drawing to assist doing isometric dimensions in modelspace, which I believe was created by rkent and posted on this site.

I have never needed to use it, but it is beautifully thought out.

Thank rkent!

Oblique Dims & Text for modelspace.dwg

You can create a dim style and edit the scale factor (Primary Units tab, middle left section) to equal 1.22474487139. Make sure you only use this dim style on a true isometric view of a 3d object, IE:SW view, NE view, etc.

The other method posted by Dadgad is good for isometric drawings rather than 3D. Thanks for the nice complement Dadgad, BTW.

Great information. Thank you guys!