Alternate Dimension Scale Factor

I am currently using AutoCad LT 2013. I am also using the AutoCad Classic workspace setting. My problem is the Alternate dimension scale factor. Currently my “DIMALTF” is set at 1. In my Dimension Style Manager, the Multiplier for alt units: is set at 1. Despite these 2 settings, whenever I dimension something, the alternate dimension has been multiplied by 24.5. When I check the properties of that dimension, the Alt scale factor is 24.5. How can I get the alternate dimensions to have the correct (1) scale factor?

Welcome to CADTutor.

Might it actually have been multiplied by 25.4, which is how many mms there are in an inch?

I would guess that you are using an Imperial based (inches) template, and that the default alternate unit conversion is to metric (mms).

Might you be able to attach your drawing to your next post?

It would be much easier to open it and look at it, than to ask the many questions required to help you.

Happy to help, just hope to do it as efficiently as possible.

If you could create a copy of your drawing, and delete any proprietray information, drawing sheet, etc., if need be, or just post what you have, if it is non-proprietary.

What units do you want to work in?

I typically work in Metric, use a Metric template, and my drawing units are set to mms.

When I need to apply alternate Imperial Inch dimensions, I use the Dim Style shown in the second screenshot.

That is how I like them displayed, and may not be appropriate for your needs, but it will give you a starting point for reference.

Why do you need Alternate Units?

What Alternate Units are you trying to use?

The default DIMALTF values, are those shown in the second screenshot, 25.4 for Imperial units, and 0.0394 for Metric, not 1.

It sounds to me, upon rereading your post, that all you will need to do is change the DIMALTF to 0.0394, or if you want it more accurate still, use the value I show in the screenshot.

I'd still like to see the drawing though, to check a few other variables.

I changed the DIMALTF setting and the Alt scale factor to .03937 with no affect. I've attached a simple drawing file showing what I'm trying to do.

Thanks for the help.

Dimension Issues.dwg

Works fine here with Multiplier for Alt Units = 1 or DIMALTF = 1. I opened your Drawing and it was set to .0394.

I do not use Associative Dims, and these are not, so far, but they are on a layer which makes it seem like they should be.

I prefer doing my dimensions in Paperspace.

Yesterday I didn't have any work, and today I got swamped, so just got a chance to come on the forum.

Look at the screenshot, and you will see a number of the relevant settings, in my Quick Properties display.

Since they are both meant to display Imperial units (albeit slightly differently), rather than convert to Metric, your DIMALTF should be 1.

If you do that within the Modify command in the Dimstyle Manager, you don't need to manually adjust the system variable.

They are one and the same, they just put that option in the DimStyle Manager dialog to spare those intrepid souls, who would be wary of going into their system variables directly.

I was amused to see that, as you had it, with the round off value set to 1/16, and a metric conversion ratio, it displayed mms rounded to 1/16. It took me a minute to get my head around that, as most of the work I do is steel detailing, and we usually round everything to even mms. Having been weaned on Imperial in New England, and worked most of my adult life as a carpenter stateside, and having lived in Asia for the last 20 years, I am so glad to be done with fractions. Decimal based calculations are so much more user friendly. As one mm is pretty close to 1/25 of an inch, working in whole mms is still pretty precise, without even bringing decimal places into the mix. One would need to be a real sucker for punishment to be working in mms, and opt to use fractions!

No offense meant, as I understand that was not your intention.

I hope that helps you, I have more work I need to do now, so back to it.

I did these dimensions in Paperspace.

I took some liberties with the colors, and used the Small Dot, instead of the BIG ONE, as I found it a bit much.

Dimension Issues.dwgFor this project, I'm trying to keep it as easy and simple as possible. The easier it is, the less time it will take to get the job done. For this drawing, I don't want to use Paperspace. From modelspace we will make PDF's and send them to the window manufacturer. All I want to do is set whatever variables are needed, so when anyone puts in new dimensions, they don't have to edit the dimensions to get the Alternative dimensions to be the "inches" version of the dimension above.

Note: I have changed the dimension variables to everything that has been suggested, but whenever I change the variables, I see no change to the dimensions.

I opened your new drawing, selected one of the dimensions which you had altered, in the lower left corner, then in my Right Click Shortcut menu, I chose the Dimension Style / Save as a new style option.

After you do that, you will need to specify the name that you want to give it.

So in the drawing I have attached, there is a NEW dimstyle named Spawn of Altered (suitable for renaming).

It contains all of the modifications which you had done to that one previously.

I then did a crossing window selection of all the windows up at the top, chose Dimensions, then changed the dimstyle of all of those, to that strangely named new dimstyle.

I hope that helps you.

When you alter the variables for a single, or even multiple selected dimensions, it is done on those dimensions only. In order to see changes reflected across the board, on all of the dimensions in your drawing using that Dimstyle, you need to make the changes in the DIMSTYLE MANAGER, and start by selecting the dimstyle in the dropdown list, then MODIFY, from the right hand list. When finished you need to OK the modifications, to confirm that you want to at the bottom of the dialog box. Then Close the Dimstyle Manager, and any dimensions in your drawing using that dimstyle will update to reflect the dimstyle changes you have made and SAVED. Which is why, after creating the new dimstyle, I needed to change the dimstyles of all those I wanted affected, to that Dimstyle, so they would change. In order to change the name of Spawn of Altered, go into the Dimstyle Manager dialog, and right click on the dimstyle name, and use the Rename option.

Dimension Issues Plus.dwg

Your solution appears to work perfectly. I had a little trouble with my right click shortcut menu but once I got it figured out, I had no problem duplicating what you had done. I once had a problem in a computer program, and someone gave me a file with the problem corrected. I explained that I needed to know how to fix the problem in order to help others in my office. You gave me exactly what I needed. Thank you so much.

Excellent, I know what you mean, better to educate.

Which was why I took the time to explain all the steps in some detail.

You probably want to delete the dimension style which is not meant to be used also, as insurance.

If you rarely use your Right Click Shortcut menu, you might want to try using it more, as there are often some very useful functions available there, dealing specifically with whatever type of entity is currently selected, or if there are mid command options.

I am a HUGE fan of Time Sensitive Right Click, as shown in the screenshot.