Dimension Scaling Problems

[ammobake]

This is another issue that's been bugging me. Let's say I have a paperspace titleblock with a viewport and I want to add dimensions in paperspace. Personally, I usually add dimensions in model space. But in rare instances I do put them in paperspace for certain detail drawings and other things.

 

In order for the dimension to display the correct value, "DIMLINEAR" must be properly scaled to compensate for the scaling of the viewport. Typically, when you add a dimension to paperspace the scaling takes place automatically. But it doesn't always STAY this way. Herein lies the problem.

 

I can have all my paperspace dimensions fine one day, open up the drawing the next day and have half of them showing the WRONG dimensions. Autocad dimensions in paperspace almost seem to have a mind of their own sometimes!

 

MATCHPROP is my best friend. But it doesn't always fix this particular problem. Let's say you have a dimension that is correct and you matchprop that over to all the others for that viewport so they are ALL correct. Sometimes, for some odd reason, some of the dimensions will keep trying to rescale themselves to the WRONG scale. In particular, when you close and reopen the drawing and/or if you try to MOVE the dimension or just the text within it.

 

I stray from using any annotative attributes for text, dimensions, or callouts because it opens up a can of worms I don't have any need or desire to open (KEEP IT SIMPLE), so I know this is not the cause of my problem. But why do some dimensions try to automatically change the "DIMSCALE LINEAR" value for no apparent reason even AFTER you've changed it to the correct value?

 

-ChriS

[guitarguy1685]

what are your following dimvariables set to?

 

DIMASSOC

DIMSCALE

DIMLFAC

[guitarguy1685]

I can't seem to duplicate the problem

[ammobake]

I have an EIFS detail showing a cross section of a parapet. The overall parapet width is supposed to be 10". Unless you use dim override, the dimensions keeps reverting back to 3'-4"..

 

A dimension right below that (same dim style) shows a dimension of the exterior foam and EIFS material @ 4-1/2". Measurement shows 4-1/2" too and absolutely no problems with this one. It's absolutely correct.

 

it's only with SOME dimensions and I have no idea why.

 

And like I said before, even if you use "MATCHPROP" to make them both correct, at first it will display the correct dimension. But anytime you open the drawing, move the dimension, or move the text within it the dimension goes back to 3'-4" when it's supposed to be 10".

 

Same deal on another sheet in this set too. Only the other one keeps going back to 1'-6" when its' supposed to be 4-1/2"..... All the other paperspace dims in this drawing are correct.

 

All are snapped to the EIFS details within each viewport. And I only have one viewport per detail (2 details per sheet).

 

DIMSTYLE is "STANDARD" for all the dimensions in the set, though I've modified the properties to change leader style/size and text style to Century gothic.

 

-ChriS

[ammobake]

DIMASSOC : 2

DIMSCALE : 0'-1"

DIMLFAC: 1.0000

 

-ChriS

[ReMark]

I dimension in paper space (layout) all the time and I have never run into the problem you describe.

 

Tools > Options > User Preferences > Associative dimensioning. Is there a checkmark in the box in front of the words Make new dimensions associative?

[ruksi]

I dimension in paper space (layout) all the time and I have never run into the problem you describe.

 

Tools > Options > User Preferences > Associative dimensioning. Is there a checkmark in the box in front of the words Make new dimensions associative?

 

I also prefer this, Better you keep view port scale vice template If you are usually use

[bonehead411]

I've experienced exactly the same problems with dimensions changing when re-opening drawings or moving / stretching them. After a while it dawned on me that the only ones I had this trouble with were the ones that I had used MATCHPROP on. So my advice, stay away from the matchprop button and make any changes within the properties box.

[KiLLiNG-TiME]

Intresting .. the team i look after on a project have & still are having dimensions issues e.g. changing when re-opening drawing that they have been working on, all is fine before they close, but when re-opened the dims seem to just jump of into space, I have tried all the obvious to find the issue to no avail.

 

This is the email sent to support

 

We are experiencing issues opening AutoCAD 2010 DWGs containing Annotative Dimensions, where some annotative dimensions are arbitrarily expanding out to the extents of the DWG without user interaction. I have attached a zipped example, so if you open this and Zoom Extents you will see some dimensions that show this.

 

 

Do you have any idea what could be responsible for this?

 

This was my reply & a fat lot of good it is too !!!!

 

This issue usually occurs if the dimension have been snapped to objects that do not support associatively or if they have been placed using the PERP osnap.

 

The dimensions will need to be disassociated (DIMDISASSOCIATE) and re-associated (DIMREASSOCIATE). really !!!

 

If anybody else has experanced this kind of issue any help would be most helpful & greatly appreciated.

 

There are no overrides in the Dimension style manager ? & they are in model space & they are annotative & they are associative.

 

I know its not strictly a scale issue but this is the closest post i could find.

Edited October 25, 2010 by KiLLiNG-TiME

[irneb]

It does seem to be due to the perp OSnap. I had this problem way back in 2005, so AnnoScales had nothing to do with it. It got so bad that we had to DimDisasociate everything and change DimAssoc=1. It would constantly stretch dims to hell and gone each time you opened the DWG (whether they were drawn in MS, through a viewport or directly on PS). The only thing I could guess at was that they were picked using the Perp snap, since it only happened where this type of snap occurred.

 

Maybe if you turn off the Perp OSnap you should be fine, but then how would you do DimAligned (rotate the UCS and use DimLinear instead, you must be kidding right)?

[KiLLiNG-TiME]

The cleint requires that that the Dims are associative! arrrggg

 

Ok so i get the whole team of 40 to turn of Perp snaps off when dimensioning !! great they will love me for that, i can see a lot of not happy emails coming my way & a lot more request for saved ucs in the menu ..oh well could be worse couldn't it!

 

(rotate the UCS and use DimLinear instead, you must be kidding right) yeah i wish you were but i cannot see another way around this can you ?

 

Thanks for the advice irneb, i guess i owe mr support a small apology then ..****** but i would still like to know what objects that do not support associatively !!

 

2005 bloody hell this bugs not been around to long then !!! what up with autodesk no time to fix such a small issue eh

[bonehead411]

Personally, I find the perp osnap a pain in the backside, and would never use it for dimensioning. I choose to keep it turned off, if I need to find a perpendicular point I'll use the shift & right click shortcut menu. But anyhoo........

 

From the Help files:

 

Special Situations and Limitations

You may need to use DIMREGEN to update associative dimensions after panning or zooming with a wheel mouse, after opening a drawing that was modified with an earlier release, or after opening a drawing with external references that have been modified.

 

 

Although associative dimensions support most object types that you would expect to dimension, they do not support the following:

• Hatches
  
• 2D solids
  
• Objects with nonzero thickness
  
• Images
  
• DWF underlays
  

When selecting objects to dimension, make sure that the objects that you select don't include a directly overlapping object that does not support associative dimensioning such as a 2D solid.

 

Associativity is not maintained between a dimension and a block reference if the block is redefined.

Associativity is not maintained between a dimension and a 3D solid if the shape of the 3D solid is modified.

[KiLLiNG-TiME]

Yes agree shift right click, but the trouble is a lot of users like using the Osnaps, how are they supposed to know it causes issues with associative dimensions , after all its not like a warning pops up is it !!!

 

Ahhh sorry my mistake i should have said which objects besides the ones in the help file, no surprises there then thank goodness.

[bonehead411]

I'm not suggesting turning osnaps off completely, just unchecking the perpendicular option. I use running snaps all the time myself, but only with the ones I use most commonly activated. Any others I access via the shortcut menu.

And as I said above, I will not use a perpendicular snap for dimensioning. I just find it can be inaccurate, and always seems to pop up first when there's a choice of snap points in a crowded area.

In a nutshell, perp has its uses, but I'm not a big fan.

[KiLLiNG-TiME]

Understood sir , & thank you for the advice most helpful, & yes i agree persnap is an inaccurate snap when dimensioning.

[abrusil33]

I dimension in paper space (layout) all the time and I have never run into the problem you describe.

 

Tools > Options > User Preferences > Associative dimensioning. Is there a checkmark in the box in front of the words Make new dimensions associative?

 

That is the solution! I had these problems before. Now I figured that these drawings for some reason had "Make new dimensions associative" check box UNCHECKED. So make sure this check box is checked in the drawing that you are getting from anybody else if you want dimensions in viewport be always correct. Sometimes drawings are prepared with unpredictable settings and passed along from one place to another. Thanx a bunch to ReMark:*: