Trans-spatial Dimensioning

[Laughingman]

Hi there

 

I am having problems dimensioning my drawings in paper space. For some reason unless I snap onto the insert point of an item in my drawings the dimension given is usually the paper space dimension instead of the expected model space dimension. This only seems to happen when I draw in using metric (I always draw in unit less but depending on what I am drawing I may draw with a base unit of mm or inches (virtually)). I am using Acad 2009 on Vista but I have experienced this for years using any version from 2000+. I have searched this forum and the Acad knowledge base to no avail. The Knowledge base does make a reference to this happening but the suggested work around does not work for me. I personally think this has to do with the fact I am drawing in mm's but that is just a guess.

 

Any suggestions other then don't draw in mm's?

 

LM

[soleary]

Hi there

 

I am having problems dimensioning my drawings in paper space. For some reason unless I snap onto the insert point of an item in my drawings the dimension given is usually the paper space dimension instead of the expected model space dimension. This only seems to happen when I draw in using metric (I always draw in unit less but depending on what I am drawing I may draw with a base unit of mm or inches (virtually)). I am using Acad 2009 on Vista but I have experienced this for years using any version from 2000+. I have searched this forum and the Acad knowledge base to no avail. The Knowledge base does make a reference to this happening but the suggested work around does not work for me. I personally think this has to do with the fact I am drawing in mm's but that is just a guess.

 

Any suggestions other then don't draw in mm's?

 

LM

This has nothing to do with drawing in metric. Have you checked your DIMASSOC system variable? Is should be set to 2.

[Laughingman]

This has nothing to do with drawing in metric. Have you checked your DIMASSOC system variable? Is should be set to 2.

 

Thank you for your response, I have checked my DIMASSOC and it is set to 2.

 

To further explain I feel I should explain how it is I create my parts, basically I draw Trade Show Exhibits, we use aluminum extrusions for posts and beams, there are many different extrusions so what I have done is created a profile drawing for each in 2D then extrude it to 1mm of thickness, I set a base point then save the file as the extrustion part number. I add my parts to the drawing by inserting a block from the files I created(using a plugin called XZware) and scale the part on the Z or X axis depending on if it is a post or a beam. This keeps my drawings very small in size. The reason I mention this is because it is only when I am dimensioning these parts is it that I have the trans-spatial dimensioning issues. If I was to extrude the parts instead of scaling them it does work as it should.

Am I asking to much of Acad?

 

LM

[Patrick Hughes]

Laughingman,

 

Clever method to modeling by using your scale method. I've done the same thing in the past but mostly have abandoned that approach. You might want to consider just going ahead and use a full solid for your beams and posts. Are they complex profiles? I'm guessing you're using something like 80-20 extruded aluminum shapes?

 

Have you compared file size with your method to just using solids, and is the file size savings enough to justify the difficulties?

[Laughingman]

Hi Patrick

 

To answer your question, I am not sure, I know the designer before me did use extrude instead of scale and I can tell you his file sizes are 10x larger then mine on average, now that might be because of a number of different inefficiencies such as blocks being stored in templates instead of using wblock.

I guess I could adjust my methods, but I certainly would prefer to resolve it rather then adjust for it. At the least I would love to see if someone can recreate the issue just so I know it is not just me!!! ...

 

LM

[Patrick Hughes]

I would attempt a replication but the only thing I've used PS for is viewing of my models not dimensioning. In fact I don't even know if my R14 allows picking in ms while displaying in ps (or however it's done). I simply generate 2d drawings by means of solprof, which I think is what led me to drop the z-scale method.

 

I'm not advocating for you to drop the method, but it is never a bad idea to explore alternatives.

[GhostRider]

I couldn't repeat what you have there Laughingman, untill I changed viewport scales , it must have something to do with that. If I understand your problem it may be related to the viewport scale you are at when you dimension.

I don't dim in paperspace, so I don't fully undertand viewport scales to explain it very well

[Laughingman]

Hi GhostRider

 

Thanks for trying to replicate the issue, I don't actually scale my viewport (to my knowledge), also, the dimensions I snap onto insert points of my parts are correct, just the ones that I lock onto end points, mid points, center points etc... do not. As long as I include one insert point it seems to work fine. So as long as the insert point is at the end of one of the areas I am trying to dimension I am good to go but this is not always the case as you can imagine.

Would it help if I uploaded a sample file which can demonstrate the issue??

 

LM

[GhostRider]

Yea I'm sure that will help, I may not be able to figure it out but some one else here, I'm sure can..