Changing Dim Variables!

[11echo]

I've been assign a project where I have to "finish" somebody else's work. Not that big a deal, it's just up dating a Plot Plan. Problem is the guy that originally did this drawing used "broken line dimension style" ...This is a Mech drawing and we do not use this dimension style in the Mech discipline! SO I changed the Dim Variables and tried "updating", but nothing happens! The dimensions are associated and when I try putting in new dimension they come out right, but I do not understand WHY the existing dimension won't update to the new dim variables!?? ...ANYBODY got a "fix" for me?

 

[IFRs]

Rather than update dim variables, change the dimension style. DDIM will get you started.

 

[11echo]

NOPE! ...Not working. I can generate a new style but it doesn't change anything.

 

[IFRs]

Can you change the offending style rather than make a new one?

 

[11echo]

OK ...what did work is generate "one" new dimension using my new style, this do a "match properties" and it converted the broken-line style to what I wanted. Its alittle labor intensive, but better then re-generating all of them.

 

[cfee]

Oh my goodness ! CAUGHT by the dreaded dimensioning update monster ! It really chewed me up 'til I figured out what's below...

Ok- here's how I handle the problemm, and eliminate 95%+ of the rework (NOT 100%, but close...)

Fix the Dimstyle INSIDE the "Dimension Style Manager" dialog box. Get it from the Dimensions Toolbar. Make the "repaired" style current
([Set current]top right button before closing out the dialog box)

THEN -
Find the Icon for the DIMSTLYE command on your Dimensioning toolbar. (Or type in the "Dimstyle" command with the "Apply" command option, but load the toolbar- It's the ICON just to the left of the pull-down "Styles" box on the Tolbar. Select ALL dimensions you want affected by the "fix". I just enter the word All, or make a big W-indow. Hit enter. This should update all selected dimensions you expected your fix to have affected.

You may have to update any straglers by hand, but this should keep the heartache to a minimum !

Good luck, and let us know how it goes !

C.Fee

 

[ohiocad]

Just a little background that we've come up with on this. If a dimension has any type of overrides, (not actually all of them... but a lot... so we have typically say "any") then the dimstyle can be updated, and the dimensions will not update with it. They just gain a new set of overrides.

So, similar to the steps above from cfee, we get the dimstyle set how we want it, then (being a leftover from the autocad DOS days, where I still type most things) run the following commands:

Dim -> upd (update) -> all ->
(hope that's correct, don't have access to acad right now... I typically type it in without thinking about it... just habit - someone please correct if I'm missing something)

Fixes most, except for the most stubborn issues.

 

[cfee]

Ohiocad-
Yes that's the way to go. I use Icons to achieve the same result, but for typing in the commands, that's the process.

11echo-
The practical difference between updated dim styles and modified with override style seems to be to allow some dims to be in the drawing with the original set of unmodified dimensions and some dimensions to be "different" modified with a setting "overridden" without affecting the others. Ok, all's well. The problem crops up when there's a compelling reason to affect dims in a drawing by changing the DIMSTYLE. Only those dims originally created with that style and no "overrides" will automatically update. All others must be selected with the UPDATE option, as Ohiocad ( and I) spell out in previous posts to this thread.

Another consideration- Instead of modifying a style with ovrerrides and clicking on the one dimension (or 2 or 3) I want to apply the different factor to (like turning on alternate units, turning off one extension line or arrowhead, etc) I just click on the 1 or 2 or 3... dims to be affected by a particular variation, and go to the Properties Box and select the property and its new value.

However, these dims will have to be hand-selected if you ever want to apply a newly defined or existing-changed style to, as they no longer follow the original style that was used to create them.

I hope this clears up the differences. Dimensioning has been an ISSUE since the ancient days of DOS AutoCAD, and once again, the more things change, the more they stay the same !

Good luck !

C. Fee