Dimension randomly changes in autoCAD paper space

Question

Dimension randomly changes in autoCAD paper space

Mike Mike (Structural)

(OP)

12 May 24 03:58

Hi all, occasionally our Dim scale linear value randomly changes. Most dimensions on most layouts do not have issues. In the example screenshots below, the viewport scale is 3/4" to 1', so the correct Dim scale linear value is 16. The ~8' dim is correct. autoCAD randomly multiplies by 16 to get 256, and we have to manually input 1 and press enter to get it to change back to 16. The ~49' dim is incorrect. Seems like a simple problem but we spent many hours researching and it seems no one has a solution. This issue only occurs on about 1% of dimension strings, but we have issued some drawing sets with embarrassing non-sensical dimensions because we never know when or where it will crop up.

flight7 (Structural) · Answer 1 · 2024-05-13 20:37:48

Consider installing a keylogger or some kind of continuous recording software on the affected workstations. You might find the answer by seeing what actions were taken in the minutes/hours before the error occurred.

I hate to make that suggestion because I wouldn't want Big Brother spying on MY work habits, such as posting here right now.

ohiocad (Structural) · Answer 2 · 2024-05-14 14:38:55

I have encountered this before as well, or at least similar.

We would open the drawing on one computer, and the dimensions would all show up as fractional. Opening the exact same file (no changes, saves, etc... NOTHING done to change the file) on another computer, half the dimensions would revert to decimal. They still read correct numbers (1/2" would go to 0.500", etc... but one or two dimensions would jump to an odd number. NOT the PSpace measurement, not scaled to the viewport for MSpace, just odd. Only way we got it to stop was to delete those dimensions, and recreate. Sometimes took a couple rounds before they'd stop changing.

The kicker, before we "fixed" them.... if we reopened on another machine, they reverted back to fractional, but going back to one of the "decimal computers" (there were a couple) would revert again to decimal. None of the machines had anything run when drawings opened that would change a dimension... No lisp, VBasic, nada..... All simple vanilla Acad installs with no add-ons.

Never did figure out what/why.

Mike Mike (Structural) · Answer 3 · 2024-05-24 05:08:04

Thanks Ohio and flight for your thoughts, we're posting to other forums too and may have to hire a consultant. Will keep you posted. Sad we have to keep dumping time and money into Autodesk.

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Dimension randomly changes in autoCAD paper space