Dimension Styles Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles The appearance of dimensions is controlled by over 70 different settings. Dimension variables. Prior to dimension styles being implemented in AutoCAD, controlling dimension appearance was very difficult. Dimension Styles are saved configurations of these 70 settings. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles Dimension variables are AutoCAD system variables that help you control the way dimensions look. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles Create a dimension style that has the desired dimension appearance. Name the style appropriately. Dimension styles can have a family of settings that allow you to have different settings for each type of dimension. Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles To use dimensions most effectively 1. Create a dimension style 2. Use the style to create dimensions 3. AVOID Dimension Overrides. Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles You can customize dimension styles to correspond to drafting standards such as: ASME/ANSI ISO MIL Architectural Structural Civil Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles Dimension Styles are created using the Dimension Styles dialog box and is selected by: Picking the Dimension Styles button in the Dimension tool bar OR Picking Dimension Style in the Format pull-down menu Entering D or DDIM at the Command: prompt Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles The Dimension Style area of the Dimension Style dialog box displays the name of the style. “Standard”. If additional styles exist they are accessed in the drop-down list. The “Name” text box is where you input the dimension style name or rename an existing style. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles “New” button Creates new dimension styles Name Recognizable name for new dimension style. Start with You can base new dimension style on an existing dimension style. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles “Use For” button Use for All dimensions Linear dimensions Angular dimensions Radial dimensions Diameter dimensions Ordinance dimensions Leaders Tolerances Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles “Modify” button Allows changes to the currently selected style. Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles “Override” button An OVERRIDE is a temporary change to the current style setting. The override settings are lost when any other style is selected as “current” again!! Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles “Compare” button Allows you to view the properties of two styles side by side. Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles - The Lines and Arrows Tab

The Lines and Arrows Tab Color ByBlock Individual color Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Lineweight ByBlock Individual lineweights. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Extend beyond ticks Only active with tic marks. Allows the dimension line to extend past the tic mark. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Baseline Spacing Sets the spacing between dimension lines of baseline dimensions. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Suppress Dim Line 1 or Dim Line 2 Prevents the display of either Dim Line 1 or Dim Line 2. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Extension Lines Color. ByBlock Individual color Lineweight. Individual lineweight Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Extension Lines Extend beyond dim lines. Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Extension Lines Offset from origin. Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Extension Lines Suppress. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Style - Left Style - Right Leader arrows Style Arrow size Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Dimension Styles

The Lines and Arrows Tab Center Mark for Circles (DIMCEN). None. Mark. Line. Size Negative - lines extend outside circle Positive - lines do not extend outside circle. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles - The TEXT Tab

The Text Tab Text Style Color Height Text styles currently available in drawing. Color ByBlock Individual color Height 0.125” is architectural standard height. Dimension Styles

The Text Tab Text Fraction height scale Draw frame around text. A value of 1.0 = fraction height same as text size. Draw frame around text. Draws a rectangle around the text. Distance from text is determined by “offset from dim line value”. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Text Tab Text Placement - Vertical Centered Above Outside Default Dimension text placed in gap in dimension line. Above Architectural drafting. Dimension text placed ABOVE dimension line. Outside Dimension text placed OUTSIDE dimension. JIS - Japanese Industrial Standards. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Text Tab Text Placement - Horizontal Centered At Ext Line 1 Dimension text is centered on dimension line. At Ext Line 1 Dimension text is placed at Ext Line 1. At Ext Line 2 Dimension text is placed at Ext Line 2. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Text Tab Text Placement - Horizontal Over Ext Line 1 Dimension text is placed with and over Ext Line 1. Not common. Over Ext Line 2 Dimension text is placed with and over Ext Line 2. Offset from dim line Sets gap between dimension line and dimension text. Dimension Styles

The Text Tab Text Alignment Horizontal Aligned with dimension line Draws unidirectional dimension text. Aligned with dimension line Draws aligned dimension text. ISO Standard Aligned text when the text is between the extension lines. Horizontal dimensions when the text is outside the extension lines. Dimension Styles

Creating Dimension Styles - The Fit Tab

The Fit Tab Fit tab controls the placement of Text Arrows. Dimension Styles

The Fit Tab Fit tab Either the text or the arrows, whichever fits best. Arrows. Text. Both text and arrows. Always keep text between extension lines. Suppress arrows if they don’t fit inside the extension lines. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Fit Tab Text placement Beside the dimension line. Over the dimension line, with a leader. Over the dimension line, without a leader. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Fit Tab Scale for Dimension Features Used to set the scale factor for all dimension features in the entire drawing. Scale dimensions to layout (paper space) Sets overall scale to adjust to active paper space viewport, by setting the scale equal to the viewport scale factor. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Fit Tab Fine tuning Allows maximum flexibility for placing dimension text. Place text manually Allows control over text placement and dimension line length outside dimension lines. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Fit Tab Fine tuning Allows maximum flexibility for placing dimension text. Always draw dim line between ext lines Forces a dimension line inside extension lines, even if the arrows and text are outside the extension lines. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

The Primary Units Tab Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Unit Format Precision Fraction Format Decimal Separator Round off Prefix Suffix Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Unit Format Scientific Decimal Engineering Architectural Fractional Windows Desktop Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Unit Format Decimal Decimal inches Decimal millimeters Normally used on mechanical drawings for manufacturing. Initial precision is four decimal places. Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Unit Format Engineering Civil (maps, plot plans, etc. Initial precision - four decimal places Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Unit Format Architectural Feet, inches and fractional inches Initial precision - 1/16 inch Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Unit Format Fractional Scientific Very large or very small values Initial precision - four decimal places. Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Precision Fraction Format How many zeroes follow the decimal place. Fraction Format Diagonal Horizontal Not Stacked (Architectural only) Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Decimal Separator Commas Periods (default) Spaces Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Round off Default = zero (no rounding) 0.1 = rounded to nearest 0.1 1.188 = 1.2 Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Primary Units Tab Prefix Suffix Special notes or symbols placed in front of the dimension text. Example: SR3.5 (Spherical radius) Suffix Special notes or symbols placed after the dimension text. Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Measurement Scale If value = 1, dimension values are displayed the same as they are measured. If value = 2, dimension values are displayed twice as much as they are measured. Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Measurement Scale Apply to layout dimensions only. Makes the linear scale factor active only when dimensioning in a layout tab. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Measurement Scale Zero suppression Leading Trailing On by default Leaves a zero on dimension numbers less than one. Trailing Off by default Leaves zeroes after the decimal point based on the precision setting. Dimension Styles

Primary Units Tab Measurement Scale Zero suppression 0 feet 0 inches On by default Removes the zero in feet and inch dimensions when there are zero feet. 0 inches Removes the zero when the inch part of feet and inch dimensions is less than one inch. Dimension Styles

Dimension Styles

Overriding Dimensioning Variables Dimension Styles

Overriding Existing Dimensioning Variables You can alter dimensioning variables to modify one or more specify dimensions on the drawing. Command: DOV or DIMOVERRIDE Dimension variable to override or Clear to remove overrides): DIMEXO Current Value <0.062> New value: 0 Dimension variable to override: (type another variable name to override or press [Enter]) Select objects: Dimension Styles

Overriding Existing Dimensioning Variables The variable changes on as many dimensions as you pick. You can also clear any previous overrides by using the Clear option. Dimension Styles

Dimensioning Variables AutoCAD uses variables to modify the appearance of dimensions. AutoCAD has 72 (!) variables associated with dimensions. Dimension Styles

Dimensioning Variables By using dimension styles, you can pre-set many of these variables. Use different dimension styles to create different types of dimensions. Dimension Styles