Annotative Dimensionsing/Text Question

[nxt925]

I'm barely starting to use annotative dimensions. I understand the concept and works great. However, I do have one problem that I hope has an easy fix. Let's assume I drew severals object and dimensioned those objects with different annotative scale. Let's assume for X reason, I changed my mind and would like to change all objects to have the same annotative scale. Whats the fastest way to do this?

When i didn't use annotative dimensions, if say, I dimensions everything in Dimension Style B, and changed my mind later, I could simply select the dimension and change it to Style A, but it doesn't appear to be that simple is this scenario. When i select the dimension and change the annotative scale below, the dimension doesn't change.

Can someone guide me to the right direction?

thanks.

[conormccartney3897]

So before when you were not using annotations, and you changed from 1/2" to 1/4" scale, you would have two dim styles with the appropriate text height and switch as needed. With annotative, if your set up correctly, the only thing you need to do is change the annotation scale (bottom right). To test, place a non-annotative text object next to you dimension, then change style, you should see the difference immediately.

[pendean]

change your mind how? Do you use Paperspace at all? If you are a modelspace only user (drawings, titleblocks, plotting/publishing) then annotative text/dims are not for you.

If you use paperspace, changing the scale of the viewport will automatically change the text and dimension size for you. This is where annotative is valuable as there is nothing more you need to ever do to adjust the sizes of the text and dimensions.

[nxt925]

Maybe I'm missing something or I'm not clear. Just now i used a default template from Autocad. I'm using annotative dimensions. my annotative sclae is at 1:1. I made a box and dimensioned on 3 sides. I want to change only the right dimension from 1:1 to 1:2.. When i select that dimension and change my Annotative scale to 1:2, the dimesion doesn't change, stays at 1:1. Am I missing something? I know if I clicked on the icon next to it (don't know what is called) and changed my scale to 1:3, then all dimensions would change to 1:3. But what if I just wanted to change only a few dimensions not all?

[nxt925]

I use both. But I see myself changing my dimension scales several times (very often acutally). Like today, I drew a few details at 3"=1'-0. But later, I'm told they want only certain details at 6"=1'-0". Before I would select those dimensions and change my Dimension style. But now, what's the best way to do this/

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@pendean wrote:
change your mind how? Do you use Paperspace at all? If you are a modelspace only user (drawings, titleblocks, plotting/publishing) then annotative text/dims are not for you.

If you use paperspace, changing the scale of the viewport will automatically change the text and dimension size for you. This is where annotative is valuable as there is nothing more you need to ever do to adjust the sizes of the text and dimensions.

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[conormccartney3897 · Accepted solution]

sounds like you are missing a few system variable settings and options. MSLTSCALE =1 PSLTSCALE = 1 These will keep the scales synced between model and paper Also the two icons next to the scale button (one has a light bulb, the other a lightning bolt) turn the lighting bolt on, light bulb off (at least that's my preference), this auto adds scales to ALL annotative objects when you change scales. If you don't want some objects to have that particular scale, you can select them then manually remove scales from the "annotative scaling" tab on the annotation ribbon.

[pendean]

Change the viewport scale from 3" to 6" and your text/dimensions resize automatically. Done in 10-seconds. Move on to the next task.

To add to the post above... We set MSLTSCALE, PSLTSCALE and CEANNOSCALE to 1, and LTSCALE to whatever you like the look of (some think 1 works, others think 0.5 works and so on).

You do know you can also make blocks (only certain ones that need to resize, if you have any), Mleaders and hatches annotative too, right?

[nxt925]

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@pendean wrote:

Change the viewport scale from 3" to 6" and your text/dimensions resize automatically. Done in 10-seconds. Move on to the next task.

To add to the post above... We set MSLTSCALE, PSLTSCALE and CEANNOSCALE to 1, and LTSCALE to whatever you like the look of (some think 1 works, others think 0.5 works and so on).

You do know you can also make blocks (only certain ones that need to resize, if you have any), Mleaders and hatches annotative too, right?

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Actually, changing my viewport from 3" to 6"make all dimensinons dissapear... I dimension everythig in model space and use paperspace for my title and viewports... Is that not the way to go with Annotative Dims?

Playing around with this I found a soultion that works for me. Using the same scenario as previously. If i change my annotative scale to 6", then click on the dimensions, in the annotate tab, under the annotation scaling panel, there is a "add current scale" option, clicking that makes those dimensions i had selected change to the proper scale, without changing any other dimension. Which is what how I expected them to work.

[conormccartney3897]

Dimensioning in modelspace is exactly the way to go. The disappearing is because the new scale is not being auto added. (look for that lighting bolt next to the scale button)