Panel Layout Dimensioning

[adam-tca]

Hi All,

I'm trying to figure out how to dimension a block within a panel layout.  I have 9 blocks inserted representing PID controllers on the door of a panel.  I want to place them, and then dimension off a datum.  In Solidworks, to dimension something, you select the two items you want dimensioned, it tells you what the dimension currently is, and you can enter what you want it to be...  That is intuitive.  I find Autocad the polar opposite of intuitive when it comes to this.  AutoCad (in electrical anyway) tells you what the dimension is.  Full stop.  Functionality complete.  If the dimension is currently 2.23856, that's what you're stuck with...  Try to move it with the mouse so it is exactly 2.0000  Basically impossible.

I think I can kludge this lack of functionality by using the multiple insert functionality (multiple times) to achieve some accurate offset, but ...  I shouldn't have to. I find it cumbersome...  Especially if after you insert it, you want to change the offset.

Anyway, if anyone knows how I can select two items, and enter a distance I want them to be apart...  I would love to know about it.  Every video I watch about panel layout has the infamous button layout, and the guy inserts more buttons and just uses "align" to line them up...  Yes, but how did he create the first set he aligned to?

Anyway, hope my frustration is not offensive to anyone reading this....  argh...

Thanks

Adam

[jalger]

Hi Adam,

If you Type "M" (for Move), select the object and its based point, then you can type in the co-ordinates you want.

Simply type in 0, 2  (and it moves to 0 on the X, 2 on the Y.)

Everything is based off of the 0,0 center point (Assuming you place the panel bottom at 0,0 than all of the value will be positive).

Also Turn off Dynamic input or else the movement is RELATIVE to the Current X and Y values.

Also Try turning on Snaps for placing objects... snaps are great,  just remember to turn them of when your ready to edit.

I hope this helps,

James

[jalger · Accepted solution]

Hi Adam,

The other thing you can use is Parametrics (Its a regualar AutoCAD Feature).

On the ribbon right click on any open Grey area (or on the ribbon its self).

Look for theTabs Flyout and Then flag "Parametric" The tab should show up in the ribbon.

from there you can lockdown the edges, make things vertical, horizontial, and apply parametric dimensions (To give you the offset spacing you want).

Just make sure you anchor it down BEFORE apply dimensions, otherwise the object will deform.

In this case you shouldn't have that issue since you are working with blocks, but you still need to anchor the panel in place.

Regards,

James

[ccad2509]

if you right click on the dimension yo can set the amount of zeros after the decimal point

if you go to the arrow properties you can force a text overide

there is also a baseline dimsion where you dimension off a fixed point of your choosing

there is also a continue dimsnison command where another dimension is started of the end of another

but the quick and dirty way i generally do it is draw a line a copy with the ortho set on and i then type the distances once the lines are in i then drop the blocks onto the endpoint of each line job done

[adam-tca]

The Parametic Linear dimension was the ticket.

Thanks

Adam

[drathak]

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@adam-tca wrote:

In Solidworks, to dimension something, you select the two items you want dimensioned, it tells you what the dimension currently is, and you can enter what you want it to be...  That is intuitive.  

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That's how Inventor works and I like it SOOO much better than how AutoCAD dimensioning works.  I've used AutoCAD for years, so dimensioning isn't that big a thing to me, but when I saw that in Inventor, I was like "Yep.  That right there.  I want that."

I think part of this is due to the fact that up until a few years ago AutoCAD for the most part worked off lines, arcs, circles and such instead of fully qualified (constrained) objects.  (Blocks are just grouped primitives.)  Intelligent constrained objects can be dealt with much more efficiently and lend themselves to such manipulations as you mention.