Measure Distance and Dimension lengths are different

[dsandlin]

I have several instantces when using the measure distance command between two points in 2D drawings the results are incorrect.  When I dimension the same points the lengths are correct but the distance command still displays the wrong information.  This does not occur all the time and it can happen in several places in the drawing but not all. 

[jason.estas]

G'day,

I have come accross this same situation, although mine was relativly easy to fix once i knew what the problem was. The problem I was having was that the polylines were having an elevation at one end therefore giving a false reading to the distance. To fix this I simply used a flatten command. Hope this is the same problem you are having and I have helped in some way.

Jason

[ElSid1]

MEP is 3D and should have an elevation.  I've had that issue WAY too many times on 2D drawings from others.  That said, are you using the same grip points for your Distance?  Are you measuring linear, aligned, ordinate?  They will read slightly different for the same line.  (I.E grab a 3-4-5 triangle, Dim linear on the sloped side equals 3, dim aligned equals 5)

[dsandlin]

That has helped with the non-coplaner lines but not with the dimensioning.  Thanks for the advise.

[dsandlin]

I understand what you are saying.  However everything I am having trouble with is linear.  Thanks.

[plunavat]

It may be because of dimension scale factor.

Visit the link for answer http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=2867164&linkID=9240617

Regards,

Pranav C Lunavat

[Happypants2112]

Set OSNAPZ to 1.  If that doesn't work make sure your Units Precision matches your Dimension Primary Units Precision.

[mitchellw]

Spoiler

Check the rounding off I have just had a similar panic and I put the rounding off back to 0,0 and all was well.

Bill

[ianmurph]

I was having the same issue, my linear dimension was giving me a length of 11-3/4" and the DIST command was saying it was exactly 1'-0". The dimension was giving me the correct info and the DIST command was not. I solved this by going to FORMAT > UNITS and making sure the prescision on was 1/8" or smaller.

If the DIST command is correct, and the dimension is wrong, then check the precision on the dimensions by going into the dimesnion style manager under the 'primary units' tab make sure the precision is smaller enough (1/8" or smaller in my case). Also check the round off as someone else has already mentioned.

Hope this helps

[bela0062]

Thanks for that Happypants. In 2015 & 2016 cad versions I have been having issues with using the distance command to measure two points. For an example, I would have a known 5ft wide pathway and if I measured the width using DI I would get extremely large numbers which were obviously not correct. It seems that if one or both lines were polylines with any elevation it would give a 3d distance. OSNAPZ set to 1 seems to have fixed this and allows DI to only display the linear distance.

[justdefybryan]

A dimensioning trick I use, is to draw two lines from the endpoints, in the same direction.  Then I draw a line perpendicular to those lines, past each line.  Then I trim that line, using the two parallel lines.  I can then dimension that trimmed line, knowing it was drawn with no elevation changes.  After that, I can stretch the nodes to the actual geometry.  It's faking it, but it doesn't glitch when you stretch things around.