Failed to edit dimension value

[newcomer]

This is certainly a useless error message, since it contains no useful information as to what precisely went wrong.  Every unique error condition should have a unique error message, even if it is as simple as adding a numeric code to generic message.  So I have no idea what went wrong here.

I have a drawing of a rectangular object.  Formerly, its parameters were called "width" and "length".  However, I am exporting the face and sending it to VCarve to be cut on a ShopBot.  Therefore, for obscure reasons dealing with VCarve, I have to create the marks (this is a ruler) as rectangles which are not collinear to the edge.  So, what I have to do is add an amount (arbitrarily, 1/32") to keep the rectangles fully contained within the surface.  The plan is to, after the wood is carved, to take off this 1/32" with a thickness planer.

So far, so good.

Now, to the physical width I want to add an "overhang" parameter, and specify a "workwidth" which is the actual width + overhang.

I have the parameters as shown on the attached image, and note that "workwidth" is a user-defined parameter set to (width+overhang).

I open the sketch (Sketch1), go to the dimension labeled "width", click on it, and change it to "workwidth".  (I always set the dimension display to "formula" so I can see the names I've used). I click the green checkmark, and get the error message "Failed to edit dimension value".  Why?  Such a simple question should have been answered in the error message.  I tried adding parens around the compound calculations, in case it is using the text to form a new value, but no change.  

If the program failed to edit the dimension, IT KNOWS WHY.  There is no excuse for not telling the user why. So, with the inadequate information I'm given, I have no idea how to CORRECT this problem.  Everything looks sane to me.

I am attaching both the screenshot of the parameters (for those who don't want to have to open the .ipt file) and the .ipt file itself.  The goal is to replace the width parameter in Sketch1 with "workwidth".  Note that there are no other dimensions that would interfere, and if there were, I'd expect one of the "overconstrain" error messages.

For those who may be curious, the ruler is an Indian "Hasta" ruler.  The markings are the traditional markings of the ruler.  This is the ruler that was used to measure most of the important buildings in India (including the Taj Mahal) until the metric system was introduced.  I know someone who is a student of Indian architecture, who expressed a desire to have one of these without having to go to India and go to flea markets or antique shops to find one, and I volunteered to make one.

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

It looks like you are trying to set width=workwidth.

I don't think you can have it both ways.

What if you delete the dimension width and replace it with the dimension workwidth.

Edit Sketch3 and select Show All Constraints.

I think I would have used Feature Patterns rather than Sketch Patterns.

Have you installed SP2?

[newcomer]

I just tried that and it worked.  Of course, if it had said "circular reference: "width" " I might have had a better clue.  

Note to developers: the more detail you provide, the easier it is for the end users to understand what is going on, and the easier it is for tech support people to deal with problems.  DO NOT "lump" dozens of different errors into one message.  My rule when I was developing software (I'm now retired) was that every point in the program where there was an error generated an absolutely unique error message.  Even if the only difference was a "magic number", this allowed the users to search the online docs for "Error 263: Failed to edit dimension".  Since I was also tech support for these problems, when a message came out about "file open error", it contained the COMPLETE filename (full path), the type of error, and the component that caused the error, e.g.,

File Open Error

c:\whatever\config.txt

File not found (2)

Error from ConfigManager

So while I had a generic file-open-error subroutine, the filename, error code, and source were all parameters.  It makes life much easier on everyone if you give us all the information you have about why there is a problem.  The number of hours I've wasted finding what "overconstrained" my drawing is amazingly high.  In some cases, I just kept removing constraints until I could add the one I wanted, then put the rest back, hopefully correctly.  If, instead, you made the constraint icons visible when this message came out (just the ones that matter; F9 could hide them) we'd be far ahead of the game.

As someone who has no access to training, and I have given up on the abysmal manuals which are poorly-organized and don't help me, I am left to guess how to interpret these varying unintelligible messages.  HELP!

[Pincate747]

I'm trying to extrude a rectangle into my design however i recieve the error message "created extruded feature failed" ad when I expand this the reason is " Create extruded feature failed
skate vert holder.ipt: Errors occurred during update
Sketch16: Problems occurred while building this Sketch
Problems occurred while solving sketch. Use Edit Sketch to change sketch geometry or constraints.
Dimension could not be solved. Change its value or remove some sketch constraints to allow the dimension to be solved." when i try to change the dimensions of the rectangle i recieve the error message " Failed to edit dimension value" If you know how to fix this please let me know. @JDMather @newcomer 

[JDMather]

@Pincate747 

This is a completely different issue.

Start a new discussion thread and Attach your *.ipt file.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I think JD is right. The issue you are having with Extrude should be different than the original thread. Your issue is probably related to profile recognition and it is geometry specific. Please start a new thread and share the file. There should be a logical reason to explain the behavior.

Many thanks!