topic Re: Dimension Text Width - Adjustable? in AutoCAD Forum

Dimension Text Width - Adjustable?

MarkFitz — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 22:50:03 GMT

I have rows of tight, small dimensions very close to each other, and when the fraction kicks in, ACAD's default places the dimension outside the line, which obviously interferes with the adjacent dimension. Is there a width factor function for dimensions like there is with regular text?

Cheers

MarkF

Re: Dimension Text Width - Adjustable?

ChicagoLooper — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 23:20:30 GMT

You have limited options to resolve the issue:

Modify your DIMENSION STYLE, such as decrease the text font height and/or reduce the arrow size. This option will allow more room so the text will 'fit' where you want it to.
Use a LEADER in your Dim Style. Enter DIMSTYLE on command line=>Select your Dim Style=>Modify Button=>Fit Tab=>In Text Placement section select Over dimension line, with leader=>OK to Exit. (See Image-1.) You will now be able to drag the dimension, using one of the blue grips of course, to an 'open' area so your dims don't interfere with one another.(See Image-2.)

Image-1

Image-2.

Re: Dimension Text Width - Adjustable?

Kent1Cooper — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 01:44:30 GMT

You should be able to define a Text Style with a narrower width factor, and assign that to a Dimension Style.

Re: Dimension Text Width - Adjustable?

cwr-pae — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 13:19:51 GMT

To change a single dimension's with, set mtexttoolbar to 1, double click the dimension text to bring up the text edit window, select text and change the width factor (far right on the bar) to a value of.9 or .8 or less.

Re: Dimension Text Width - Adjustable?

MarkFitz — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 15:04:29 GMT

An alternate way around, but not what I was hoping for.

Thanks,

MarkF

Re: Dimension Text Width - Adjustable?

MarkFitz — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 15:07:48 GMT

I think we have a joint first place winner here!

I think it boils down to whether I have a lot of narrow text or not.

Thanks guys for showing me both ways of changing multiple or individual texts!

Re: Dimension Text Width - Adjustable?

ChicagoLooper — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 16:18:08 GMT

Your solution (it's actually a work around, not a solution) involves reducing the font width, then using that reduced width in a Text Style. That will work for your current dimensions but may not work for other dimensions or when dimensioning other objects in other drawings. For example, a narrower text style displaying '1' may work fine. What happens if your design changes and the new dimesion is now '0.98'? Would your narrow text style still be able to accomodate the increased number of characters? Or if the design is modified from 1'-0" to 1'-1/16" requiring you to replace 0 with 1/16?

Is your dimstyle annotative? Do you plot from modelspace or from a viewport on layout tab? Changing the VP scale such as when zooming out, will cause your dim fonts to get larger due to annotative scaling. Thus, your narrow font may no longer 'fit' if zooming out is ever needed.

Dimensioning doesn't have to be pretty with numbers neatly displayed inside extension lines. It must, without exception, be accurate.