topic Dimensions not calculating correctly and snapping in AutoCAD Forum

Dimensions not calculating correctly and snapping

lbellino4 — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 21:02:48 GMT

Hello.

Today, I've been having issues with dimensions (that I typically don't have) in a couple of drawings I'm working on. One is the dimension is not calculating correctly. First image shows two dimensions, one of the old dimension that I just resnapped and updated and the other is a new dimension to see if the first dimension was correct. As you can see, the new dimension is not correct and this height is not 4 1/2".

The other issue in the second image, is that even though my snap is on, it's not snapping to the items in the viewport that I'm trying to dimension.

I'm working in AutoCAD that I recently downloaded and also did all the updates for it. Some of the things I've tried, in my page setup, units are set 1:1, Dimassoc is set to 1. Tried 2 and that did not change a thing. Any help to fix these two issues, is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Re: Dimensions not calculating correctly and snapping

ChicagoLooper — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 21:19:54 GMT

Are you drawing in 2D or 3D? If 2D then do this:

Select one dimension. In Properties Palette, under Misc Section, look at Dim Style. Write down this dim style exactly as shown in the Propreties Palette so you don't forget.
Type DIMSTYLE on command line. In the Styles section, select (highlight) the Dim Style you just wrote down=>Modify Button=>Primary Units Tab.
Take a screen shot of the entire Primary Units tab. OK to exit.
Repeat steps 1 thru 3 for the second dimension.
Finally, Take a third screen shot of your Task Bar: from your Windows CLOCK in the lower right corner all the way across to the lower-left-corner of your monitor.
Upload all 3 screen shots.

Re: Dimensions not calculating correctly and snapping

lbellino4 — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 21:28:42 GMT

Note: The dimension in model space is using the "12 scale" dimension style since if I used the standard, you would not be able to see the number, which should be the only difference in styles. But the preferred dimstyle that I use for paper space is the "standard" where we want a fraction showing.

Re: Dimensions not calculating correctly and snapping

ChicagoLooper — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 21:51:16 GMT

Hello @lbellino4

You are using two different DIMSTYLES. The two styles are named:

Standard Style
12 Scale

Use the same dim style (either Standard or 12 Scale) for BOTH dimensions then compare the results. Also, you may, or may not, have have altered the dimstyle in the Properties Palette. Or you may have applied OVERRIDES to one or both of the Dimstyles.

Delete all overrides. Let your DIMSTYLE control the appearancce of your dimensions.

Re: Dimensions not calculating correctly and snapping

lbellino4 — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 13:49:35 GMT

As I mentioned in my last post, there were two scales used, just so you can read the dimension text, which was the only difference between the two styles. But I did want you asked and put it on the "standard"scale. I had to zoom in close so you can read the dim text, which it reads correctly in model space, but not paper space. There are no overrides in my drawing to delete, which I've shown below. I even opened another drawing where I'm using the same "standard" dimstyle and it's working correctly to check the dimstyle settings, and they are both the same. Any other suggestions?

Re: Dimensions not calculating correctly and snapping

lbellino4 — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 14:27:02 GMT

I think I found the culprit. When I click on the dimension that is not correct, it's showing the dim scale factor to be 1 in the first image below. But when I check this in another drawing where the dimension is correct, this dim scale factor has either a -12 or -16, depending on the viewport scale used. So my drawing that's having this issue, is not accommodiating for the viewport scales. But as I mentioned in my last post, both these drawings that I'm comparing, have the same dimstyle and settings. I'm sure it's a setting in the one drawing that is not the same as the other, I just don't know what that setting is to change. Any suggestions for this? Thanks.

Re: Dimensions not calculating correctly and snapping

ChicagoLooper — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 14:44:26 GMT

It looks like your dim styles have different settings (see red arrows below). I would abandoned both of your dim styles then recreate a brand new dim style. And while you're at it, make the new style 'Annotative.'

Although not considered a best practice, dimensions can also be modified via the Properties Palette where such modifications won't be reflected in the Dim Style. This is akin to modifying an object's color using the Prop Palette. Even though the layer color is Yellow, you can, using the color property in the Properties Palette, make an object Red.

Finally, never modify and 'save over' a Standard Style. Keep the Standard as-is. You may copy a Standard style and modify it, then save the modifications using a completely different name for the modified style.

Re: Dimensions not calculating correctly and snapping

lbellino4 — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 14:39:48 GMT

After further digging, found out that the DIMASSOC on the drawing that had the correct dimensions, was set at 2, while the incorrect drawing was set to 1. So I changed it to 2, which I found out that is the default setting and it seems to be working. What's odd though, as to how this changed, since this drawing didn't have this problem before with the other dimensions in the drawing and I never changed this setting. Either way, it's fixed! Thanks for the help!