Associated dimension and formula

[t.miller]

Can't seam to find the exact question I'm looking for on this thread so I'm making a new one.

I have some sub-assembly views that are on a drawing and need to have reference dimensions on them. The problem is that I need the dimension to start from the floor and that is further away then the sheet will allow. (Due to customers standards, all nodes have to be within the paper). So I was wondering if I could create a hybrid associated dimension, were it would add what ever the distance to the floor is to the dimension I'm adding. So the equation would look something like "<>+1000", were <>=associated dimension. I have tried the insert field option, but I can't seam to figure out how to do what I want it to do. Any help would be great.

[TheCADnoob]

The key is a nested field which calls on another (constrained ) dimension. See the screencast for a walk-through. 

[t.miller]

Is there a way to do it without the other dimension? The assembly I have doesn't have the room for a line that long.

I thank you for the video, however, I could definitely use that on other jobs.

[TheCADnoob]

Instead of inserting the other dimension just use the line as the object. and select the length property. 

[dbroad]

If you are using xrefs, why does the out of view node need to be on the sheet?  Why can't it just be cropped?

You also can create two viewports adjacent to one another that focus on the ends and put a cut line or a break line in the dimension.

[t.miller]

The customer does not allow xrefs.

[t.miller]

That is closer, is there a way to select two points rather than a line. The dimension would be between two objects so there would't be one line of that length. I've tried adding a start and end field, but that didn't work.

Again thank you for your work.

[TheCADnoob]

This should be possible but there appears to be a bug that stops the nested field from isolating the x,y,or z. 

[john.vellek]

Hi t.miller,

Is it possible to attach a sample of what you are trying to do? I your first post you  indicated that you wanted a field that would have a formula to add a value to a dimension but later you indicate that you don't have room for a dimension. I was hoping that the file you attach might give me a better of what you really want to do.

[t.miller]

Hello Mr. Vellek,
Here is an example of what I would like to do. On the drawing, the node is way off the page and I'd like to make it within the boundaries of the sheet border. So I would want to add what ever dimension I what to those dimensions (787.4 in this case). That way it would still be associated with the features above the rollers, but would add the distance from rollers to floor. Does that make sense?
Tom

[dbroad]

The standard approach is to put the sheet in a layout, which is set up for plotting.  The viewport crops any extraneous data.

An alternative, which IMO is the wrong approach, is to create two dynamic blocks with attributes that contain fields that report their position.  This is spoofing an ordinate dimension.

[t.miller]

The drawing has to be in Model space. It's a pain and slow, but that's what the customer demands.

[john.vellek]

Hi @t.miller,

Since you are limited in what you can do to meet the client standards, I think the easiest and fastest way to accommodate this is to create a non-plot layer and draw your baseline for measurement on it. Then add your dimension on this same layer. Next add a field to your existing dimension that reads the measurement of the new one.

While this is not terribly automatic, it does give you a consistent measuring point so you don't have to override all your dimensions to read correctly. You can also turn off the non-plot layer so it shouldn't affect plotting.

[dbroad]

I'm beginning to think the customer's requirements are not in his best interest.  Try this.  Insert the attached dynamic block and stretch it out.  Move everything so that the node of the ordinate dimensions is at world coordinate 0,0.  Then the dynamic block will report just like an ordinate dimension.  Change your annotation scale to 2 before you insert the block.  Examine the YDIM block to make up your own XDIM block.

[Anonymous]

Easier to just read the value from the already established ordinate dimension as attached.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Going back to 'what the customer demands' situation. If it was me I would still work with paperspace and when I needed to send the DWG deliverable use a LISP/Script to slam everything back into modelspace and then send it off. Just my 2 cents.

[t.miller]

I'm thinking a lisp routine is the way to go on this. The costumers validation tools are pretty restrictive and, even if a layer is turned off and/or frozen it will still make you get rid of it. It's probably easier to just tell them the distance to the ground and then restart the zero from a new point. I appreciate everyone's help.