Dim style and Multi leader styles

[christianob]

Is there a way to create a style in the Dim Style Manager and have it show up as a selection in the Multi Leader Style ?  Why should I have to retype all the parameters in the Multi Leader Style Manager?  Seems like a waste of time and effort. 

[pendean]

@christianob Those two elements are not connected at all. Sorry.

You are perhaps thinking of the older-but-still-present LEADER and QLEADER commands which are more closely tied to your DIMSTYLE settings. Time to switch if so.

And if I may ask, why are you ever repeatedly recreating an MleaderStyle over and over again? Why not have several, one for each need, saved up in a template that you can grab anytime you want in less time? None of us waste time like that at all, create once and reuse all the time.

[ChicagoLooper · Accepted solution]

Hi @christianob 

No. There's no way.

A Dim Style and a Multi Leader Style are two completely different features within the program. The former will provide dimensions for an object's length, radius, diameter, etc. while the latter will point to a specific location typically  with an arrowhead but you may substitute other shapes for the arrow, such as a Dot, a triangle, or no shape at all.

The both the Dim Style and Multi Leader Styles share parameters such as Text Style and Font height.  You may, or may not, specify both your Dim Style and Multi Leader Style to use the same Text Style, but beyond that, you'll need to establish the parameters for Dim Style and MLeader Style individually.

Just to be clear, both your Dim Style and Multi Leader Style use a specific Text Style, not a font. Your Text Style establishes the 'Font.' And you may have more than one Text Style in your drawing. For example, you may establish Text Styles named, ArialN, ArialB, and ArialI, which use the fonts known as Arial Narrow, Arial Bold, Arial Italics, respectivley. So.....you may use the Text Style named ArialB in both your Text Style AND your Multi Leader Style. OR you may use ArialN in your Dim Style and ArialI in your multi Leader Style.

[christianob]

I am teaching the course and was asked the question.  

I teach the students to set up templates and only set up the parameters once.  However, I had looked for a direct transfer for dim style to leader style and had never found a solution. 

I hammer to the students to set up the software one time to save effort; i .e. the reason we use versatile software. 

[christianob]

I understand the difference between DIM and LEADER however, it would make sense to have the Text style, Arrow style and scales transfer as a drop down option between the two since in many cases the scale and styles are the same for any one project.   I have created multiple styles for one project and select between the styles for my particular scale or need. 

[ChicagoLooper]

@christianob 

Your second sentence in your opening post reads as: 

<<Why should I have to retype all the parameters in the Multi Leader Style Manager?>>

Yes, creating a template is sound advice. But make sure your students know to give their custom template a new name--do NOT overwrite the existing out-of-the-box template. Never ever. For example, name the new template Christian'sFavorite.dwt. Or BartSimpson'sfavorite.dwt. Or whateverhappensintheforumstaysintheforum.dwt. Every time Christian or Bart or whatever.dwt is opened, the text styles will be available in the dropdown.

***Important***

Once the template is opened, mention to your students to perform a SAVEAS from .dwt to .dwg format which effectively changes from a template file to a Newly Named Drawing file. In the future, the same template can then be reopened and resaved where the dwt's dropdown maintains the Text Styles. This eliminates the need to retype all the parameters in the Multi Leader Style Manager that you alluded to in your opening post.

Set up the Text Style(s) in the dwt, not the dwg. The dwg will inherit or adopt the dwt's Text Styles. Thousands of users know, you don't have to TRANSFER a text style that already exists.

[pendean]

---

@christianob wrote:

...However, I had looked for a direct transfer for dim style to leader style and had never found a solution. ...

---

AutoCAD basics solutions for that:

ADCENTER has always had that ability if you only want to use built-in tools: drag and drop.

The old CADder's trick of INSERT-then-CANCEL a file with your desired content has been around for 40-ish years in AutoCAD.

Then a LISP that's been around for ever can do that too since you want to also teach your students to be creative at problem solving, because, who the heck has time to wait for Autodesk sometimes...

https://www.lee-mac.com/steal.html 

---

@christianob wrote:

I am teaching the course and was asked the question.  ...

---

Now you know: pass it forward.

[christianob]

That is precisley what I teach them. thanks

r/