AutoCAD LT - Unable to dimension an xref

[chick.biker]

I have searched for answers on this - did find one person several years ago had the problem but no solution.

I have a base map and a design plan xrefed to a file I am using as one in a set of construction documents.  This is my usual practice and has not been a problem.  The file I am using is a copy of another file that I just finished dimensioning. When I try to dimension this one (in model space) I get an error message:  "Object selected is not a circle or arc".  But it IS in the root file.  I did not have this problem dimensioning in a copy of this same file!  This only appears to be an issue with arcs.

[ The subject line of this post has been edited to include the product name by @handjonathan ]

[steven-g]

Can you post the two files? see if we can find the cause of the problem.

[pendean]

>>>...Object selected is not a circle or arc...<<<
That just means you are using the wrong tool for the wrong object type: why don't you find out what that object actually is with PROPERTIES or LIST command? Open the XREF first of course.

Go do that now, find out, no need to share files, you can do this.

[chick.biker]

Steven,

The design file with the arcs I am trying to dimension is attached, DD Plan, in addition to the file in which I'm trying to dimension in model space.  I am trying to dimension the bottom half of the drawing in its current UCS rotation.

[chick.biker]

Pendean, I just created the objects I'm trying to dimension, so I know what they are, and the radius dimension tool is the right tool to dimension an arc, last time I checked....

[pendean · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the files.

 This is not a circle or an arc (highlighted with all those blue dots)

But all of these are and the DIMRADIUS works just fine.

So where exactly is there an arc or circle that DIMRADIUS does not work on?

[chick.biker]

Pendean,

Did you do these dimensions in the L6Layout file?

[chick.biker]

I knew about the Spline, that's why I redrew the inner linework for dimensioning.  Wonder if it sometimes selects the hatch, and that's why I was having trouble??

[chick.biker]

Can you explain why I am unable to get my dimstyle to make a tic mark at the center point?  I can set up the style, but I find no option in my menu for that center mark.  I can repost this as a separate post if need be.

[pendean]

You may be selecting something other than what you want to dimension. Here is your file back with the DIMRADIUS items I created in it.

[sjg146]

You are so unhelpful.

[pendean]

@sjg146 sure? or you just need help identifying splines vs arc vs circles in your own file so you can dimension using DIMARC command?

[danieljjohnsonscholar]

I wish this had gotten solved. I'm having the same issue. 

[mnyrac]

Me too.  It's been an ongoing problem for a while now.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  I haven't isolated it to polylines vs arcs in the original drawing.  Usually what I end up doing is building an arc on a no plot layer over top of the Xref just to get the radius dimension to work.

[pendean]

@mnyrac @danieljjohnsonscholar That is odd indeed.

Can you share DWG files and explain which commands you are using and how so others can follow along to
a) replicate the issue
b) offer tips or solutions or workarounds?

[mnyrac]

Well I was going to share my stuff so I recreated a simple drawing with an xref and of course then it worked fine.  Trying to isolate the problem a little more, I went back to my sheet with my xref, isolated the linework and the dimensions and turned everything else off and then it worked ok.  I also noticed that when I had a dashed gravel line and under it was a solid line for the hatch boundary that it also worked ok without turning everything else off. 

I'm down to thinking it's something to do with the dimension not able to isolate the arc from other things in the drawing, like hatch boundaries.  Normally I delete my hatch boundaries but not everyone does that in my office.  I can't say that's the official answer, but it's an option to try.

[pendean]

@mnyrac Thanks for the summary and screenshot.

I wonder if those conflicts you listed can be avoided in your existing files by using HATCHTOBACK and TEXTTOFRONT (with the ALL sub-option) commands in each of your XREFs (then saving them to make that stick), then ensuring HPDRAWORDER is set to 3 (default) or even 1 (more aggressively) to keep them in he background.

[mnyrac]

I just tested that theory and it does not work unfortunately.  

[mnyrac]

I also just tested deleting the hatch boundary as well and that didn't work either.  

Seems the only work around so far is to isolate the linework.

[pendean]

Interesting.

I am unable to replicate the issue here in my own files and XREFs, I may be missing something: can you share a portion of your DWG file here, hatch/linework and all for testing?