Can not delete unused dimension styles

[scoot28]

Hello All,  I hope you all are doing well.  

I've read a few post here about deleting dimension styles and nothing is working for me and I thought I would start a post to find a solution to my problem.  I'm working with a fairly large file ( 25mg ) and I've moved all the dimensions to one style and I'm unable to delete the other 6 dimension styles. I've attached a screen shot the style I'm referring to.

Thanks

Scott

[rkmcswain]

If you can't delete something, it's because there is a reference to it somewhere. It could be in a block definition, an invisible entity, or even tied to something non-graphical.

Make a copy of the drawing, erase EVERYTHING in MS and delete all layouts, and purge all of the block definitions. Now can you purge it? If so, then you know it is able to be purged without any special tools.

From this point it is trial and error. Look at the block definitions, look in layouts, etc.

If you can't figure it out, erase confidential items out of the drawing, and ZIP it and upload it.

We can sit here and guess all day, but with the DWG in hand, it's probably a 5 minute exercise to find it.

[pendean]

WBLOCK the content you want to keep to create a new DWG file: now OPEN that DWG file. Did the offending dimstyle tag along? If yes, it's being used in the objects you want to keep. If no, you left it behind, use this new file instead.

[scoot28]

Thanks for the reply rkmcswain

I done everything you said except for "purge all of the block definitions". I'm using AutoCad LT 2015 so I'm not sure if I have that option.  And if I do maybe you can guide me on how to do that exactly.  I was able to purge the entire file but it didn't delete the dimension styles.  I only want to keep the dimension style called "Hardware".  I'm sending the Zip file in case you want to take a look at it. 

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Above is the email that I tried to send with the Zip File attached but it's not letting me post the Zip file. It's giving me this message below. 

Your post has been changed because invalid HTML was found in the message body. The invalid HTML has been removed. Please review the message and submit the message when you are satisfied.

Thanks

Scott

[scoot28]

Thanks for the reply pendean

I've never run WBLOCK before but I gave it a shot.  I created a WBLOCK by selecting "Entire drawing" and by "Select objects". Both times the dimension styles tagged alone.  And just so you know prior to all this I've opened Edit Block Definition and deleted the only 2 blocks that was there.

Thanks 

[pendean · Accepted solution]

>>>...Both times the dimension styles tagged alone...<<<
That usually means they are still in use: note that dimension styles don't have to show up as dimensions, they could also be leaders (your file says 2000dwg format after all), as well as just text objects.

1. Rename each offending dimstyle.
2. Edit each dimstyle to have dramatic settings: for example, mile-high text, arrows that are oversized or a shape you'd never use, even assign all the objects to a funky color you'd never use (color 30 comes to mind).
3. Move on with your day, it's not worth the time/effort unless you are trying to sell this as a package etc.: if you start stumbling across object with those weird settings from #2 above, you know that object is using one of those dimstyles. Edit and remove.

EDIT: here are two errant leaders for example...

[scoot28]

Thanks pendean

Yeah, I know it's not worth spending too much time messing with this. It's not the end of the world.  I just got a little OCD about it.  I'll do some things you suggest and go on.

Thanks for the help!!

[rkmcswain]

@scoot28 - you do have a tough one here.  Regarding WBLOCK, that is generally a good idea, but I've seen dimstyles tag along on a Wblock when they have no business doing so - many times, so beware of that.  See the image below, I WBLOCKed out a single polyline and look at the dimstyles that came along with it. In this case, I could immediately purge those extra 3 dimstyles, but why are they included? A bug in AutoCAD I suppose.

With AutoCAD LT, it's virtually impossible to figure this out since you don't have any access to external tools. With AutoCAD, there are tools available (such as SuperPurge) that can purge anything. You tell it what to purge and it iterates the database, deleting whatever it has to in order to remove what you want to remove. Obviously, this can be destructive if you are not paying close attention. I am 100% sure that SuperPurge can do the job, but you'll have to download and install a copy of AutoCAD in order to use it.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

run "AECTOACAD" and save as a new file. this will remove any civil3d stuff and those annoying lingering seemingly hidden objects. then in the new file, you should be able to purge those dimstyles, linetypes, etc.

[glotz_99]

Thanks, I was having the same problem, it turned out to be leaders with a very small arrow that made them just look like lines. 

[jorge28HB9]

Made big and award color to see it.. it was on my nose but