Displacement dimensions skip between architectural and scientific units

[will]

When I move an object, the displacement dimension by my cursor skips between architectural and scientific.  Drawing units are architectural.  Any idea how I can make this stop?

[ChrisPreece]

Hi @will,

You mentioned that your Drawing Units are set to architectural. Are your Dimension Style units also set to architectural? You can check by using the DIMSTYLE command, click Modify, then click Primary Units and Alternate Units to set those unit formats. 

If this post answers your question or solves your issue, please click Accept as Solution so others in the community can find it easily.

[will]

Dimstyle is Architectural in most if not all of our drawings, including the one above.

My coworker has the same issue and has for at least the last few versions of AutoCAD, both LT and full.

[pendean]

AUtoCAD on it's own does not change DIMSTYLEs, do you have both dimstyles in your drawing already and why? If not, where is the "scientific" dimstyle coming from?

Or are you just calling it "scientific" when it fact it is probably just an override that you need to get rid of?

Show us examples, a video of the problem in action, a DWG file that exhibits the problem for you, help us help you by providing more visuals.

[will]

Nothing is changing in my UNITS or DIMSTYLE settings - everything remains architectural.  The issue is the measurement shown by my cursor seems to jump between the two types for no good reason that I can see.  Sorry, somehow I failed to attach the video before: 

[pendean]

OK, so you are talking about your dynmode display, and nothing else. Got it.

Go into DSETTINGS command, select the Dynamic Input tab, start examining all of your settings and checked boxes in that tab, let us know what all of your settings are and start changing them if you feel confident doing so. Tap that HELP button on each pop-up if you want more information. post back if you get stuck.

[will]

I'm pretty sure all my settings are default:

 - Pointer input enabled (settings: polar format, relative coordinates, show coordinates when a command asks for a point)

 - Dimension Input enabled (settings: show 2 dimension input fields at a time)

 - Both dynamic prompt options enabled

I don't see anything that looks like it would affect unit types.

[ChrisPreece · Accepted solution]

@will,

I see what you're talking about now with the distance in your dynamic input switching back and forth. What you are seeing there is AutoCAD switching to E-notation, or exponential notation, which is essentially just short hand for an otherwise long decimal. If you'd rather not have this happen, you could reduce your unit precision a bit and zoom in for a more precise measurement.

If this post answers your question or solves your issue, please click Accept as Solution so others in the community can find it easily.

[will]

Thanks for the response.  Why are decimal inches being displayed at all?   My units are set to architectural so the precision is measured in fractions of an inch (I think I'm set at 1/4" there) and we're talking at distances that should be measured first in feet?  And why does it move back and forth between the two unit types?

[ChrisPreece]

Hi @will,

In your screencast, it looks like your unit precision is set at 0' - 0 1/32", because as you drag the cursor I'm seeing increasing fractions in 1/32" increments. When I set my precision to 0' - 0 1/32", draw a 200'-0" line, and do the same MOVE and hover for base point that you're doing, I'm able to watch AutoCAD switch to E-notation units as it hits certain measurements that are more succinctly displayed as E-notation rather than architectural units. 

Especially at the scale your working at, dynamic input will try and display the shortest version of the measurement. For example, rather than displaying 3071.98 inches as 255'-11 31/32" (15 characters) it will go with 3.07198 E+03 (13 characters). 

I know that's a little bit into the weeds, but hopefully it explains the why behind the unit switch in dynamic input. If you just want it to stick with architectural units, try adjusting your precision to whatever works best at the scale you typically work at.

If this post answers your question or solves your issue, please click Accept as Solution so others in the community can find it easily.

[will]

Thanks, that makes sense.