Dimensioning between different objects across viewports

[fridtjofZM5ME]

The pictures below show four different blocks, made by someone else, that I've copy/pasted into the model space. The last figure shows me trying to get the actual distance between to points in two different blocks across two viewports. After reading several posts on how to trick AutoCAD into not displaying the paper space distance, I found one that describes replacing the dimension with an expression that renders the desired result. The only problem is that I don't know how and where to create an object property containing the dimension expression that will show up in the list. I realize that the issue has been thoroughly debated over the course of the last 15 years or so, but didn't find anyting that is helping me so far.

Any ideas anyone?

Block mada by someone else

Block mada by someone elseBlock mada by someone elseBlock mada by someone else

[cheryl.buck]

Hi @fridtjofZM5ME,

That is an interesting option, I don't think I've seen it done before. Do you happen to have the link for the post you found mentioning the expression for us to reference back to? 

All the best, 

[fridtjofZM5ME]

@cheryl.buckThanks for your reply.

Here are a two forum posts and an articlce discussing the subject:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/dimension-across-viewports/td-p/6868399

https://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?61476-Dimension-across-multiple-viewports

https://ltunlimited.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/09/dimension-across-viewports.html

The article by Kate Morrical leans more towards what I'm hoping to acheive. The best solution in my opinion would be if you could reference labled parametric dimensions from the model space in the annotative dimensions in the paper space. That would solve the problem entirely for me, as everyting I do in AutoCAD is strictly parametric. (Inventor user syndrome)

[cheryl.buck]

Hi @fridtjofZM5ME,

Thank you for the links that did help me understand better. I have seen Field data used for many different was, this is a new one to me. I was not able to find a functionality in AutoCAD to achieve this directly, so her method seems like a very good alternative.  

I can see how this would be really useful and encourage you to submit the idea to the Product Feedback team:

How to provide feedback on Autodesk products

You can use the Accept Solution button to mark any posts that provide the answer or solution.

Likes are always welcome.

All the best,