Adding dimensions to lines in sketches flips the placement to the opposite side of the reference

[NeilX93WF]

As of the most recent update, I've been having an issue where:

- I'm in a sketch and draw a line.

- I go to dimension that line based on another line in the same sketch.

- The value I enter (say, 12") places my line 12" away from the referenced line - but on the opposite side of the line than where I'm trying to position it. The best way I can describe it besides that would be that it's as if I typed in ' -12" ' instead of ' 12" '.

I will often have to save and restart Fusion360 to fix it, but even then it doesn't always work and I'll have to resort it again. This has been happening ever since the most recent update and is happening semi regularly (5-6 restarts within an hour, for instance, or sometimes it's every 5th line or so that I sketch). Additionally, this has been also happening to my colleague as well.

Things I've tried in order to mitigate the issue:

- Making sure that I'm placing the line on the correct side of the reference that I want it to be.

- Deleting and reattaching the dimension.

- Moving the line slightly and dimensioning.

- Redrawing the line and hoping it works on the second attempt.

- Trying to outsmart the issue by placing the line on the wrong side and hoping it snaps to the correct side instead.

None of these have been consistently successful and it's incredibly frustrating to have such a major bug happening to such an important and simple function of the program.

[TheCADWhisperer]

@NeilX93WF 

Can you File>Export your *.f3d file that exhibits this behavior to your local drive and then Attach it here to a Reply?

[NeilX93WF]

Sure - I just created this simple file to illustrate it. If you go into the sketch, try to dimension the non-constrained blue line.

For instance, try to make it 2" to the right of the vertical centerline. When I try to do it, it flips to the left side instead.

[NeilX93WF]

Also, in case it's helpful, here are some screencaptures of my attempts to dimension. (Error 1 -> Error 2 -> Error 3 is the sequence, in case it's not obvious.)

[TheCADWhisperer]

Interesting.

I cannot reproduce the issue.

Can you go ahead and place the dimension and then Attach that file?  (Error 3 image.)

[NeilX93WF]

Sure thing.

[jhackney1972]

Using your Version 1, the first model you posted, I also cannot replicate the "flipping" issue.  I show my process in the attached animated GIF file. Am I doing something different from your process?

[NeilX93WF]

No, that's basically all I'm doing too. I figured out how to record video of the screen, so here's what I'm doing also.

[TheCADWhisperer]

@NeilX93WF 

What happens if you simply hit Enter accepting the default position dimension?

Do you have Snap to Grid turned on?

Tip: I turned Snap to Grid off in my second AutoCAD class back in 1987.

[jhackney1972]

Just for grins and giggles, go into your Preferences and "Remove" the check mark I indicate in my screen capture.  I know this will make it so you have to place the dimension and then double left mouse click on it to add your dimension but I just want you to see what happens.  I believe the line jumps to the center line just for a second and then when you start typing the dimension it is confused which side to place the dimension on.  Are you using a MAC?  Let me know your results.

[jhackney1972]

Please do not keep us in suspense, what did the suggestions and tests reveal?  By you silence, one of them gave you the answer.

[NeilX93WF]

@jhackney1972 @TheCADWhisperer 

Apologies for disappearing, guys - I hit the end of the work week and had to head home before I could try your suggestions. But I'm giving them a shot on my home desktop. First things first, I should mention that my work desktop is a Mac and my home desktop is a Windows, so the testing environment isn't quite the same. Otherwise, it's the same Autodesk account that I'm accessing though.

Here's the first interesting bit. I reopened the v2 version of the file that I attached previously in the thread (with the dimension string already assigned). I deleted the dimension string, moved the line, reassigned the dimension, and it worked fine. I created a new line, assigned dimension to that, and it too worked fine. Tried it a few times with no issue. Which made me think it's a Mac specific issue or something.

However, for the heck of it, I rolled back to the v1 version of the file (pre-dimension attachment) and opened up that. Sure enough, when I attached the dimension this time, it did the same 'flipping' error that cause me to create this post.

So now to try out your troubleshooting suggestions/questions:

@TheCADWhisperer The number that pops up in the dimension string box isn't anything that I'm entering or anything. It's popping up on its own as I click the 2nd reference, so I figure it's pulling the dimension of the distance where the line was drawn at from the reference line. The line snapping to dimension zero (i.e., the other reference line) is part of the weirdness of what's happening. When I hit enter, it doesn't respond. No dimension is assigned, the text box stays where it is with exactly the same number displayed, the numbers don't even turn red to say it isn't valid, nor does it kick any error or anything. Just stays the same as if I'm not actually pressing enter. I even double-checked to make sure my enter key was working and not stuck.

As for snap-to-grid, I checked and don't have that turned on.

Then I went and turned off the checkmark for Edit Dimension When Created and then went back into the sketch to try it again. I click my first line (the reference) then the second (the unconstrained blue one). It shows the same dimension measurement as it did before and then I click to place the dimension. Immediately, the unconstrained line jumps to the zero mark (colinear with the constrained one). I can see the line segment sitting on top of the other line and it's no longer blue. But there's no dimension attached or visible that I can click on. I've attached an image (NoDimensionString.jpg) to illustrate. I also tried clicking the unconstrained blue line first and then the reference line with the same results.

And again, this is on my Windows (10) home desktop. I'll be happy to retry all of this on my work Mac, but won't be able to until Monday AM unfortunately.

@jhackney1972

Sorry - I wish one of those helped the issue, but in the v1 version of the file, it's still doing the same thing unfortunately. I'll see how everything works when I'm back on the same Mac and update accordingly either way.

I appreciate the help, guys! Let me know if there's anything  else you think I should try. Like I said, I know my colleague is having the same issue (also on a Mac), but I can't imagine this would be that specific to just one company's Autodesk account, right?

[TheCADWhisperer]

---

@NeilX93WF wrote:

 I've attached an image (NoDimensionString.jpg) to illustrate.

---

@NeilX93WF 

Please Attach actual *.f3d rather than mere image.

[NeilX93WF]

Sorry, I should have attached that also. Here's that file now.

[TheCADWhisperer]

@NeilX93WF 

You have an invalid dimension.

I saw this in your video too.

[NeilX93WF]

Hmm, interesting. Any thoughts on how to get it to not pull invalid dimensions as a default then?

Also, one thing that just occurred to me is that prior to the update, I had never seen 256ths of an inch as a level of precision while I modeled. If I ever needed, say, thousandths of an inch, I believe I would just type it in for the dimension and it would display the closest rounded fraction (64ths, I believe). Then, when I went into the Drawing, I would display that dimension in decimal format to the appropriate decimal point. I'm wondering if it's getting hung up on the level of precision in creating the dimensions.

I know I can assign the dimensions to the model on the left hand side by editing the units, but it's only giving me a dropdown for "Inches" and no adjustment to the precision. And when I go into my Preferences>Unit and Value Display, adjusting the General Precision from '0.123' to anything lower only makes a difference when I switch the Foot and Inch Display Format to Decimal. Is there a way to keep my Fractional preference and dial down the precision to 1/64ths? I can't seem to find a way to change it.

I'm not sure if this will ultimately solve my flipping issue, but I'm kind of grasping at straws at this point. Let me know if you have any other suggestions. Thanks!

Also, in case it's not obvious, I'm back on my work computer's Mac environment and I'm having the same issues still.

[TheCADWhisperer · Accepted solution]

@NeilX93WF 

There is another discussion thread running on this issue..

I was able to reproduce the issue from scratch on Windows 10 machine.

It is an obvious bug in Fusion when set to Feet and Inches.

An easy way around the issue for now is go ahead and Enter for the default dimension - Do Not attempt to enter your desired dimension. After the default dimension is placed you can then Edit to your intended dimension.

I’ll ping Autodesk liaison extraordinaire @CGBenner . 
See also @10pindan discussion thread.

[CGBenner]

Thanks for the tag (extraordinaire? lol) @TheCADWhisperer 

Let me in turn try to tag in @James.Youmatz to see if he has any words of wisdom on this topic.

HERE is the other thread mentioned above, James.

[tom_bell_autodesk]

Hi, 

This issue is logged and we are looking into it. In the meantime, you could use decimal display instead, as the issue is specific to fractional (and architectural).

Thanks,