Arc Length Object Defaults in Drawing

[infoW9XPC]

I am attempting to change the arc length style from the standard default to a custom dimension style that I use for drawings.

When I go to the Object Defaults in the Style Manager I can't find anything about arc lengths. Thought it may have been under something else, but I'm not seeing anything that it could have been (most of my object defaults have already been changed).

I'm guessing this is something super simple I'm overlooking and today is just not my day. I've already spent more time trying to figure it out than it would have saved me in the first place, but (I guess in stereotypical engineer fashion) I just can't let it go.

[Gabriel_Watson]

Object Defaults is more of a main index of what style types you have chosen under a Standard.

If you go to the desired dimension style (active standard or the one your Standard is using), there is a tab for "Options" where I am guessing you can alter/hide extension lines for radial dimensions.... I'm not sure what you're looking for though. I hope that's right, or can you post a screenshot of a sample drawn on Paint/etc. with what your intent is, perhaps?

[infoW9XPC]

I didn't think I'd need a screenshot, but I may not have explained it well.

It's the style type I want to change. When I snap an arc length dimension I want it to be the "Architectural (ANSI)" instead of "Default" so that (for instance) instead of showing 72.44 it shows me 72-7/16.

I can put the dimension into the drawing and then change it after the fact, but I can't figure out how to just have it default to the style I prefer like I was able to do with all the other dimensions.

I did have the fault to just change the "Default" style template details, but that didn't really seem the best solution when there's already a style that is correct.

[nedeljko.sovljanski]

Hi @infoW9XPC 

Did you mean something like this?

[infoW9XPC]

Yes. So when the default standard is used the dimensions are in decimal format before making any changes like your radius and length dimension there. You can change that to the architectural style once you've placed the dimension.

For my drawings I have set the object defaults to an architectural style, so that when I place a dimension it's automatically in inches/fractional format like your arc length dimension.

I just can't find where an arc length object default can be set to a specific dimension style. It's not in the object list in the styles manager, and I can't see anything obvious there that may also include the arc length.

I can always put in an arc length, select that dimension, and then choose a different dimension style from the toolbar drop down menu, but I couldn't find a way to change the style so that it's automatically in architectural when the dimension is placed.

[nedeljko.sovljanski]

Hi @infoW9XPC 

Arc length use linear dimension style, but you don't need to change style, just use Architectual ANSI.

1. Open Styles Editor (Manage tab)

2. Choose All Styles, and select dimensions

3. Select Architectual ANSI, do right click and choose Save in document

4. Now Location for this dimension style is Both

5. Create Arc length dimension

6. Select Arc lenght dimension and change style from Annotate -> Format

[infoW9XPC]

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're meaning that I can change the dimension style after I place the dimension, which I know how to do. The problem with that is that it takes so many additional clicks. So if I'm doing several of these that really adds up, especially if I'm my workload is heavy and causing my program to run slow and each click is a few seconds. If I'm not understanding you correctly I apologize, please feel free to correct me. 

(I know there's a most efficient selection/keystroke/etc method to do that, but that's basically optimizing a task that's already inefficient, which makes a little part of me die inside.)

The arc length dimension does not use the linear dimension style though. It may be that it is supposed to do that, but I have the linear dimension object default style changed to how I want my final dimensions to appear, and there is no problem with how that works.

Arc length is actually the only dimension (at least that I've run across) that I can't figure out how to update so that by default it's in the correct format as soon as I place the dimension in my drawing it's in the architectural style.

[nedeljko.sovljanski]

Step 6. will change style for selected dimension. If you want Inventor to automatically change dimension style base on dimension type, that is not possible. You have to choose style that will be applied.

[infoW9XPC]

The problem is that I have to input a dimension, close out the dimension tool, select the dimension (or dimensions), click the drop-down menu, then select the style I want. If I am able to change the the object style then it will save 4 of the 5 steps.

I may still not be understanding your meaning correctly, but you can automatically change the default style based on dimension type through the Object Default selections. I have done this and it works correctly so that when I input a linear dimension it's automatically in the style I want (same for radius, diameter, etc.). I have a screenshot attached of that menu.

But arc length is missing from that menu, and I don't see why. If arc length style is included as a part of another object style I haven't been able to find where that would be either.

 

[nedeljko.sovljanski]

I see now, put that in Ideas forum.

[infoW9XPC]

It may be overkill, but I just went ahead and opened a support case directly with Autodesk to see what they say. I will report back when I hear in case it's helpful to anyone else.

I just mostly assumed it was an easy fix and I didn't know what I was doing, but maybe that's not the case. It seems like odd that this would just be an oversight though.

[infoW9XPC]

Maybe no one looking at this, but figured I would update in case anyone else ran across the thread with a similar question.

Apparently the object default for arc length is grouped under Angular Dimensions, so when that is updated the arc length is snapped in with the correct format immediately.

Unfortunately, that seems like a pretty strange place to put it to me and for my use case (which I admit is probably not at all normal) will not work for me. I use a custom dimension style that appends a " symbol to linear dimensions because our shop has often mistaken dimensions such as 1'6" for 16" which occasionally causes problems, so I switched it to show everything only in inches. The best way I could do that was to tell the dimension style to put " after all dimensions, so I cannot use that style on angular dimensions otherwise I get a °" after my angular dimensions.

I'll submit the idea that arc lengths need to be broken out, but if this hasn't come up before I suspect that this instance here is so seldom that it's not a big deal (and even for me I rarely use the arc length either, so if I have to choose which default will make which dimension style correct I can toggle that back and forth occasionally and make my changes manually otherwise).