Change precision of individually selected ordinate dimensions with one command.

[dlandisadaptek]

Is there yet a way to change the precision of more than one dimension at a time in an ordinate set?

I've seen a few posts with similar requests.  It's extremely tedious to change the precision of individual members of an ordinate set  when each one takes a minimum of 5 mouse clicks and that's if you're not using dual (alternate) dimensions.  We'll typically set dowel pin locations in inches to 4 place, tapped and other mounting holes to 3 place and overall dimensions to 2 place so several dimensions in each and every ordinate set need to be clicked individually 5 times.  Add 2 more clicks for a total of 7 if there are dual dimensions.

Ideally, I'd like to set the precision options in a command window, then click each dimension that I want to have that precision regardless as to whether they're in an ordinate set or individual dimensions.  This way, I could change all of my dowel pin tolerances at once, mounting holes with another command, etc..

[andrewiv]

You can either select them all at once and RMB to change the precision, or you can use an ordinate set dimension.  This will keep all the ordinate dimensions together and all of them are selected when you select any one of them.

Edit:  I just saw that I misread your post.  You want to be able to change the precision of individual dimensions already in an ordinate set.  My first reply was under the assumption that you wanted to be able to change all the dimensions of a normal ordinate dimension.

[andrewiv]

You could use a different ordinate set for each style of dimension.  Make one set for the 4 place dimension, one for the 3 place dimensions, and another for the 2 place dimensions.

[dlandisadaptek]

We've done that occasionally, but we like to select holes using a window so we can catch holes that might not be in alignment with a repeating pattern.  Selecting holes individually would require you to select every hole in a repeating pattern to ensure that all holes were in alignment with each other.

Does that make sense?

[SBix26]

Not a perfect answer, but one way to reduce mouse clicks: make sure when you close the Edit Dimension dialog that you are on the Precision and Tolerance tab.  When you double click on an ordinate set member, the box opens with the Precision and Tolerance tab displayed, and with the focus on Precision > Primary Unit; type the number of decimal places desired (e.g. 4) and Enter; done.  So each one requires: double click, number key, Enter; rinse and repeat.  If you have alternate units, then number key, tab twice, number key for the alternate units.

While it doesn't do multiples, it's way quicker and easier than five or seven mouse clicks for each one.

Hope that helps a bit.

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Sam B
Inventor Pro 2021.0.1 | Windows 10 Home 1903
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[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I am sorry I am a bit confused. Shouldn't the precision also be driven by the dimension style? Then changing the dimension style precision will propagate to all dimensions including ordinate dimensions right? If you just want to limit the change to ordinate dimension, you can create a dimension style for ordinate dimensions. Then assign the ordinate dimensions to the style and change the style accordingly.

You don't need to change the precision on an individual dimension basis. If it is not working the way you want, please share an example here.

Many thanks!

[dlandisadaptek]

Thanks for the input and yes, we've done that too. While that process might save a mouse click, it also removes focus from the screen for someone without good keyboarding skills while they search for the number key to set the precision. And if you're right handed, letting go of the mouse to use the keypad and then returning to the mouse isn't ideal either.

[andrewiv]

@johnsonshiue I believe what @dlandisadaptek is doing is using a single ordinate dimension set for all the dimensions and he wants the ability to change some of those dimensions in the set to a different precision without changing all of them.

[dlandisadaptek]

That's exactly right. And, if we don't use an ordinate set, we can change the precision of 1 ordinate dimension, then copy the properties from that dimension to the others. But we no longer have an ordinate "set" of dimensions then and lose the ability to keep them entire set aligned, etc.

[dlandisadaptek]

We like to use ordinate dimensions and select by a window to capture all or most of the geometry to dimension in just two mouse clicks. This helps catch geometry that may look like it's aligned in a pattern but may be off location by an unnoticable amount. Clicking geometry individually would miss holes or features that look like they're in alignment but are not. Using the "ordinate set" dimension allows us to easily move all of the dimensions and maintain alignment but now defining the precision of a few members of the set requires quite a bit more effort.

[andrewiv]

We don't change the precision of individual dimensions on a drawing unless we are specifying some sort of machining process and then we wouldn't be including those in a dimension set.  This seems like it could be useful for others that doing similar workflows to yours, maybe put a topic up on the ideastation to be able use the Cntrl+click method, or some other key+click combination, to select individual dimensions in an ordinate or baseline or chain set.  Inventor Ideas

[dlandisadaptek]

I like the Cntrl+Click idea to select individual members of a set.