Change style for individual dimension

[foolishgrunt]

It seems like there should be an easy way to accomplish this, but for whatever reason I can't find it.

I've set my default dimension style when using the "Hole and Thread" callout to use fractions, and left the regular "Dimension" tool in decimal format. This gives me the freedom to quickly and easily choose which format to use when dimensioning a hole simply by selecting the appropriate tool.

Now though, I need to dimension a laser cut knockout. As you can see the outline does not form a unbroken circle, so the the hole callout does recognize it. I could dimension it with the regular dimension tool as shown, but I don't wish to decimal - I wish to dimension it as 5/16. Surely there must be a way to change the style of just this individual dimension without affecting all the other dimensions in the drawing?

[cadman777 · Accepted solution]

What I do is add the DimensionStyle drop-down to the top of the screen. To do that, on the Annotate panel RMB on the SelectStyle drop-down and pick AddToQuickAccessToolbar (which is the top of the screen).

Then in our drawing, select the dimension/s you want to change and then pick the Style in the drop-down at the top of the screen.

If it's a 'one-off' change that's not in my list of SelectStyles, I just double-click on the dimension and tab over the the PrecisionAndTolerance tab and then manually change it.

Sometimes I use a combination of both. For example, if the Style is set to fractional 16th's and I need decimal .xx, then I first I change the Style, then manually change the places to the right of the decimal point.

Also, if you want to change between Radius and Diameter, you can RMB while placing the dimension and select DimensionType, or RMB on it after placing and do the same.

That's the quickest way I found to do it.

Maybe someone else has a quicker way?

Also, if you don't have a specific style set up like you want, then you have to go to the Manage>StylesAndStandardsEditor and make a new style by copying an existing style. To do that for a diameter dimension with certain units and options, in the StylesAndStandardsEditor you would go to Dimension and copy one of the styles, rename it to something meaningfully descriptive, and then change the settings the way you want. That way you can have that style in your SetStyle drop-down. And if you want that Style to be in every drawing, then you Export that to disk, and then open your drawing Template/s and Import it, Save and Close.

Edit:

Creating/Editing Dimension Styles

[Frederick_Law]

I have separate Style for fraction and different decimal places.

You can set different Dimension (Linear, Radial, Diameter, Hole Note) with different default style in Object Defaults.

What you have done is set them all in one style.

Split them up so you can use different style for each Dimension Object.

[foolishgrunt]

If I'm understanding you correctly, that's exactly what I have done. I have two separate styles for decimal ("Default") and fractional ("Default - Fraction"): the object default for the regular dimension tool point to the "Default" style, while the object default for the hole note points to "Default-Fraction."

What I want is a way to allow a one-off exception: for a single dimension (and not any for the other dimensions in the sheet) to point to the "Default - Fraction" style rather than the "Default" style.

[foolishgrunt]

Thanks! I didn't quite catch what you were describing for me to do, but it prompted me to look again and I found this dropdown. In retrospect I assume this is what you were trying to direct me to. That is exactly what I needed!

[BDCollett]

That is the only real way to change a style directly like that. Select it, then use the drop-down under the Annotate tab. This works perfectly if it is only something you need to change in specific circumstances.

In the past if I need to see a fraction as well I would setup the dual unit option.

This way you can show both for certain dimensions. 

[cadman777]

Exactly.

Now if you RMB on the SelectStyle drop-down and pick AddToQuickAccessToolbar it will stay permanently on the top of the screen in the drawing environment so you can easily access it any time you need it.