SKETCH DIMENSION UNITS

[phlyx]

We work in soft metric, inch materials and dimensions on drawings, but metric fasteners.  Often when we are sketching while editing a part, we manually enter/override the dimension of something in an alternate unit than the part settings.  For example, I am making small slot for a metric part, I locate where I want it, then draw the slot, then override the slot diameter with "5mm" (or "5MM", thank you Autodesk!!!!!).  

But when it shows the dimension in the sketch, it shows ".197". 

Would be really nice if, when you enter a dimension MANUALLY, the sketch shows the overridden value in the units that it was manually entered as.  If I double click on the dimension, the edit box pops up with "5mm" so it knows what it is, but it should show "5mm" in the sketch when not editing it.  Looking at the sketch you don't know what dimensions were entered as an alternate unit dimension.

[AndrewWiorek]

Change your dimension display to expression instead of value

[gregory_nickol]

Great idea. I do stuff like this all the time when interfacing metric designed parts with our inch based designs. I usually dimension the hole patterns in metric on the model even if they'll be dimensioned on the print using inches. And I don't want expressions shown because in many cases that info is less helpful. I believe there's a programming framework already there Autodesk could use to implement this. If you enter 1-1/2" it will interpret that as "1.5 in" internally, but still display 1-1/2". So it would just need the same thing to happen when the mm/MM unit is used.

[phlyx]

@AndrewWiorek, really don't want expressions shown as all my dimensions turn into things like "d312 = 6 mm" and "d13 = 4.375 in" instead of "6mm" and "4.375 in".  Put a few dozen dimensions down and with all the extra text, probably can't read any of them.

[AndrewWiorek]

@phlyx I have made sketches with hundreds of dimensions with expression on, it wasn't that hard to read them. Having expressions on has other benefits like seeing what dimensions are being used in other dimensions (ie the fx=)

[phlyx]

@AndrewWiorek might have to give that a try.  For some reason I was thinking about *ALL* the sketches on a part being visible at the same time, but in reality, the only sketch that would be visible is the one I'm actively working on.  And as soon as I finished, everything is invisible again.  Thanks!!! 😁👍