Dimensioning Walls from End to End in Revit

[ancRA2012]

I need this wall dimension to be 2'4" from one end to the next - from the LEFT highlighted side all the way to the right.

However, the left side keeps snapping to the midpoint of the wall it is intersecting (see photo attached) and I cannot seem to change this - even when I pick and drag the blue dot to the end. This seems to be the consistent norm and I cannot seem to change it for any walls I want to dimension from end to end- which is all of them and it is frustrating. How do I change these settings and set them to hold for the future? Please help. Thanks!

[barthbradley]

Disallow Joining

[cbcarch]

The dimension in your screenshot is a "temporary dimension". Use Annotate Tab>Place an aligned dimension, use Tab to select the face of the wall at the left. Then type in 2'-4" in the string while the dimension is still selected.

Another tip:

Highlight the wall, go to Properties--You can also play with the Location Line, set to Finish Face: Interior or Exterior, etc. This will move the blue dot

from Center to interior or exterior face. ( There are also Core settings there.)

[ancRA2012]

I'm aware of this fix but is there no easier, more permanent way to choose your points of reference to measure a wall from end-to-end?

The issue with choosing to disallow jointing is then I can freely move my witness lines to the ends of the wall and observe the correct measurement BUT if I try to edit the measurement, the wall does not extend in retrospect to the wall it is then disjoined from. So the measurement of the wall will change but will extend past the wall it is meant to be jointed with and then I need to move it back into place to join with the original wall.

Instead I simply want the walls to remain joined, but to receive the measurements from one end of the wall to the next and not at the intersection between the two - ideally by being able to simply adjust my witness lines - but Revit doesn't allow me to do this - as far as I am aware.

[ancRA2012]

Thank you! I am aware of this as well, however was hoping to be able to view the temporary dimension and make it a permanent one - as I know you can do, which is why I would like the temporary to measure from end to end so that it will read correctly and I can save it as permanent. But I have the location lines set to exterior face but the witness lines still automatically measure from the intersected midpoint between the two walls and won't allow me to move it. Any idea?

[cbcarch]

Change Temporary Dimension Settings to Faces

Manage Tab>Additional Settings>Temporary Dimensions

[barthbradley]

I am not sure I understand. You can disallow automatic join and then constrain/lock the wall to another wall and control its length with a permanent (not temporary) dimension. We do it all the time with pony walls. 

[ancRA2012]

Thank you! I have done that as well but still does not seem to work and continues to snap to that middle point. I have attached 2 photos to show.

When I drew the wall I assigned it the dimension 2-4 but as seen in photo 1, that dimension only reads to intersection of the perpendicular wall.

In photo 2, it displays the joint of the two wall and where this 2-4 dimension is reading to (where they intersect) - and displays in blue my attemptto drag the witness line to the left end, and thus showing a larger dimension than intended the intended 2-4 from end to end and instead reading 3 - 0 5/16.

I guess my question is - how do I call out that I want my wall to be 2-4 from the left end to the right jointed at that corner? and not the midpoint intersection.

[ancRA2012]

This allows you to edit the dimensions of a wall from one end to the next while remaining jointed to its intersecting wall? Would you walk me through this processs?

[cbcarch]

Place the wall close to where you want it--but not touching the other wall.

Set Location Line to Finish Face Exterior--blue dot on exterior face.

Place an aligned dimension--Tab to exterior face(s)--type in 2'-4".

Not sure using make temp dim permanent has any real advantages?

[ancRA2012]

Really appreciate your help - but the problem is I am using this temp dimension to annotate what I want the length of the wall to be as I am drawing it - in this case - 2-4. (Attached photo) But as you can see, it is only measuring 2-4 to the midpoint of the wall it intersects with.

It seems like there should be such a simple solution for this but it has been driving me crazy all day. How can I create a wall that will be true to the dimension I am annotating from one end to the next?

[cbcarch · Accepted solution]

Use a "real dimension" -- not temp dim. 

[barthbradley]

1. Disallow Automatic Join at one end of the wall. 

2. Align and lock that wall end to its start location (i.e. the face of a perpendicular wall or ref plane). 

3. Pull an Aligned dimension from the opposite wall end to the start location of the wall, and lock it.  I repeat: from opposite end to startup location.

4. (optional) Clean up the wall intersection at the startup location using the Join Tool (not by toggling the automatic join). 

[ancRA2012]

I am though - here is an example of a dimension I am inputting. However that 7-1 1/2 is snapping to that midpoint rather than to the end!! I want it to read 7-1 1/2 from that top edge all the way to the bottom of that entire wall. I don't understand.

[cbcarch]

For some reason, she wants to use temp dimensions to establish wall distance from exterior face to face--not "real dimensions"

[cbcarch]

That is a temporary dimension--not a "real dimension".

Did you adjust Temporary Dimensions Settings to Face?

[ancRA2012]

Yes temp dimensions are set to face. How do I create a "real" dimension instead then?

[loboarch · Accepted solution]

Set the temp dims to measure to face of wall instead of center line.  Then use location line finish face as you draw the wall.  I think this will get exactly what you are after.

[cbcarch]

Yes--this is what I have been trying to say in the last few posts.

A picture speaks a 1000 words. 🙂

[cbcarch]

Annotate Tab > Aligned Dimension

Set Location Line of wall to Finish Face Exterior

Tab when placing dimension to exterior face.

Type in 2'-4"