add additional way to get to Dimension Text dialog (to edit Dimension's text)

[Anonymous]

A right-click option or a contextual tab button is needed (for cases when double-clicking the Dimension text isn't possible).

We try to avoid View Breaks due to the issues with them (especially with annotation crossing the "void"...), but sometimes it's unavoidable. It would make it a little easier to deal with them if there was a right-click option (or a contextual tab button) to open the "Dimension Text" dialog.

For example: we have a live site-wall section with a View Break to show the footing and top of a tall wall. We have a dimension showing the height of the wall (which spans the break). I wanted to edit the text (to show the MAX height), but couldn't (I couldn't move the text position, either, but that's one of the many other issues, which includes Revision Clouds). Just to be able to edit the text in the dimension, I had to re-join the two crops. Then, after editing, I had to break the view, re-adjust the crops, move them closer together, and reposition the detail on the sheet!

Having another way to access the Dimension Text dialog would also help with dimensions that had the text "blanked out" (by overriding with an invisible character), but that we now want to show text on. The two workarounds for that, currently, are to delete the old dimension and make a new one; or Label the dimension (will have to create a new temporary parameter), check "Show Label in View", then use that to double-click (and remove the Label afterwards). 

These lengthy workarounds could be avoided with a simple right-click option or contextual ribbon button. Being able to temporarily turn off the crop would also be a solution.

Is there a way in the API to bring up this dialog?

[Anonymous]

Would love to have a right click option as well...I often manage to move the dimension text vs editing it.

[lionel.kai]

I'd forgotten about that annoyance while writing the idea - thinking about it more now, it would be great if you could double-click ANY part of the Dimension to edit the text! That would solve the issues, I think, and give the fastest access - and might be the easiest to implement?

[boostyourbim]

The API can certainly solve this for you. Please take a look at https://boostyourbim.wordpress.com/2019/03/06/add-additional-way-to-get-to-dimension-text-dialog-to-...

I've some more work beyond what is described in that blog post to add a UI and support multi-segment dimensions. 

[lionel.kai]

@boostyourbim Thanks for the response! But I was hoping for a simpler way to just trigger the opening of the OOTB dialog. It seems like a lot of unnecessary work to try to replicate the functionality of an entire dialog when all you want to do is be able to open it in a different way... Increasing efficiencies and providing minor fixes was so much easier in AutoCAD (mostly due to the command line and LISP's "(command ...)" function). My real wish is that it will be just as easy in Revit one day (and that we would have COMPLETE access to OOTB functionality, like access Line Weights (settings) from Dynamo and/or Revit API, etc.).

[boostyourbim]

It would be great if the Revit API worked the way you describe, but it is what it is. For the completed tool to allow you to select the dimension and then change the override of any of its segments, please see https://twitter.com/BoostYourBIM/status/1103676720060813313

https://boostyourbim.wordpress.com/2019/03/07/override-dimension-text-part-2/

[alina_mcconnochie]

any progress on getting this functionality?

[gordonTDAPY]

No. No progress. Autodesk couldn't be bothered to fix all the bugs in the software that meaningfully affect users daily which have been posted about on forums since 2009 and would rather put all their funding toward generative design.