Dims not working same - depends on size

[irneb]

I'm having some problems with dimension styles. Every time a dim is so short as to have the text over both the ticks, the dimension's horizontal line extends further than normal. I've tried every setting I could think of to no avail.

Vanilla 2008 32bit XP. See the attached screen captures.

[dzatto]

I think that's how it's supposed to be. Way back in the days of board drafting, I seem to remember that "small" dims like that would actually be drawn with the dim arrows on the outside of the extension lines facing in. This is the same thing, you just have the box checked to "draw dim line between extension lines".

If you set the dimension to be set outside of the dimension lines, either with or without a leader, it will go away.

[irneb]

Still happens, even with text placed beside dim, the tick's horizontals are extended both sides (not just where the text is placed).

While the arrow system works this way, we're using a tick instead (but for some reason a custom block). What I've found is if I change from the custom block to the standard ArchTick or Oblique, this doesn't happen. Will have to discuss this with the powers that be :mrgreen:

But strangely though, the ArchTick uses a block called _ARCHTICK which I can redefine to that of the custom tick and then it works. But if I simply use a custom tick it doesn't work ?????

[tedg]

Still happens, even with text placed beside dim, the tick's horizontals are extended both sides (not just where the text is placed).

While the arrow system works this way, we're using a tick instead (but for some reason a custom block). What I've found is if I change from the custom block to the standard ArchTick or Oblique, this doesn't happen. Will have to discuss this with the powers that be :mrgreen:

But strangely though, the ArchTick uses a block called _ARCHTICK which I can redefine to that of the custom tick and then it works. But if I simply use a custom tick it doesn't work ?????
Maybe you can set your "Arrow Size" (_archtick) to something smaller in your dimstyle and it will work?

[dzatto]

Still happens, even with text placed beside dim, the tick's horizontals are extended both sides (not just where the text is placed).

While the arrow system works this way, we're using a tick instead (but for some reason a custom block). What I've found is if I change from the custom block to the standard ArchTick or Oblique, this doesn't happen. Will have to discuss this with the powers that be :mrgreen:

But strangely though, the ArchTick uses a block called _ARCHTICK which I can redefine to that of the custom tick and then it works. But if I simply use a custom tick it doesn't work ?????
Ahh, I use archtick on my dims. That's why it works for me. I wonder why your tick block would make a difference? HHHHmmmmmmmmmm

[irneb]

It seems that any user defined block would produce this "feature". What I've noticed about the custom block is that it contains both a diagonal polyline with width, as well as a horizontal line :shock:. Well I redefined it to be exactly the same as the _ARCHTICK, now it produces the attached :shock::shock::banghead:

[BeKirra]

It seems that any user defined block would produce this "feature". What I've noticed about the custom block is that it contains both a diagonal polyline with width, as well as a horizontal line :shock:. Well I redefined it to be exactly the same as the _ARCHTICK, now it produces the attached :shock::shock::banghead:
I created a dimstyle called "123" with all settings same as what you had.
I found no problems.
Also, I noticed your picture of "capture_06032009_143517.png", that edit_box of "Extend beyond ticks" has been frozen.
You are using a customized block & for some reasons it doesn't perform properly.
I don't have any problem when using the "_ArchTick" shipped with AutoCAD.
Please fine a sample attached.
Perhaps you need to reuse the "_ArchTick" or recreate a customized block.
And, the other thing is that uncheck the tick_box of "Fixed length extension lines" under the "Lines" tab will show your dim extension lines looking normal.
Hope it helps. :)

[irneb]

Yes, thanks for pointing that out. However the requirement here is to have the extension lines at a fixed length so that the next row of dims are aligned with the bottom of to previous row's ext line. Previously we did this by incorporating the vertical line into the block as well & suppressing both extension lines. See attached.

Now I can get round this using the _ARCHTICK, but then I loose the yellow tick mark. It's not a big deal, as it won't print differently. The reason behind the yellow tick mark was to see the dims easier on a black screen (while most of the dimlines are blue to "fade to background" on the black screen).

I can redefine the _ARCHTICK to the same as my custom block ... then it works perfectly. Unfortunately the _ARCHTICK is generated from AutoCAD every time it needsa to be created in a drawing ... so I'll have to redefine it throughout:roll:

BTW, it seems as if any user defined block is considered to be an arrow. That seems to explain what's going on. The only exceptions are the ArchTick and Oblique standard types. Rather stupid I think :shock:

[BeKirra]

Unfortunately the _ARCHTICK is generated from AutoCAD every time it needsa to be created in a drawing ... so I'll have to redefine it throughout:roll:

Can you do it with your templates?
- It is the drafting office regulation issue, of course.

[irneb]

Can you do it with your templates?
- It is the drafting office regulation issue, of course.Yep, templates would work for new DWG's. It's just going to be a prob to run some script to update the dimstyles in several thousands of existing current DWG's :shock:

[dzatto]

It seems that any user defined block would produce this "feature". What I've noticed about the custom block is that it contains both a diagonal polyline with width, as well as a horizontal line :shock:. Well I redefined it to be exactly the same as the _ARCHTICK, now it produces the attached :shock::shock::banghead:
I think that gap has something to do with your base point of the block, doesn't it? Try a different base point and see if the gap doesn't close.

[BeKirra]

Yep, templates would work for new DWG's. It's just going to be a prob to run some script to update the dimstyles in several thousands of existing current DWG's :shock:
Yes, nothing is impossible as you are the BIG LISPer. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[nextvkin]

Hi irneb,
I use a custom made tick for my dimensions but it doesn't seem to have a problem. The tick is made of a horizontal line twice the length of the vertical which is 2mm (this is to eliminate the gap in the dimension line when the dimension is very small). I'm attaching a .dwg for you to analyse.

[irneb]

Yes my custom one is also doing that. The gap appears if I use the exact same block as _ARCHTICK, but renamed to by custom block's name. And the real problem is that if you have this, then short dims get an "extra" line to each side because ACad "thinks" (now there's an oxymoron :lol:) that any custom block must act like an arrow instead of a tick!

The work-around is to use the _ARCHTICK but redefine it to your design. See attached. The DimTick.DWG drawing shows thew problem at present. The Archtick drawing shows the work-around.

BTW, remembering an old firm I used to work for (on R10) they used a dimension dot instead of tick. But I can't remember this problem from then. Of course R10 didn't have anything like dimstyles, you just changed the relevant sysvars ... even for them the work-around would still suffice 8) see DimDot attached.

[irneb]

Just figured another thing, from the help there's 2 sysvars governing the scale of this block: DIMASZ and DIMTSZ. The 1st gives the scale of the arrow block if the 2nd = 0. Otherwise it considers the block to be a tick instead. That seems to be what's going on.

However there's no way to force the "Arrow size" in the DImStyle dialog to set DIMTSZ instead of DIMASZ (except for previously mentioned workaround). Of course I can change this manually after changing the current dimstyle, but that defeats the purpose of dimstyle doesn't it? And anyway, if I do this the tick gets changed to the normal Oblique ... so this isn't a solution either.