Dimensions turn out wrong? How to fix?

Hi,

I'm not an AutoCAD or BricsCad expert... but have a question.  I received a drawing from someone (stairs for a shop) that has many dimensions in it.  Whether I open it with AutoCAD or BricsCad, the dimensions that I add to the drawing are wrong.  I can dimension something that's already dimensioned in the drawing, and MY dimensions are all off by the same ratio.  I'm not spotting how to fix things so I can add new dimensions that are accurate without having to calculate, with a scaling factor, what the real-life dimensions are.  Example:  I have to divide my added dimensions by 1.5 in order to produce the correct value.   Hmm... there must be a page or dimension or some kind of setting that I can make to 'fix' this drawing so I can get correct dimensions, no?  Please help... I've got lots of dimensions that I need to measure...

Brian

 

Comments

  • Select an original dimension from drawing received and check what 'Dim scale linear' property is used. After enter the same numerical value by typing into command line DIMLFAC. This variable sets linear factor for new dimensions. Alternative, add your dimensions and Use Match Properties command to set the same scale factor for new added dimensions.

  • Hi,  double click an existing dim check the properties bar for dim style.

    Activate the same dimstyle at the bottom right corner( right click the texts) of the screen.

    Start dimensioning.

    Good luck.

    Patrik

  • Annoying when they do that.

    As suggested, matching the style used for the others will work if that style includes a "correcting" factor, or else match each new Dim to an existing one (Check if the distance is then correct).

    Another suggestion is scale the whole thing to be correct, then apply your Dimstyle to all the old ones - you can do that globally.

    At least the drawing will no longer contain that trap.

  • Thanks!  I'll read up on these things as well as following your instructions ...I appreciate the help!

    Brian

     

  • Ugh... It's worse than just a dim scale issue.  He used text for dimensions, filled arrows that he drew for the ends of dimension lines, and lines to connect the arrows ...the "dimensions" are not dimensions at all!  That means he went through a heckuva lotta work just to avoid dimensions ...he had to have measured everything (with dimensions), then painstakingly entered dimensions the slow and hard way.  Doesn't make sense, especially when he could have just formatted standard dimensions and it would've all been automatic.  Go figure.  Oh well, I'll hand-calculate the scale and fix it, then format my own dimension style, then add the necessary dimensioning... sigh.

    Thanks for your help, guys!

    Brian

     

  • Actually, what he must've done was to use custom formatted dimensions and then exploded everything on the drawing.  He's using ACAD 2000 and I opened up his dwg with my old version of ACAD 2000 and everything's exactly the same as with BricsCad ...the dims are scaled and exploded.  Odd way of doing things.

    Brian

     

  • Under Dim Associativity, you can have exploded dimensions. I'll bet that's what he's done, it was such a mess he just changed the numbers.

    Should at least have underscored the text.

    Doncha love working on others' drawings?

  • Under Dim Associativity, you can have exploded dimensions. I'll bet that's what he's done, it was such a mess he just changed the numbers.

    Should at least have underscored the text.

    Doncha love working on others' drawings?

  • according your first post, you have found that the whole drawing is scaled to a different, non-real scale. having found the scale factor (1.5 as you mention)  you can scale the whole drawing to that factor. then freeze or delete the wrong dimensions layer. after that you can dimension without any factor etc.

    an easy way to scale the whole drawing is using SCALE with  referencing points  of a confirmed objet (like a door, a step height, etc)

     

     

    make this of course on a dwg copy of the original, first check to have all layers thawed before scale.

     

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