Way to see which dimensions have text override.

David Winthrop

Is there a way to display a notation or mark (non plot-able) on all dimensions that have a text override.  On any given floor plan I may have a number of dimensions that I have a text override to deal with rounding issues, then through the design process, I may adjust the length of that dimension without checking to see if there is a text override ruling over the new adjusted length.

I'd love to see an asterisk or some other non-plot-able notation to see at a glance which dimensions have been adjusted.  Any thoughts?  

Anthony Apostolaros

I don't think there's a way to do that, but it sounds like a good idea. One workaround would be to manually change the color of a dimension when you give it an override, to a color that prints the same via the CTB file but looks different on the screen.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

This use of text overrides is actually a bad idea. In many companies this is not allowed.
But, having said that, you can format the dim text in such a way that the correct dimension text is still visible but has a color that is not printed. Instead of overriding the text you have to change the dim prefix. In the example the color for the correct dimension is 11.
[code]AltText\X\C11;[/code]

Roy Klein Gebbinck

To select dimensions with overrides you can use this Lisp code:
[code](defun c:DimSelOverride ()
  (sssetfirst
    nil
    (ssget
      "_A"
      (append
        (if (= 1 (getvar 'cvport))
          (list (cons 410 (getvar 'ctab)))
          '((410 . "Model"))
        )
        '(
          (100 . "AcDbDimension")
          (-4 . "<OR")
            (-4 . "<NOT")
              (1 . "")    ; Text overrides.
            (-4 . "NOT>")
            (-3 ("ACAD")) ; Other overrides.
          (-4 . "OR>")
        )
      )
    )
  )
  (princ)
)[/code]

Louis_Verdonck

 I don't know whether this is a rule in other countries also, but in Belgium you must underline dimensions if the dimension does not fit the actual size of the dimensioned  distance.

Jason Bourhill

Perhaps review the way that you're applying rounding? Instead of overriding the measured value, you could instead override the precision. To do this you select the dimension and from the property bar change the precision (see screen grab). Alternatively you could instead override the rounding value.

Modifying the precision of dimensions is a common approach with machining drawings, where the number of decimal places indicate the required tolerance to be met. I created the attached LISP to enable this to be done more quickly. You can add it to the dimensioning context menus to allow for quick access.

Regards, Jason Bourhill CAD Concepts 

Dimprec.lsp

tlbDimensionProps.png

dlgCUI-Dimprec.png

Roy Klein Gebbinck

Use this prefix for an underlined 'AltText':
[code]\LAltText\X\C11;[/code]

Anthony Apostolaros

Thanks, Roy, for those codes for use in the text override box. Adding <> at the end makes the actual measurement appear below the dimension line in color 11, which is a great solution if color 11 is non-print.

How would we make color 11 non-print? I don't see an option for that in the plot style table editor. And the editor won't let me map color 11 to color 255 (white), which was the only way I could think of that might have worked. I could use C255 instead of C11 (and make sure the dimension entity is not masking any other entity via Draworder), but if it can be done as a non-print text, or even in a darker color mapped to white, that would be preferable.

Alexander Van Heuverzwyn

One can use QSELECT in the properties to quickly highlight dimensions with text override. Just select all dimensions and subtract those with empty text override. I found the control doesn't accept empty string right away, so I use an intermediate string first which I then remove.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

@ Anthony:
I am a little rusty myself when it comes to .ctb files. But to make a color not print setting the screening to 0 works.
To clarify: in my suggestions I am talking about changing the 'Dim prefix' (no need to add '<>') not the 'Text override'. But your suggestion also works.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

... Anthony is right to point out an issue with the draworder. The draworder only seems to be irrelevant if printed lines are set to merge, an .shx font is used and if a print on paper is created.

Anthony Apostolaros

Another option would be to create a duplicate of the dimension entity, putting the duplicate on a non-print layer and giving it a dimension style with a smaller and more accurate text that's positioned slightly below the text of the printable one. See image.

The duplicate would have to be made before the text override is added to the printable dimension entity. I don't often use text overrides, but for someone who does it would be easy to write a custom command, using lisp or script, to create the duplicate dimension entity and format it all in one step.

Shadow Dimension.png

Scott McKenzie

How about creating a reactor that on opening, and (and maybe save and regen) checks all of the dimensions in a drawing, if the text override value is not nil, check for (and create) a layer that is bright red and move the overridden dimensions onto that layer; if the dimension has no override in its properties then you can make sure it is placed onto your normal text layer.  The only issue I see with this is that sometimes it is common to place descriptive text beneath the dimension line, like C/C, while the value may be correct, the program will call this dimension overridden and place it on the 'error' layer when it is not infact in error.  In your CTB file set the colour of this new layer to an unused on that stands out and ensure that colour's settings are the same as the colour used for your normal text/dimension layer.