Working with Dimensions in Land F/X

Note: The following catalog of content covered in this webinar is time stamped to allow you to follow along or skip to sections of the video that are relevant to your questions. You can also search for content on this page using the FIND command in your browser (CTRL + F in Windows, Command + F in Mac OS.)

• Intro/TOC
• Introduction to Dimensions
• Dimensions and AutoCAD
• Dimensions and Land F/X
• Creating a Custom Dimension Style
• Dimensioning Tools
• Common Troubleshooting Items

0:00 – 2:37: Intro/TOC

2:38 – 12:57: Introduction to Dimensions

Dimensions and AutoCAD (2:38)

AutoCAD provides a robust dimensioning system.

 

Default dimensions are not scaled automatically.

 

Dimensions are placed on the active layer.

 

The Dimension Style (DimStyle) Manager (3:20)

Custom changes are made in the DimStyle Manager.

 

Customize items such as arrowheads, units, text styles, linetypes, spacing, and tolerances.

 

Set Current to use the DimStyle.

 

DimStyle settings and scale (4:17)

Scale is managed by you.

 

Multiple scales means maintaining multiple styles.

 

To transfer DimStyle settings, these dimensions must be defined in a template file, or you can use the Import/Export Express tool.

 

With all there DimStyles to manage, and no automation, it’s easy to become disorganized and lose consistency with your dimensions. (5:33)

 

Dimensions and Land F/X (5:50)

We’ve simplified AutoCAD’s dimensioning system for ease of use. By default, dimensions are set to go.

 

Out of the box, you can open a detail drawing and place dimensions without any extra setup. Text Style, arrow style, linetypes, scale, plot style configuration, etc. are all automated.

 

When you use a Land F/X dimension tool, a Land S/X DimStyle is created automatically and set as current. (6:59)

 

Dimensions and layers in Land F/X (7:50)

Land F/X dimensions are automatically placed on appropriate layers.

 

• L-DETL-ANNO-DIMS = detail dimensions
• L-SITE-ANNO-DIMS = site dimensions

 

The Land F/X DimStyle (8:29)

The Land F/X DimStyle is based on the style that’s saved in Preferences and adheres to the plot scale chosen.

 

Example: LANDFX-SD20 = Land F/X Site Dimension @ 20 scale

 

Customizing dimensions in Land F/X (8:55)

• Customization still occurs in the DimStyle Manager.
• One-time setup.
• Custom style saved into a Preference Set.
• Unique DimStyle for details and site.
• Scale changes are automated.

 

Graphical demonstration of how unit settings and the dimensioning tools used affect DimStyles (10:00)

 

Customizing DimStyles with Land F/X (11:30)

Basic workflow and rules:

• Start with a new drawing!
• Set up the drawing with units and a plot scale.

• Place a Land F/X dimension so a Land F/X DimStyle will populate the DimStyle Manager.
• Modify that Land F/X DimStyle to match your standards.
• In Preferences, save the DimStyle.
• Test the DimStyle by using that Preference Set in a new drawing and placing a dimension.

12:58 – 34:59: Creating a Custom Dimension Style

Opening a new drawing and setting the units (13:20)

 

Setting the plot scale using our Scale tool (13:37)

 

Placing a dimension (14:05)

 

Opening the DimStyle Manager and modifying the active Land F/X DimStyle (15:05)

 

Customization options (15:30)

 

Settings in the Modify Dimension Style dialog box:

 

Settings for dimension lines (Lines tab) (16:00)

We recommend keeping the color as ByLayer.

 

Symbols and Arrows settings (17:50)

 

Text settings (19:23)

We recommend using the DIMENSION TEXT Text Style and managing it through your Preferences.

 

Settings for fitting dimensions (Fit tab) (21:11)

Note that Land F/X sets the scale for dimension features automatically. Don’t change this number if you’re using a Land F/X DimStyle.

 

Primary units settings (21:35)

 

Tolerances settings (22:25)

We recommend leaving these settings as is.

 

Saving a custom DimStyle into Land F/X (23:01)

 

Unit settings for detail and site DimStyles saved into Land F/X (24:00)

 

DimStyle reference sheet (25:00)

When you save a DimStyle, the system will automatically create an 8 1/2-by-11-inch sheet showing that style applied to all our dimension tools and the applicable System Variable settings. You can use this sheet as a reference.

 

Units settings (26:00)

 

Testing the DimStyle in a new drawing (26:40)

 

DimStyle layers (28:34)

 

Question: Is it possible to have a DimStyle with a different arrowhead to note radius, as AutoCAD r10 allowed us to do? (29:10)

Answer: You can do this in your Properties after the fact.

 

Question: Can we have one style for details and one for plan dimensions – for example, using Architectural for one and Decimal for the other? (30:45)

Answer: Absolutely! You can change settings such as the Primary Units and Precision and then only save the modified DimStyle into either the details or the site DimStyle.

 

Question: Sometimes when I dimension lines, the correct length isn’t shown. Why is this happening? (33:55)

Answer: This issue can result from an incorrect precision setting or an incorrect drawing setup.

35:00 – 52:17: Dimensioning Tools

Basic dimensioning tips and practices (from Landscape Architecture Graphic Standards) (35:05)

• Be consistent with the placement of dimension lines.
• Extension lines are preferable to inside lines.
• Dimensions should never be placed in shaded or hatched areas.
• Dimension lines should be concentrated in an area when possible rather than spread out randomly across a plan.
• Never place dimensions lines within a structure.
• Use an appropriate lineweight hierarchy.
• Dimension lines should never cross. When unavoidable, use a break line on the less-important line.
• Dimensions should lie near the measured item.
• Parallel dimension lines should be spaced apart equally.
• Decimals and feet/inch ticks need to be read easily.

 

Demonstration of dimensioning tools (37:40)

 

Overview of the Land F/X site dimension tools (38:10)

Our detail dimension tools include the same tools, applicable to details rather than plans.

 

Aligned Dimension (38:23)

 

Linear Dimension (38:50)

 

Angular Dimension (39:15)

 

Arc Dimension (39:40)

 

Radius Dimension (40:00)

 

Diameter Dimension (40:20)

 

Center Mark Dimension (40:40)

 

Continue Dimension (41:00)

 

Baseline Dimension (42:10)

 

Dimensioning a hexagon (43:15)

 

Overview of the AutoCAD dimensioning tools (45:38)

 

Break tool (for crossing dimensions) (45:38)

 

Adjusting placed dimensions by dragging their grip points (46:20)

 

Adjusting the break size in the DimStyle (47:28)

 

Measuring a line with a break in it (48:48)

 

Reassociating a dimension with an object using the Reassociate tool (50:20)

 

Adjust Space tool (51:28)

52:18 – end: Common Troubleshooting Items

Troubleshooting issue #1: You’ve saved your custom settings into your Preference Set. Now you use this Preference Set in a drawing and the dimensions don’t look any different from before. (51:28)

 

Solution: It’s likely that a predefined DimStyle still exists in the drawing and will need to be removed/purged out before the saved style can populate the DimStyle Manager.

 

Troubleshooting issue #2: There are multiple DimStyles placed in your drawing, and you want them to reflect the current or custom style. (56:03)

Solution: Use the AutoCAD Match Properties (MATCHPROP) command or the Dimension Update tool on the undesired DimStyles.

 

Troubleshooting issue #3: The scale is wrong, or measurements are incorrect. (57:46)

Solution:

1. Check and correct the scale and units.

2. Check -DWGUNITS settings.

3. (for scale issue only) Remove DimStyle and place a new dimension. Then use MATCHPROP to fix placed dimensions.

 

Question: Is it possible to dimension in Paper Space? (1:01:45)

Answer: Yes, but with caution. We don’t recommend it because certain dimensioning tools don’t work well in Paper Space, and it’s easy to make mistakes. For example, it’s difficult to select arcs and circles. Plus if you label in Paper Space, it’s likely that your dimensions will lose their associations with their objects.

 

Question: How do you account for multiple scales? Does the DimScale change automatically?

 

Answer: We suggest using Work Areas wherever you can. Work Areas work great for setting different scales in a single drawing. Your Dimension Styles will adhere to the scale set in the Work Area.