Curved Dimensions

[robdyck]

Does anyone know if there's a way to make a curved dimension? I regularly need to show the dimension of an arc, usually on site plans. I'm currently using an arrow and typing the dimension.

[Alaskan_Son]

Custom macro in the label of a polyline arc with arrows on each end.

[Renerabbitt]

You could also check the "show length" under linestyle/display options in the line's dbx, but you would be limited on formatting options...preferred method would be Michael's.

[robdyck]

1 hour ago, Alaskan_Son said:

Custom macro in the label of a polyline arc with arrows on each end.

Ahh, now if only I had layer control of those pesky labels. In my plan polyline labels are already used and set to a different format. 

 

1 hour ago, Renerabbitt said:

You could also check the "show length" under linestyle/display options in the line's dbx, but you would be limited on formatting options...preferred method would be Michael's.

Show length would work just fine if I had number style control, similar to text style. The site plan needs to be shown in metric. I have a macro in the label which effectively does what I need...except as mentioned above, my one and only layer choice for polyline labels is already being used.

 

Am I still correct in the assumption that there's only one layer control for labels?

[Alaskan_Son]

You can convert to a molding polyline (no molding assigned) which gives you one additional layer to work with.  Or you can also use a more complex macro scheme that only displays labels  in specific layer sets.  

[robdyck]

This would kinda lead into a similar yet different topic. I need to show the dimensions (in metric) of the house shape on the site plan. Pretty standard stuff. The only hassle is that as the polyline shape changes throughout design development, I've also got to relocate the dimension lines. I currently have a dimension style set for this but it would be great to have number style control so I could just use 'show length'. Of course then I'd need to be able to control the location of the display of that length...

[Alaskan_Son]

You set the number style in your General CAD Defaults for that particular view.

[robdyck]

Alrighty Then! I'm getting closer. But as mentioned, show length doesn't allow location control of the display. For the site items, like a house, I'm required to have the lengths shown  on the inside.

And now I see that the molding label layer is 'polyline 3d labels' and I've already used it in a different format.

And 'show length' for a curve also display the radius, and again no location control so I can end up with overlap.

 

[robdyck]

14 minutes ago, Alaskan_Son said:

You set the number style in your General CAD Defaults for that particular view.

But if my site plan is the same view as my floor plan, then that may not work for me, correct? It is of course a different anno set, different saved plan view, and different layer set.

[Renerabbitt]

2 hours ago, robdyck said:

But if my site plan is the same view as my floor plan, then that may not work for me, correct? It is of course a different anno set, different saved plan view, and different layer set.

CAD defaults are set according to the current active CAD Layer, you can change active CAD layers independent of plan views.

[robdyck]

Just now, Renerabbitt said:

CAD defaults are set according to the current active CAD Layer, you can change active CAD layers independent of plan views.

My active cad layers are different for almost every layer set, and certainly for the views I mentioned. Yet when I changed the number style for my 'Site Cad' layer, it affected both views.

Here's a screenshot of a polyline in my site plan view showing the default number style. Polyline showing metric lengths.

and here's a screenshot showing that the default cad layer was affected. A separate polyline now show metric lengths.

I'm not sure if that made sense but the number style change for the Site, CAD layer affected the DEFAULT CAD LAYER.

[Renerabbitt]

13 minutes ago, robdyck said:

number style

Are you changing the number style using the "number style" radio button in you p-line dbx or are you changing the "displayed line length" in the "general CAD" default?

[robdyck]

16 hours ago, Renerabbitt said:

Are you changing the number style using the "number style" radio button in you p-line dbx or are you changing the "displayed line length" in the "general CAD" default?

The latter.

[Alaskan_Son]

On 10/21/2019 at 9:26 AM, robdyck said:

But if my site plan is the same view as my floor plan, then that may not work for me, correct?

 

That is correct.  Those General CAD default are view specific, but when I say "view", I mean plan view vs. an elevation view vs. a CAD Detail.  You only get one default in plan view unfortunately. 

 

P.S.  You can also convert to a Rope Light, remove the molding profile, and adjust the settings so the lights are basically non-existent, and then you can use the Electrical, Labels layer.

[Alaskan_Son]

...also, you can always just use a text box with an line/arrow and a referenced context macro.  Just turn the line/arrow layer off or change the line style to invisible.  That way you can format the text independently of everything else.

[robdyck]

26 minutes ago, Alaskan_Son said:

...also, you can always just use a text box with an line/arrow and a referenced context macro.  Just turn the line/arrow layer off or change the line style to invisible.  That way you can format the text independently of everything else.

Thanks for the advice Michael! Of course it takes a bit of exploration to decide what method works best in each situation, so I'll definitely be exploring these further. The one thing about referenced text macros and arrows is that I find the the arrow connection to be unstable if there are multiple objects, in this case, lines, in the same place. Meaning that I feel I can't have confidence that it will remain connected to the initial object and subsequently may 'grab' a different object and then of course it would report unintended info.

Also, I did just notice that the referenced macro doesn't want to report the length of another arrow or an arc.

[robdyck]

55 minutes ago, Alaskan_Son said:

 

That is correct.  Those General CAD default are view specific, but when I say "view", I mean plan view vs. an elevation view vs. a CAD Detail.  You only get one default in plan view unfortunately. 

 

P.S.  You can also convert to a Rope Light, remove the molding profile, and adjust the settings so the lights are basically non-existent, and then you can use the Electrical, Labels layer.

That makes sense. I can't see myself using a CAD detail for a site plan so I'll carry along until number styles become available like text styles!

[Alaskan_Son]

8 minutes ago, robdyck said:

Thanks for the advice Michael! Of course it takes a bit of exploration to decide what method works best in each situation, so I'll definitely be exploring these further. The one thing about referenced text macros and arrows is that I find the the arrow connection to be unstable if there are multiple objects, in this case, lines, in the same place. Meaning that I feel I can't have confidence that it will remain connected to the initial object and subsequently may 'grab' a different object and then of course it would report unintended info.

Also, I did just notice that the referenced macro doesn't want to report the length of another arrow or an arc.

 

Ya, those seem to be a little tricky.  I think you have to attach the leader line before you add arrows to the polyline.

[robdyck]

4 minutes ago, Alaskan_Son said:

 

Ya, those seem to be a little tricky.  I think you have to attach the leader line before you add arrows to the polyline.

That works. Why do you know that?! Also, it appears as though the arc needs to be broken to become a polyline.

[Alaskan_Son]

8 minutes ago, robdyck said:

That works. Why do you know that??

 

Beats me. 

 

...actually, just through testing things out.  I'm usually pretty determined to force things to do what I want one way or another.  And when I see something work in one instance and then not in another, I typically don't walk away till I figure out why.

 

8 minutes ago, robdyck said:

Also, it appears as though the arc needs to be broken to become a polyline.

Yes.  You have to trick the arc into becoming a polyline one way or another.  There are various ways to do so, but placing a break and then clicking Simply Polyline is one of the quickest and easiest. 

[Alaskan_Son]

Here's one more trick for increased label display options that doesn't require any complex macrology ...

 

You can use the Reference Display.  Just set your reference floor to the same floor and create a new layer set for that reference floor where the desired label(s) are turned on/off and the desired label layer text style is set to whatever you want it to be.  You can actually set up as many of these extra reference floors as you like to essentially get complete label control on an object by object basis.  If you really want to make your life easier, you can turn on all the polylines layers themselves on the current floor and then use the additional reference floors simply to control labels.  That way you can still select all your desired objects.  I thought I made a post about this before but I can't seem to find it.