Difficulty Dimensioning to CAD in Section View

[robdyck]

Does anyone else find it very difficult to pickup CAD objects in Section View? For the sake of simplicity, I do use some CAD items in section view. But in X13, I find it very difficult to get a dimension to grab those items.

I use a dimension with Locate Settings: End To End and CAD objects are all checked except for Text. I'd be interested to know if other users have similar issues. In the snippet, I have 3 CAD items that the dimension line should pickup, 2 polylines and 1 cad insulation box. The dimension simply will not pick them up. It works slightly better if I Uncheck Lines / Sides (see video). That's backwards, no?

 

[robdyck]

Similar issue trying to dimension to a footing.

[MPDesign]

I have the same problem/ behavior in section views.

What's with the dim snapping to some unknown point in space?

It seams its easier to just place cad lines to dim to.

[SH_Canada]

On 2/17/2022 at 6:16 AM, MPDesign said:

It seams its easier to just place cad lines to dim t

I had the same issue trying to dimension a stepped footing in another thread so I just put on a cad line

[Kbird1]

Yes pretty common issue , so I too have to use CAD lines or a tiny marker to snap to.

 

M.

[robdyck]

Is it my imagination or has this slowly deprecated?

I have found that it works a bit better by aiming for the opposite, or far corner of a polyline. As long as you don't care about extension gaps.

[SHCanada2]

what do you mean, I am not comprehending for something like the footing

 

[Michael_Gia]

Ah yes, the old section and elevation view blues. 
 

At this point someone should just write a song.  
 

…and it’s getting worse with each version. 

[robdyck]

On 2/18/2022 at 6:47 PM, kylejmarsh said:

I love how they mark this as a 'solution'

That was me and I did that with the hopes that it would aid anyone else dealing with the same problem. I don't actually think it's a solution. If I try to snap a dimension to the edge of a polyline, I think it should be pretty simple, and it should hit the edge, not a corner. But we play the hand we're dealt.

[kylejmarsh]

Thanks! Have deleted it. Anyway I do agree with the post - dimensioning in elevations should be improved. How about having some snaps for what you want to dimension in the elevation, same way they do in plan view?

 

BTW I'm not sure how the original toolbar layout does it but I keep my snaps off to the right side like this. You could imagine similar for elevation/section snaps.

[Renerabbitt]

FYI to all, An elevation is just a special classification of a 3d ortho view with a generated cad overlayed at the fixed location of your elevation camera. So most a snappable  elements are only as a snappable as they would be in a 3d Ortho.

Section Lines are produced at section cuts, maybe unlock the Section Lines layer.

[robdyck]

11 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

maybe unlock the Section Lines layer.

For me, hitting those lines is usually quite trouble-free, but I'll certainly give that a try. Thanks for the suggestion.