UI interaction on manually changing dimension line length

[caf200]

There must be something I'm missing on the interaction with dimension lines (end to end [E2E] OR point to point [P2P]).  Frustrating.  Wasting time.

 

How do you consistently get the dialog box up that allows you to manually change that line. ie. instead of 8' 7 1/8" to 8' 6"?    It seems like hit or miss trying to hit that tiny line (zooming in or not as it is so thin).  As well, do you have to hit an arrow on one end or the other because that is the one it moves and leaves the other end at it's location?

 

They COULD have made this SO much simpler if they just optionally had it in the open object dialog box where you could change the length (on one end or the other). 

 

I tried looking at the help system but it just talked about the dialog box vs mouse clicks to get into a short-cut of changing the dimension.

 

 

[caf200]

Geez. I know but assume it works the same in both products from the same company.  ARE you saying it works differently in HD vs CA? Please clarify.

 

On hometalk forum there is very little activity and many post the response is to tell the poster to fix their signature  without trying to help them at all.

[glennw]

44 minutes ago, caf200 said:

How do you consistently get the dialog box up that allows you to manually change that line. ie. instead of 8' 7 1/8" to 8' 6"?    It seems like hit or miss trying to hit that tiny line (zooming in or not as it is so thin).  As well, do you have to hit an arrow on one end or the other because that is the one it moves and leaves the other end at it's location?

 

What is the "tiny line"?

You are not understanding the basics of this operation.

You do not need a dbx.

Select the object you want to move, click on the dimension text, a box will pop up displaying the dimension (in your example it is the box with 8' in it), the dimension value will be hilighted, change it to what you want, hit Enter, the selected object will move. 

 

 

[SHCanada2]

if you are dimensioning to nothing(which looks like you are on the left), it will put a point marker there. To change the dimension you have to click on the point marker then the dimension number

 

this was very frustraing for me as well until i figured it out. it is still difficult if the dimension is small

 

[caf200]

2 hours ago, glennw said:

 

What is the "tiny line"?

You are not understanding the basics of this operation.

You do not need a dbx.

Select the object you want to move, click on the dimension text, a box will pop up displaying the dimension (in your example it is the box with 8' in it), the dimension value will be hilighted, change it to what you want, hit Enter, the selected object will move. 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, jasonn1234 said:

if you are dimensioning to nothing(which looks like you are on the left), it will put a point marker there. To change the dimension you have to click on the point marker then the dimension number

 

this was very frustraing for me as well until i figured it out. it is still difficult if the dimension is small

 

 

I did mention both types in my OP -- "dimension lines (end to end OR point to point)."

 

I think I'm getting closer to being able to use it easier.  Thanks to both of you for helping me understand this.  There must be built in help on this or a video. I was perplexed. Probably because I was using both types for different task I was doing and I could get it to work sometimes and didn't understand or see the pattern (hence my frustration).

 

I provided pictures to help other users (future reference) and exemplify my response below.

 

Attached 1) End to End [E2E] -- works pretty much as was described but you when the finger pointer icon changes (green arrow below), then you can clear on the dimension text or *close* to the dimension line.

 

Attached 2) Point to Point [P2P] -- if you click on one of the points (red arrow below) then your mouse turns into a finger pointer icon (green arrow below) and you can click on the 'tiny line' of the arrow.  This works GREAT!

 

Thanks much!!!

 

[SHCanada2]

it is not always the case with p2p. if p2p snaps to an object, then you can select that object and then click on the dimension number to change. You have to be careful where it is snapping to, drywall vs stud.

 

It is one reason why I use p2p a lot as it works in both cases (snapping and point marker). For me, I only really every use p2p, auto exterior and interior dimension tools... and storey pole. of course I also create new dimensions, delete dimensions from the auto exterior to suite my needs

[caf200]

1 hour ago, jasonn1234 said:

it is not always the case with p2p. if p2p snaps to an object, then you can select that object and then click on the dimension number to change. You have to be careful where it is snapping to, drywall vs stud.

 

It is one reason why I use p2p a lot as it works in both cases (snapping and point marker). For me, I only really every use p2p, auto exterior and interior dimension tools... and storey pole. of course I also create new dimensions, delete dimensions from the auto exterior to suite my needs

 

Excellent point.  Thx. I just played with it and it seems like it automatically converted my P2P to an E2E ... then I could click on the object and get the finger pointer to change the dimension.

 

[UPDATE: I realized when you are doing a P2P and are dragging the line that when you cross and object that the mouse will change from a '+' (point) to a '|' (end) if you are in the center of the object. So without letting off the mouse button you can see it change back and forth as you move your mouse around.]

 

When I do P2P, I've learned to zoom as much as possible so that I could make sure I get the drywall edge as an example.

[SH_Canada]

The other nice use of p2p is as built measurements by using a point marker instead of snapping it to a wall because you know it will not change, I also use it for things like existing furnace locations 

[Alaskan_Son]

 

On 2/20/2022 at 12:54 PM, caf200 said:

There must be something I'm missing on the interaction with dimension lines (end to end [E2E] OR point to point [P2P]).  Frustrating.  Wasting time.

 

How do you consistently get the dialog box up that allows you to manually change that line. ie. instead of 8' 7 1/8" to 8' 6"?

 

It seems to me like you may just have a fundamental misunderstanding of how the program works with regard to its associative dimensions.  You don't change the dimension line, you move the object.  That means you must select the object that you would like to move and not the dimension line itself.  Once you select the object, then you can click on the desired dimension (assuming the dimension is actually associated with/connected to that object). 

 

As a side note, if you're trying to select an object in a busy area, it also helps if you have the same tool type activated as the object type you're trying to move.  If for example, you're trying to select the Point Marker that you dropped with your Point To Point Dimension tool, you want to have the Point Marker tool activated an not the Dimension tool.  You can also simply switch to the Select Object tool which will select the top object in the draw order and then hot the Tab key to Select Next until you get to the desired object.  Again though, you select the object and then edit any one of the associated dimensions.

[caf200]

3 hours ago, Alaskan_Son said:

It seems to me like you may just have a fundamental misunderstanding of how the program works with regard to its associative dimensions.  You don't change the dimension line, you move the object.  That means you must select the object that you would like to move and not the dimension line itself.  Once you select the object, then you can click on the desired dimension (assuming the dimension is actually associated with/connected to that object). 

 

As a side note, if you're trying to select an object in a busy area, it also helps if you have the same tool type activated as the object type you're trying to move.  If for example, you're trying to select the Point Marker that you dropped with your Point To Point Dimension tool, you want to have the Point Marker tool activated an not the Dimension tool.  You can also simply switch to the Select Object tool which will select the top object in the draw order and then hot the Tab key to Select Next until you get to the desired object.  Again though, you select the object and then edit any one of the associated dimensions.

Thank you for taking the time for the additional terminology and tips. Much appreciated.  Great "side note" as well.  I knew some of that but not all. Hopefully this thread as well as some of my attachments help future users.

 

Indeed, I originally was misunderstanding and could not figure out the pattern of when I "easily" got it to work and then "not for my life" could not get it to work.  Probably did not help that I was using both P2P and E2E. As well that P2P would dynamically change to E2E (or perhaps it is P2E).   I understand selecting the "object" on the end of the dimension you want to move and changing the dimension.  The generic "object" which can be the '+' or point.

 

My mental block was partially due to a mindset to change the dimension of things (albeit often physical things) I would use the dialog box (aka dbx in some circles) interface OR just drag "points" (diamond, square, etc) that is on the border of the "thing" after you select it.

 

With the generous help from a few, I seem to have a knack for it now and could quickly and smoothly modify my garage ceiling lights (etc) yesterday. [wall-to-light, light-to-light, etc].   Also clicking the larger dimension value is way easier than clicking the thin line which sometimes worked for me.

 

One defn I looked up in a CAD class:  "Associative dimensions adjust to changes in the geometric objects that they measure. Dimension associativity defines the relationship between geometric objects and the dimensions that give their distance and angles."

 

[caf200]

While I was in the CA help system looking up Exporting a 3D Model (DAE Format COLLADA™) for a light designer we are hiring ...

 

... I found the help text related to this under:

Moving Objects Using Dimensions

 

PDF and JPG attached.

 

I think when searching for it before I was looking in the 'index' tab instead of the general help search tab.

 

Chief Architect tech writers actually do one HECK of a job.  Their help is impressive overall.   As are their videos and online blogs/articles.

 

 

HELP Moving Objects Using Dimensions.pdf