topic Re: Dimension Frustration in Documentation

Dimension Frustration

Anonymous — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 11:25:49 GMT

I've been reading through the reference guide, searching the help menu and searching the forum history and I'm not getting any closer to a solution! I'm trying to dimension to the center of 3 windows along one wall.

I've tried placing the dimensions manually but I can't get them to snap to the centers of the windows. Any suggestions on what setting i have wrong or what technique works?

I've tried selecting the wall and placing automatic exterior dim string. It gives me all of my dimensions to the centers but it also dimension the core of my wall that corners with the window wall. I want to delete the 3 1/2" dimension (that shows up on both automatic strings) but I can't seem to delete it without deleting the entire string. Any direction on how to delete a piece of a string without killing the whole string?

Re: Dimension Frustration

Brad Elliott — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:06:46 GMT

Select the node only. Either where the marker intersects the witness line or the node on the dimension line centered between the two witness lines. Then delete this node.

Re: Dimension Frustration

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:41:14 GMT

That's part of my problem. I can't select just one dim. I can select the node where the hatch meets the leader line but the whole string highlights (and therefore delete's) Any suggestions on how to select just the one dimension?

Re: Dimension Frustration

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:45:07 GMT

I got it to work by selecting the middle node on one of my larger dims but I can't zoom in enough or get close enough to snap the middle node on the little dimesions such as my 3 1/2" ones. Any ideas?

Re: Dimension Frustration

Brad Elliott — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:08:22 GMT

I can't imagine why you can't zoom in far enough to select the center node on the 3 1/2" dimension. What scale are you working at?

Try to use the selection arrow instead of the dimension tool to select a node.

Re: Dimension Frustration

Djordje — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:11:10 GMT

Is your snap maybe on?

You should see check marks at each node, in the middle of the dim line, and at the insertion point of the dim text. If you see a mercedes cursor, you are on the dim line and can select only the dim line.

Re: Dimension Frustration

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:11:32 GMT

I'm working at 1/8th scale. I'm really thinking its a problem with a setting somewhere. I can delete the 3 1/2" dims on the interior of the house but no matter what I can't delete the exterior ones and I've got 9 of them I've been attempting on. Should you be able to delete them even when you use the automatic exterior dimensions?

Re: Dimension Frustration

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:13:48 GMT

I never see check marks. Which snap function should I be turning off?

Re: Dimension Frustration

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:16:59 GMT

I never see check marks.

I need to adjust that statement. I DO see check marks on my interior dimensions. So why not the exterior?

Re: Dimension Frustration

Djordje — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:20:53 GMT

Hm ...

Now this is a different problem. It might be the snap, it might be your video driver.

Do you have trouble with checkmarks in general, or only on the dimensions? Did you try with the True line weight off?

Re: Dimension Frustration

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:34:16 GMT

Do you have trouble with checkmarks in general, or only on the dimensions?

I have struggled with the dimensions ever since I opened the trial version of ArchiCAD. My interior dimensions are definitely easier to grab. The exterior dimensions that I manually entered do give me check marks. But once I highlight it by clicking on the check mark I can't seem to do anything with it. I've tried ctrl-d but it just makes a little noise at me and doesn't move. Whereas if I get the mercedes and select the dimension it works just fine as far as draging the whole dimension goes. I have never been able to move the end points of the dimension. And about half the time on the exterior I can only get the little rectangle to show up, no circle. But like I said, even when I have the rectangle I still can't adjust the dimension. I have to delete it and try again.

Of all the things I've worked with on ArchiCAD the dimensions are pretty much the bane of my existance.

When you've clicked on the checkmark what different commands or manipulations are you able to do? When I get the middle one I am able to delete but that's about it.

Re: Dimension Frustration

Djordje — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:41:12 GMT

Argh ...

If you select the whole dim with the Mercedes, you can drag it.

If you want to add new dim points, select the dim with the Mercedes, CTRL click on the point in the model (circle means associative) to add the dimension.

If you want to join two dimensions, mercedes select one, CTRL click the other.

If you want to remove a dim node, select it with the checkmark, delete. Same for the dim segment, the checkmark is in the middle of the dim segment's line.

Above all: read the reference manual, page 293 onwards in my Int version, and meet someone who has better mileage in Archicad than you do ... after an hour, you will have saved yourself six months.

No, you can not drag the dimension nodes to new places. That's Autocad.

Re: Dimension Frustration

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:40:32 GMT

meet someone who has better mileage in Archicad than you do ... after an hour, you will have saved yourself six months.

Aside from that any answers to my original issue of not being able to delete a small piece of a string of exterior automatically generated dimensions?

(Although I have definitely been keeping my ears open for anyone in my local area with ANY ArchiCAD experience.) I've started compiling a list of questions for a paid training GOTOMeeting but it still surprises me that NO TRAINING is included when you purchase the full product.

Re: Dimension Frustration

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:24:19 GMT

I resolved my issue by deleting the auto dims, adding exterior dimensions manually and using the ctrl button to insert dimensions to my newly created overalls which allows me to select the center of doors and windows. I had two other people in my office (both have almost no experience with ArchiCAD.) attempt to select the exterior 3 1/2" dimensions. Neither could do it but they could get check marks to show up on larger exterior dimensions as well as the 3 1/2" interior dimensions.

My IT department is checking on my video card, drivers and display settings. We're going to attempt to remove the problem dimensions on another machine and see if the results are different.

Thank you for all the earlier suggestions.

Re: Dimension Frustration

Barry Kelly — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:50:04 GMT

Seraphim wrote:
I resolved my issue by deleting the auto dims, adding exterior dimensions manually and using the ctrl button to insert dimensions to my newly created overalls which allows me to select the center of doors and windows. I had two other people in my office (both have almost no experience with ArchiCAD.) attempt to select the exterior 3 1/2" dimensions. Neither could do it but they could get check marks to show up on larger exterior dimensions as well as the 3 1/2" interior dimensions.

My IT department is checking on my video card, drivers and display settings. We're going to attempt to remove the problem dimensions on another machine and see if the results are different.

Thank you for all the earlier suggestions.

Not sure if this is your problem but I have found that it is possible to dimension a point more than once creating multiple nodes in one position.
Selecting this node by clicking on it does not highlight anything but if you look at the info box you will see a dimension is selected.
Delete the node and there will be another in exactly the same place so it appears that nothing has been deleted.
Select the node again and if it still doesn't highlight there are still more duplicates.
If it does highlight then you know that it is the only one left in that position.

I still get the checkmark to select the node, it just doesn't highlight when selected.
So this may not be the problem you are experiencing.

Barry.