Dimensions doing both metric and imperial

[Anonymous]

Have been looking around on V9, and can not find the option to be able to have either the dimension to show in both metric and imperial, or even to have a tollerance +/- on the same dimension line.

Even tried putting dims down in metric and changing the preferences and it automatically changed all the dims to feet and inches.

Have I missed something or are neither of these functions available.

It seems that I can only have one or the other on the drawing, unless I go around manually putting it in as text, which for us, is a problem at the moment as we have a client body who is both in the USA and the UK, and we need to produce a drawing to be read by both in dimensions that each are familiar with.

[James Murray]

In a given view, you cannot mix the formats. But the dimension format is saved with views, so you can have different formats in the 'same' drawing by using different view/publication sets.

The +/- has to be added manually, it's true.

[Richard Morrison]

The "Convert Dimensions" tool does this, but unfortunately only does it in plan view, not sections. Also, you need to make sure to update manually.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your replies... confirmed my fear... as ideally I would have liked both on the same drawing, will have a go at printing with the ghost print thing ticked and see how thick the lines become, and hopefully will have the drawing with both imperial and metric.

Looks like I should make a request for improved dimensional abilities in archicad...

[James Murray]

As a workaround:

Create your usual plan with metric dims. Make a new layer, where you'll put imperial dim elements and nothing else. Save a view with just this layer showing. Import both views and overlay them in PM. Use hotspots to align the views.

It's not inconvenient to work on because in your 'working' views, you can show both dim layers; maybe use different pens. Once the two drawings are placed, it's no extra work to maintain since they're both live.

Worth a shot? You're right that dimensions need a going-over though. Somewhere in here there's a wish for by-string control of dim settings.

[Anonymous]

Will give that a try, and let you know how I get on. (most likely will muddle it all up, but hey, we have to have some fun trying new things)

Coming from many other CAD systems, the only thing I have been disappointed in todate with archicad is the dimension tool, with its lack of flexibility. everything else works the same at least, but often exceeds other abilities.