auto dimension to wall framing

[Gus]

I wish we could autodimention to the wall framing not the extent of the wall profile (if you are using a complex profile). Framers don't care about the stuff going on the outside of the wall like stucco or siding.

[Richard Morrison]

Is "Dimension only the Core of Composite Walls" check box not working for you?

[Rod Jurich]

Richard wrote:
Is "Dimension only the Core of Composite Walls" check box not working for you?

And remember to "Uncheck" the skins not wanted when doing as Richard suggests.

[Link]

I think the keyword here is complex profile! Not composites...

Cheers,
Link.

[Rod Jurich]

Link wrote:
I think the keyword here is complex profile! Not composites...

Right as usual Link.
More speed and less haste, a case of looking and not seeing.

[Link]

Happens to the best of us - hurry up and help!

Cheers,
Link.

[vfrontiers]

Bummer.... It's good news hearing that dimensioning works to the CORE of composites... but not to complex profile walls... The Complex Profiles editor even has the CORE checkbox, which does nothing as far as dimensioning is concerened. Apparantly we need a STRUCTURE layer in the complex profile editor!

[TomWaltz]

uh guys... dimension to core DOES work on Profiled Walls... I'm doing it all day long. (If it isn't possible, I'd better tell my staff to stop doing it!)

[vfrontiers]

TomWaltz wrote:
uh guys... dimension to core DOES work on Profiled Walls... I'm doing it all day long. (If it isn't possible, I'd better tell my staff to stop doing it!)

I guess I should have said AUTOMATIC dimensioning...

[Link]

vfrontiers wrote:
I guess I should have said AUTOMATIC dimensioning...

uh not really, that is what the thread is about!

Cheers,
Link.

[TomWaltz]

Link wrote:

vfrontiers wrote:
I guess I should have said AUTOMATIC dimensioning...

uh not really, that is what the thread is about!

Cheers,
Link.

Oops.... sorry, about that!

[Link]

Happens to the best of us - hurry up and help! Twice in one thread!

Cheers,
Link.

[Richard Morrison]

Link,

I think the OP's original issue HAS been answered on this thread.

1) Automatic dimensioning works just fine on complex PROFILES.
2) Automatic dimensioning will use the CORE, if the complex PROFILE was created from a COMPOSITE that has a correctly defined structure. And if you redefine the structural core, and create new automatic dimensions, the dimensions will reflect the new core thickness.
EDIT: Sometimes you need to toggle "Entire element" to "floor plan range" in the wall settings.

At least it works fine on MY system. The whole point is that the requested function is already there. However, my original assumption was that because of the small number of posts by the OP, there was a high likelihood that the OP was relatively new to AC and was probably confusing "complex profile" with "composite". Regardless, the wish has already been granted.

[Link]

Richard wrote:
Link,

I think the OP's original issue HAS been answered on this thread.

1) Automatic dimensioning works just fine on complex PROFILES.

Well that's just it - I don't think auto dimensioning does work just fine on complex profile walls. Sure we can adjust our cut plane but there is no way AFAICS to show the entire wall, but just dimension to the 'core' of it.

Cheers,
Link.

[Richard Morrison]

Link wrote:
Well that's just it - I don't think auto dimensioning does work just fine on complex profile walls. Sure we can adjust our cut plane but there is no way AFAICS to show the entire wall, but just dimension to the 'core' of it.

Well, all I can tell you is that it works that way for me. If you START with composite that has a defined-core and make the complex profile from THAT, if the core is visible in the plan view, the automatic dimensioning goes to the core. You may have to change from "Floor Plan Range" to "Entire Element" or vice versa, to get the dimensions to recognize properly. Here are some images of a test I did.

[Richard Morrison]

Second image:

[Richard Morrison]

Third image:
(Edit: Sorry, just noted that the dimensions were set to display to 1/4 rather than 1/8, so the core dimensions look off -- 3 1/2" vs. 3 5/8" -- from Image 1)

[Link]

Point taken. And that's a good workaround, thanks.

If we have an existing complex profile, such as the Precast T, there's nothing to indicate what should be the core and auto dimensioned. Maybe GS should think about a setting similar to the opening references?

Cheers,
Link.

[Pete]

Sorry to dredge up this old thread guys, but I can't even get regular composite walls to auto-dimension correctly. Using exterior auto-dim, the core is picked up but the intersections with interior walls is no longer picked up.

The first string is openings and the second string picks up interior wall intersections, UNLESS I use composites.

I have been using AC since 6.0 and am embarrassed to say I have never been able to use composites because they create more problems than they solve. I want to use composites and I want to use auto-dimensioning. Is there a trick I am missing?

[Erika Epstein]

Pete,
You are right it doesn't. I haven't used the autodimension feature in some time as I seem to spend more time erasing points than time saved, so I just played with it AC11.1114


When autodimensioning did dimension the interior walls, it did it to both sides of the wall/core and then you had to erase one of the dimensions on each wall. I found it faster just to drag a copy of the overall dimension and then add the points to one side of the wall.

For placing overall dimensions it can still save a lot of time.