The Edit Arc Dimension window

The primary dimension is the arc dimension label that is above the dimension line. The secondary dimension is below the dimension line.

Also see :

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To open the Edit Arc Dimension window :

The Edit Arc Dimension window opens when you:

Note: If you opened this window using Arc Dimension Edit All or by a multi-edit, the contents of many fields may be gray, which indicates mixed entries but does not prevent you from editing that field.

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" Copy " " Paste " " Save " " Load " buttons :

  • You'll find buttons like these at the top of this window and embedded in the border of individual sections on this window. At the top of this window, the buttons apply to all user-editable settings. Embedded in the border of the top of a section, the buttons apply to only those user-editable settings that are in that section. Click here for more information.
  • You can " Copy " ( ) the settings on this window, then change the " Arc Dimension__of " number you are editing using the VCR buttons, then " Paste " ( ) those settings to the newly selected dimension.
  • " Save " ( ) saves a file to a global folder ( ) that is used by your current version of this program. Give the file a name that will help users in other Jobs on your network identify its purpose. " Load " ( ) changes settings for that section to the settings that are stored in the file that you select.
button at...   folder it saves to   settings it saves
 top of this window  form/label all on this window
  Primary or Secondary  form/label-side  all in that section
  • Tip: Right-click a " Load " button to get a list of recently created forms that can be applied to the section which that " Load " button governs. Selecting the name of a form from the list populates the fields in that section with the form settings that were saved under that name.
  • You can copy settings in the " Primary dimension " to the " Secondary dimension " or vice-versa.
  • " Paste " and " Load " replace mixed entries to a single field with a single entry. " Copy " and " Save " ignore fields with mixed entries, treating them as if they have no entry or do not exist.

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------ Primary dimension ------

Primary dimension labels are drawn above the dimension line. In this example, " Measurements " for the " Primary dimension " is set to ' Arc distance ' and the calculated distance is ' 4-8 9/16 '.

Label text: A text string for 1 to 256 characters. Entries should be in the " Units " that are set in Drawing Presentation for primary dimensions. Special characters can be added as " Label text " using Latin 1 characters 0160 to 0255 -- hold down the Alt key and type in the number using your numerical keypad, or copy and paste from the Character Map that can be launched from your operating system's Accessories menu. When you type in " Label text " that modifies or changes a calculated dimension, " Freeze label " is automatically checked, thus preventing an arc dimension from being recalculated from its points. You can uncheck the box, even while still typing in the " Label text ."

Key Bindings for Text Entry
(when the cursor is in the text-entry area)
  key action bound to key
Alt +num

inserts characters 0160 to 0255

  Enter creates a line break
Ctrl +a selects all text
 Ctr+Enter executes " OK "
 Ctr+c * copies selected text
 Ctrl+x * cuts selected text
Ctrl+v * pastes cut or copied text
Tab moves focus to next widget
Esc executes " Cancel "
* = applies to all text entry fields.
Examples of Character Codes
Alt+num
[num lock] 		character description
0177 ± plus/minus
0188 ¼ one fourth 
0247 ÷ division sign
0248 ø diameter
Tip : Click here or see the Character Map on your operating system's Accessories menu for a complete list.

Note: " Lock manual editing of dimension text " (at Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Detailing > Dimension Settings > the " Miscellaneous " tab > ), causes the text that is shown here to be non-editable. To override that setup choice, you can check the box for " Override Drawing Editor restriction options " in Drawing Editor > File > Drawing Data .

Freeze label: or .

  not checked ( ). The arc distance is recalculated. when the leg of the arc dimension is dragged,

If this box is checked ( ) and you drag the leg of this arc dimension, the " Label text " of the arc dimension remains the same.

If the box is not checked ( ) and you drag the leg of this arc dimension, the Drawing Editor automatically recalculates label text if the label begins with a number. See the mitigating circumstance below.

A mitigating circumstance: Dragging the leg of a dimension causes the dimension to be recalculated only if the dimension's " Label text " begins with a number. If the first character of " Label text " is non-numerical (e.g., an expression such as A992) the dimensional component of that label text will not be recalculated, even if " Freeze label " is not checked.

Font: Any font that is listed can be selected for the primary dimension " Label text ."

Tip : For a TrueType font , such as any of those shown here, set the " Character width/height ratio " to ' 0.6 ' to have the font rendered at its native width.

Be sure to also choose the " Font style " that you want. The " Character height " sets the font size. If you select the ' SDS2 ' font, be aware that the " Pen color " affects the thickness of the font when it is plotted.

Font style: The style (' Bold ' or ' Bold Italic ' or ' Italic ' or ' Regular ') of the selected " Font ." Different fonts may have different styles available to them.

Available font styles are listed alphabetically in the font style list box , and the first style that is listed is selected by default. You may, instead of using the default, prefer to choose ' Regular ', which is generally the most popular style for a particular font. ' Regular ' is the only choice that is available for the ' SDS2 ' font. To adjust the stroke thickness of the ' SDS2 ' font, you can change the " Pen color ."

Also see: " Dimension labels font " and " Dimension labels style " (at Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Detailing > Drawing Presentaton > the " Fonts " section) determine the font and font style that are applied automatically to dimension labels that are generated during automatic detailing .

Origin: Lower left or Left center or Upper left or Lower center or Center or Upper center or Lower right or Right center or Upper right . The origin ( o ) of a arc dimension label is highlighted along with the label when the arc dimension label is selected.

Examples: To orient the text block so that its origin point is at its lower left, select ' Lower left '. To center the text block over the origin point, select ' Center '.

Tip: Instead of using " Origin " to reposition a arc dimension label, you can Shift-drag the dimension label to a new position.

Justification: Left or Center or Right . This applies when multiple lines have been entered as the " Label text ."

Also see: To orient a text block (all label text) with respect to its origin, see " Origin ."

Character height: The height ( in millimeters ) of letters/numbers that make up the primary arc dimension label. This value is independent of the " Drawing scale " of your current drawing. Assuming that the sheet that this drawing will eventually be placed on has a scale of 1:1 and you do not re-scale the labels and the printer does not adjust the scale, this will be the actual height of characters on the plotted sheet.

All characters are the same width/height :

Font dependencies: This applies to whatever font is selected as the primary arc dimension " Font ," regardless of whether that font is a TrueType font or the ' SDS2 ' font.

Character width/height ratio: The width/height of the characters that make up the primary arc dimension label.

All characters are the same height:

Font dependencies: This applies to whatever font is selected as the primary arc dimension " Font ," regardless of whether that font is a TrueType font or the ' SDS2 ' font. For a TrueType font, a ratio of ' 0.6 ' renders that font at its native width. A ratio larger than 0.6 stretches the font. A ratio less than 0.6 compacts the font. For the ' SDS2 ' font, ' 0.4 ' is the default choice.

Pen color: 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 . No button is pressed if you are editing multiple arc dimensions that are drawn with different pens. This only affects the arc dimension label, not the arc dimension lines or legs.

The selected button sets the on-screen display color of primary arc dimension labels and, if you are using the 'SDS2 ' font , it sets the plotted thickness (though not the displayed thickness) of that font.

For a TrueType font, the " Pen color " affects the display color of the text while you are in the Drawing Editor , but does not affect the plotted appearance of the " Font " so long as all pens in Line Weights are set to print in black. By default, all pens in Line Weights are set to print in black.

For the ' SDS2 ' Font, the pen color sets the stroke weight (thickness) of the primary arc dimension characters. Line Weights assigns a particular thickness to each " Pen color ."

Breaks lines: or . The setup options " Break material lines at label interference " or " Break dimension lines at label interference " must be checked for this option to apply.

If this box is checked ( ), this arc dimension label will break a line (for which " Breakable " is checked), a polygon line (for which " Breakable " is checked), or an arc dimension leg (for which " Breakable dimension leg(s) " is checked) at the location where that line, polygon line or dimension leg intersects this arc dimension label.

If the box is not checked ( ), lines, polygon lines or dimension legs will not be broken when they intersect this arc dimension label.

Rotation (degrees): A positive or negative (-) number from 360 to -360 degrees.

Labels in each group have the same origin :

An entry of ' 0 ' (zero) designates horizontal lettering.

A ' positive number ' of degrees rotates the label counterclockwise from horizontal.

A ' negative (-) number ' of degrees rotates the label clockwise from horizontal.

Border type: None or Rectangle or Cloud .

Note: A cloud border and rectangular border is part of the dimension, not an object that is distinct from the dimension. This means, for example, that you cannot select cloud borders with the Selection Filter set to ' Clouds '. Nor can you select a rectangular border with the Selection Filter set to ' Lines '. Unless you Explode the dimension, the dimension and its border are always selected together.

Border color: 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 . No button is pressed if you are editing multiple dimensions whose borders are drawn using different pens.

If you use the defaults for Line Weights , the choice made here sets the thickness of the border (as well as its on-screen display color).

Border gap: A distance (in the primary dimension " Units "). In the example below, the gap is measured using Objects > Arc Dimensions > Add .

Note: You enter a " Border gap " of '0.5' inches and your " Drawing scale " is ' 1 ' (Base 12). The actual gap on the plotted drawing will be 1/12 x 0.5 = 0.04167 inches. This is different than " Character height ," which sets the actual height of characters in the plotted drawing.

Measurements: ' Arc distance ' and/or ' Radius ' and/or ' Angle '. This applies, when you press " OK ," to the " Label text " of an arc dimension only if ' Freeze label ' is not checked.

' Arc distance '
' Radius ' ' Angle '
' Arc distance '
' Radius ' ' Angle '
' Arc distance '
' Radius ' ' Angle '
 ' Arc distance '
' Radius ' ' Angle '

Four of the eight possible " Measurements " settings that are available to you.

' Distance ' turns on the display the distance spanned by the arc.

' Radius ' turns on the display the length of the radius of the circle that the arc being measured is on.

' Angle ' causes the arc dimension to display the angle of the arc. This angle may be expressed in degrees or radians, depending on the choice made to " Show angle dimension for arc dimensions " in Dimension Settings .

Setup: " Show angle dimension for arc dimensions " and " Show "on radius" dimension for arc dimensions " in Dimension Settings set the default choices made here. For example, if " Show "on radius" dimension for arc dimensions " is checked and " Show angle dimension for arc dimensions " is set to ' No ', then only ' Distance ' will be checked on arc dimensions subsequently generated using Objects > Arc Dimensions > Add or by auto detailing.

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------ Secondary dimension ------

Secondary dimension labels are drawn below the dimension line. In this example, the " Measurements " for the " Secondary dimension " is set to ' Radius ' and the resulting secondary " Label text " is ' 3-0 RAD '.

Label text: Same as " Label text " for the primary dimension label, except that the text entered here is placed below -- instead of above -- the dimension line.

Note 1: The " Units " of secondary dimension text may be different than that of the primary dimension label.

Note 2: You can set the " Measurements " for the primary dimension label and the " Measurements " for the secondary dimension label to be different.

Freeze label: Same as " Freeze label ," except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Font: Same as the " Font " for the primary label of this dimension, except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Font style: Same as the " Font style " for the primary label of this dimension, except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Origin: Same as the " Origin " for the primary label of this dimension, except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Justification: Same as the " Justification ," except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Character height: Same as the " Character height ," except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Character width/height ratio: Same as the " Character width/height ratio " for the primary dimension, except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Pen color: Same as the " Pen color " for the primary dimension label, except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Breaks lines: Same as " Break lines ," except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Rotation: Same as the " Rotation " for the primary dimension label, except that this applies to the secondary dimension label.

Measurements: Same as the " Measurements " for the primary dimension label, except that this applies to the secondary " Label text ."

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------ Options that apply to the entire dimension ------

Dimension attached to view: A number designating the view that this dimension is attached to. This applies mainly to member details . For instance, a column detail may have a view of face A, face B and face C. It may also have various section views (Section A-A, Section B-B, Section C-C). All graphical objects that are in a particular view are assigned the same number. You can also find multiple views on a submaterial detail .

Assigning the correct number to an object (dimension, line, weld symbol, label, etc.), prevents Shorten and Unshorten problems on submaterial details and member details .

 

To show a view's number, you can add the X-Y-Z Display to your toolbar. An alternative decoration you can add to display view numbers is the X-Y Dual Show/True Display .

In the Drawing Editor , the X-Y-Z Display shows the view number that the point location target ( ) is over.

Troubleshooting: If you Unshorten a drawing then Shorten , only to find that objects are repositioned in a way that seems wrong, the problem might be that the objects are attached to a view that is not the view that they should be attached to. A good troubleshooting method is to select all of the objects that you believe should be attached to the same view, then right-click ( Menu ) and choose " Edit " on the menu . This will open the Multi-Items Edit window. Look at the " Attached to view " field on that window. If that field is gray (shows no view number), then that field has mixed entries due to objects in your selection having two or more different view numbers. Entering the desired view number to the " Attached to view " multi-edit field assigns all objects in your selection that one view number.

View number assignment is fairly random. While view numbers assigned during auto detailing are generally the same as the numbers assigned to views in member isolation (or material isolation's edit views mode ), there are cases where that general one-to-one correspondence will not hold. Also, while the main view of a member detail is almost always view 0, the other views are assigned numbers as they are added, and since the order in which views are added is arbitrary, there is little correspondence between a view's number and its type.

How can objects be assigned wrong view numbers? When a user adds an object to a drawing on which there are multiple views (a member detail or a submaterial detail), it is the responsibility of that user to ensure that the object is attached to the correct view. That sounds like an easy thing to do, but it isn't always so simple. Take, for example, a pointer . When a user adds a pointer using Objects > Pointers > Add , the user does not see the Pointer Edit window and therefore does not see the " Attached to view " entry field. Pointers can also be added using Paste , Paste at Original Location , Paste Repeatedly , Paste Special , Paste to Several , Add Standard Detail , Add Standard Detail to Several , Add Weld Combo , Hole Sym Combo , Label Combo , etc. Each of these tools is a different way for users to add a pointer to a wrong view.

Layer: The drawing layer (any layer given a " Name ") that the arc dimension (including its primary and secondary labels) you are adding or editing will be placed onto when you press " OK " to close this window. If that layer happens to be hidden (not marked " Show "), the arc dimension will disappear after the first Redraw .

Defaults: For an Objects > Arc Dimensions > Add operation, the default selection ( ) is the layer that was selected on the layer selection tool before you began the operation. For an Objects > Arc Dimensions > Edit operation, the " Layer " is the layer that the arc dimension is currently on.

Breakable dimension leg(s): or . The setup option " Break dimension lines at label interference " must be checked for this option to apply. If that setup option is turned off (not checked), then the arc dimension legs are never broken, no matter what choice you make here.

If this box is checked ( ) and " Break dimension lines at label interference " is checked, the legs of this arc dimension are broken (made invisible) where they cross a label (for which " Breaks lines " is checked) or dimension label (for which " Breaks lines " is checked).

If the box is not checked ( ), the arc dimension leg(s) are continuous through any labels or dimension labels it crosses.

Defaults: " Breakable dimension leg(s) " is checked by default, regardless of the choice in setup and regardless of whether or not the arc dimension is added by the user or generated by auto detailing.

Force expansion offset on: Left leg or Right leg or Both legs or Neither leg .

Left leg
Right leg
Both legs
Neither leg

Also see: Drag a dimension label to change the expansion offset side (can be done with appropriate selection filters set). " Expand dimensions less than or equal to " ( Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Detailing > Drawing Presentation > the " Primary Dimension " tab > ).

Pen color: 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 . No button is pressed if you are editing multiple arc dimensions that are drawn with different pens. This only affects the dimension line and legs , not the label. The " Dimension pen color " in Drawing Presentation sets the color that is applied during auto detailing of members or submaterials and erection views (when the drawing has automatically detailed dimensions or arc dimensions).

The selected button sets the printing pen number (and on-screen display color) of the dimension lines. Line Weights assigns a printing thickness to each of the seven pens.

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For when you edit one arc dimension and multiple arc dimensions are in the drawing :

Arc Dimension _ of __ ( not applicable to Add or multi-edit ): The number of the one dimension you are editing and the total count of all arc dimensions in your current drawing. You can use the VCR buttons to select a different arc dimension and edit it while still on this window. When an arc dimension on a shown layer is selected, it is displayed in green. The selected arc dimension must be on a shown layer for it to be shown.

VCR buttons (first-previous-next-last) for selecting an arc dimension to edit.

Note: If you change to one arc dimension, then select a different arc dimension number, the first arc dimension remains changed even if you press " Cancel " on this window.

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To close/reset this window :

   

"OK" (or the Enter key) closes this window and completes the operation you are performing. Your changes are not written to disk until you Save your current drawing.

Note: After making changes to this window and pressing " OK ," you can still undo your changes by using Revert or Undo . If you Save to make your changes permanent, you can no longer Revert , but you can still Undo .

"Cancel" (or the Esc key or the button) closes this window without saving any of the changes you have made. " Cancel " only cancels the changes made to the arc dimension whose number is currently selected as the " Arc Dimension _ of __ ."

Tip: If you edited more than one arc dimension using " Arc Dimension _ of __ ," then Undo (after you have closed this window) does undo all those changes.

"Reset" undoes changes made to the arc dimension currently selected as the " Arc Dimension _ of __ ." This window remains open.

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