When working on a design project in Draftsight, effectively showing dimensions plays a crucial role in conveying the necessary information about the size and scale of your drawings. This guide will walk you through the steps to display dimensions in your Draftsight projects and ensure they are presented clearly.
Understanding Dimension Insertion
To show dimensions automatically in new drawing views, configure the options in Draftsight to facilitate this process. This means that any dimensions intended for your drawings will be integrated seamlessly, eliminating the need for manual adjustments for every view.
Steps to Enable Automatic Dimension Insertion
Open Document Properties: Navigate to the "Tools" menu at the top of the interface. From the dropdown, select "Options" to open the options dialog box.
Select the Document Properties Tab: Within the Options dialog, switch to the "Document Properties" tab. This contains various settings that affect your drawing.
Navigate to Detailing Settings: Look for the "Detailing" section. Here you will find several options that influence how dimensions behave within your drawings.
Activate Automatic Insertion: Locate the checkbox labeled "Dimensions marked for drawing." Make sure this option is selected. By doing so, Draftsight will automatically incorporate the designated dimensions into any new view that you create.
- Confirm Settings: Once the desired settings are selected, click "OK" to apply the changes and close the dialog box.
Manual Dimension Display
In some cases, you may want to manually place dimensions in specific locations within your drawings. Draftsight provides a straightforward process for that as well.
Choose the Dimension Tool: Click on the "Dimension" icon in the toolbar or type "DIM" into the command prompt to access the dimensioning tools.
Select the Entities: Click to select the entities you wish to dimension. This could be lines, circles, or other geometric shapes in your drawing.
Specify Dimension Points: After selecting the initial entity, you will be prompted to choose specific points to determine the dimension’s placement. Click on the points to set the dimension dimensions accurately.
Position the Dimension: Drag your mouse to position the dimension line, then click to drop it when you’re satisfied with its location.
- Review and Modify As Necessary: Once the dimension is placed, review it. If adjustments are needed, you can select it and modify its properties through the property inspector or by using dimension modification commands.
Customizing Dimension Styles
Customization allows you to maintain consistency in the appearance of dimensions across your drawings. Draftsight makes it easy to create and modify dimension styles.
Open Dimension Style Manager: Go to the "Annotate" tab and click on the dimension style manager option. This allows you to manage existing styles and create new ones.
Create or Edit Styles: You can either modify an existing style by selecting it or create a new style by clicking on "New." In either case, various properties such as text size, arrow styles, and units can be adjusted.
Set Default Styles: If you created a new style, make sure to set it as the default style if you wish to use it consistently in future dimensions. This setting can also be adjusted in the Dimension Style Manager.
- Apply Styles: Once your styles are configured, use them readily when dimensioning entities in your drawings for a uniform appearance.
FAQ
1. Can I change dimension text after placing it?
Yes, you can edit the dimension text by selecting the dimension and modifying the text in the properties palette or re-dimensioning it.
2. What if I want to change the units of my dimensions?
You can change the units in the Dimension Style Manager under the Primary Units tab. Select the unit type that best fits your project needs.
3. Is it possible to display both metric and imperial dimensions in the same drawing?
Yes, you can accomplish this by creating a dual dimension style within the Dimension Style Manager, allowing both units to show simultaneously as needed.
