Dimensions not plan readable? 2

[hydroponder]

I am creating a site plan that has north to the left. In model space, north is up (standard), but in paper space, I am using a viewport to rotate the plan view so that north is to the left so the whole site fits on my plan sheet. When I do this, my dimensions are not plan readable. Is there a setting that I can apply to make this happen? I tried to set the orientation of my drawing to 270^, but that did not work. Any ideas?

 

[MGXFP]

Go to the Dimension pull down and select Dimension Style.
In the manager select to modify your style and select the text tab. In the lower right you can choose horizontal instead of aligned.

This should fix your problem.

 

[hydroponder]

That would make them all up and down since the viewport is rotated 270 degrees. I want them to be either plan readable or all read left to right.

 

[MGXFP]

What will work is to select a dim and change its text rotation (via the properties menu); then match properties (command line: MA)to the remaining dims. Isolating layers might make this an easier task.

I have done this before and this is the quickest method I know works every time.

 

[RHTPE]

Even easier - work in Model Space through your Viewport and change your UCS so that the X-axis is left-to-right and the Y-axis is up & down. Then do your dimensioning. Linear dimensions will appear as you desire.

This can be on on the Model tab as well, but it gets confusing setting up the UCS.

Save your UCS setting in case you need to go back to the WCS ("World" coordinate system).


Ralph
Structures Consulting
Northeast USA

 

[brandoncdg]

RHTPE: With setting your UCS like that, what happens when you bring in multiple xrefs together into a sheet?

Say after he gets his dimensions set up like your suggestion, but overlays another file from another consultant. How do you properly rotate everything together?

CDG, Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading

http://www.CivilDevelopmentGroup.com

 

[RHTPE]

brandoncdg: If you bring the Xref into the drawing while you are on the Model tab, and everything appears correctly (aside from the dimensioning) in Model Space, everything should appear fine in the Viewport that was set up in Paper Space with the view rotated.

If you look carefully at linear dimensions you'll find that they are actually AutoCAD's former "rotated" dimensions. I'm surmizing that the angle of rotation now keeps track of the Coordinate System.


Ralph
Structures Consulting
Northeast USA

 

[hydroponder]

Thanks RHTPE, that worked exceptionally well for dimensioning. I haven't tried to attach any xrefs or switch the UCS back and forth, so that remains to be seen on my end, but the dimensioning is top notch.

 

[RHTPE]

hydroponder:

I commonly develop a plan view, and then generate elevations/sections to the left, right, bottom & top. Most of the linework is done in Model Space (on the Model tab). Then I create a Layout (Paper Space) tab as required, with a Viewport for each section/elevation, rotate the view as appropriate, then create a UCS for each Viewport so that the X-axis is horizontal, positive to the right, and the Y-axis is vertical, positive up. From then on, all annotation is done through the Viewport (in Model Space) on the Layout tab. My Layout then plots as desired, yet the Model (on the Model tab) maintains the relationship between the plan and each section/elevation.

Works well for what I do.


Ralph
Structures Consulting
Northeast USA