Rapid Dimensioning command and Offset Distances

[FlyingGrimReaper]

I need some help figuring out a technical issue. The point of this exercise is to organize dimensions in a staircase fashion (cascade) so I can fit the dimensions in the drawing without going beyond the borders of the drawing sheet. I have shortened the line pointing to the number for the vertical dimension into a short L shape extending above the dimension leader. Each labeled dimension is to appear to the top and adjusted slightly left of the previous number to distinguish between dimensions. This should give a cascade look to the labled numbers oriented over each other. (simple enough right?)

Now the problem is that for some reason SolidWorks likes to decide to revert back to the default offset distance for the dimensions overlapping each other (e.g. 1" instead of manually distancing them to 1/10"). I have tried turning off rapid dimensioning, going into document properties and declaring that the offset from model and offset from the next dimension is 1/32" as a test run to verify if it works.

Both have failed and every time I try to move the dimension to stack the numbers it reverts back to the offset distance of 1". Please help me here I am at the end of my wits here and I am very close to paying the boss for the fine of replacing the computer >:-<.

 

[ctopher]

What SW version, etc?
The past few weeks I have had some dims snap back to their original positions, don't know why.
Not all, there are a few.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[FlyingGrimReaper]

2010 x64 edition

 

[FlyingGrimReaper]

My bad, I didn't add the entire think SolidWorks Office Premium 2010 x64 Edition

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

FGR ... can you post an image of what you are trying to do?

 

[FlyingGrimReaper]

Sure, since the last discussion, I was finally able to get it to work the way I wanted, however it was a weird sequence of deleting and clicking locations which eventually got it to keep still without it moving beyond the borders of the sheet.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Yuck!

Have you considered using the Horizontal and Vertical Ordinates?

 

[AnnaWood]

As CBL says, use ordinate dimensions..... Seriously it will make your drawings look much better.

Cheers,

Anna Wood
Core i7 EE965, FirePro V8700, 12 Gb RAM, OCZ Vertex 120 Gb SSD, Dell 3008WFP 30" Monitor
SW2010 SP2.1, Windows 7 x64

http://www.solidmuse.com

http://www.phxswug.com

 

[FlyingGrimReaper]

Tried, but the features are so close together, that the numbers would overlap each other, this was a way to make the stack without interfering with the dimensions

 

[Updraft]

FGR,

You can break the alignment of the ordinate dimensions and jog them too to prevent overlap and to space them out. That should give you an acceptable appearance. Once you get the hang of it it will be fast too.

- - -Updraft

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Jogs and break-alignment-offsets can be used to alleviate that problem.

It's ultimately your choice, but if you stay with the style you show, I would, at the very least, locate the dimensions on the baseline side.

 

[FlyingGrimReaper]

I can do that for the baseline, also I think my question was more relevant to a new thread posted by cadddict

thread559-280248

It was more of an issue involving locking the dimensions into place after specifying the location.