Oh YA! Finally dimension styles!!!!
- Thread starter cclark440
- Start date
bob taylor
Member
What exactly is it doing differently. I'm still learning the 3d part of it so I haven't used the 2d side that much and am not that familiar with it.
Alibre now lets you define dimension style.
For example, When I detail drawings a have about 4 different tolerance specifications I use. Before V9.1 I would have to place the dimensions, then open the properties of each one and specify the tolerances.
Now I can specify the tolerances one time and save it as new type.
Then when I place my new dimension instead of having to tab around the dialog box, I click on a drop down and specify what style I want this dimension to be.
I would estimate it saves me between 16 to 20 keystrokes and about 4 mouse clicks per dimension that needs specific tolerances.
OHHH NOOOOOO!!!
The dimension style only seem to stay with the drawing that it was created in.
Please someone tell me that I am missing something!!!!!!!
If this is the case, Why bother!
Man I am bummed!!!!!!
I guess when I was talking to the developer about his I need to specify that once a custom style is defined it needs to be available for all drawings, not just the one it was created in. Did anyone else have input on this feature, surely I can't be the only one.
I noticed that was a bummer also. Can you make a blank drawing with the dimension style set up the way you want them, then save it. When you want to create a drawing, open the saved drawing add your template, then your model. Save as a new drawing. I already do this with part model anyway.
I haven't tried it myself yet but other 2D drawing customizations needed to be made to the template, then save the updated template. From then on any use of that template included the customized layers, line weights, etc. I suspect you'll need to do the same with the dim styles to "get them to stick."
EDIT: I was able to try my theory out and it is correct. Set up your styles in your template and they will be there an all future drawings based on that template.
Robert
swertel
Alibre Super User
Can't you save your dimension styles into your drawing template? Every new drawing based on that template should have them?
As far as automatically adding them to existing drawings, I certainly hope it won't. That would be a serious configuration management issue to have something that drastic automatically change a controlled document.
What would be great is if Alibre added a style manager. Basically each dimension style could be saved as a file (template) that could be loaded from a drop down menu. However the new style would have to be saved in the drawing after it is loaded.
Why bother......well I for one am very glad to see it. Save it in your template file for new drawings but remember if you go screwing around with autoloading a new style in every drawing that is completed then you take the risk of something changing in a completed file. That would not be very good.
Adding something new to an existing file is always a risk when you take into account the number of variables used. But I wouldn't mind trying. :wink:
C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Application Data\\Alibre Design\\System Files\\Drawing Templates
The above path is to where the 2d drawing templates are stored.
Any 2d drawing can be stored here with dim styles as you have created them. The drawing file name will appear in the dialog box when creating a 2d drawing.
Acad does the same thing with their acad.dwt as a template file.
My earlier inquiry about a dim styles file must have come from a
microstation flashback. Microstation has program based dim styles
unlike acad and alibre which obviously have file based dim styles.
daveS