Dimension Styles Query

[Andy Brown]

I have AutoCAD r14.
I want to have my dimensions set-up to achieve the following:

In any drawing, created by me or anyone else, I want to call up my own
dimension style (previously created and saved away on my PC) and add
dimensions to that drawing.
Also, if it is possible, to then update all previously added
dimensions using my own dim style.

I have looked at DDIM command, but cannot figure out how to do it !

Any ideas ?

[William B.]

Yep! just like many of us who took the r12 -> r14 leap. The whole
'Parent'/child/override mode dimensioning stuff could really be a
head-cratcher. Anyway, here are a few options:
1. Figure it all (sometimes - by chance) and save your styles with your
template file. This will make em' available everytime you start a new
drawing with the template file.
2. Simply insert an r12 drawing or previous one with these styles and it
will make em' available in your new drawing. Of course, if you don't need
to steal stuff from the inserted drawing, erase and purge it.
3. Combination of 1 & 2 - this is how I figured some of it out. By
inserting r12 styles and studying the r13 or 14 dialog box, I was able to
figure out what dim variables go where.

Note: every time modify dim variables in r14, always save in the base
dialog box b4 closing otherwise, you will only be in override mode.
GL
William B.

[Huub Reuver]

Andy Brown <hel...@roevin.co.uk> wrote:
>I have AutoCAD r14.
>I want to have my dimensions set-up to achieve the following:
>
>In any drawing, created by me or anyone else, I want to call up my own
>dimension style (previously created and saved away on my PC) and add
>dimensions to that drawing.
>Also, if it is possible, to then update all previously added
>dimensions using my own dim style.
>
>I have looked at DDIM command, but cannot figure out how to do it !
>
>Any ideas ?

I started with all extracting all the dimsettings:
setvar
?
dim*

This gives me a list of all dimsettings and a default value. Next I made
a lisp routine consisting of little more than:
(setvar "DIM..." value)
And I concluded with:
(command "dimstyle" "s" "standard");; I'm not sure about the "s",
;; simply type dimstyle at the
;; commandline for the syntax.

Part two consists of retrieving dimsettings for:
linear dimensions (standard$1)
angular dimensions (standard$2)
radial dimensions
diameter dimensions
etc.
(The numbers can be guessed when looking at the GUI dim-setting tool.)

You can finish the job by updating all dimensions. You might want to
leave out the dimlfac for this command.

I hope I have given you some clues to start with. If you want a more
complete story (i.e. most part of the lisp-files) mail me.

Grtx,
Huub