Structural dimension styles and dimensioning tutorial

by Mark Middlebrook

This tutorial demonstrates techniques for dimensioning and using dimension styles in structural drawings. The tutorial is written for AutoCAD 2000/2000i and the sample drawings are saved in AutoCAD 2000 format. The tutorial instructions assume that you have a basic understanding of how to use AutoCAD (e.g., to open drawings, create and set layers, select objects, zoom and pan, run common dimension commands, etc.).

• Preparation.
• Part 1: Copy layers, text styles, and dimension styles.
• Part 2: Dimensions.

1. Download dims_and_text.zip, which contains the sample files for this tutorial.

2. Unzip S-detail.dwg and S-named_objects.dwg from dims_and_text.zip to a directory (e.g., C:\class).

   Note: If you don't know how to unzip files, stop right now, go to www.winzip.com, download the evaluation version of WinZip, and learn how to use it.

1. Make sure that you've downloaded the sample drawings, as described in Preparation.

2. Start AutoCAD 2000 or 2000i.

3. Open S-detail.dwg.

4. Open S-named_objects.dwg.

5. Open the AutoCAD DesignCenter window (press CTRL+2 or click the AutoCAD DesignCenter button on the Standard toolbar).

6. Choose Window, Tile Vertically, so that you can see both drawings. Your screen should look similar to the figure below.

   

   Next, you copy layers from S-named_objects.dwg to S-detail.dwg.

7. Make S-detail.dwg the current drawing. Open the Layer Properties Manager dialog box (use the keyboard shortcut LA or click the Layers button on the Object Properties toolbar). Note that there is no S-ANNO-DIMS or S-ANNO-LEAD layer.

   

8. In the AutoCAD DesignCenter window's navigation pane (i.e., the pane on the left), click the plus sign next to S-named_objects.dwg in order to display the copy-able named objects in this drawing.

9. In the list of named objects, click Layers.

10. In the AutoCAD DesignCenter palette (i.e., the content pane on the right), Select the S-ANNO-DIMS and S-ANNO-LEAD layers (hold down the CTRL key as you click each layer).

11. Right-click in the palette area and choose Copy.

    

12. Right click in the S-detail.dwg window and choose Paste.

    

13. Make S-detail.dwg the current drawing and open the Layer Properties Manager dialog box again. Note that the drawing now contains the S-ANNO-DIMS and S-ANNO-LEAD layers, with color and other settings copied from S-named_objects.dwg.

    

    Next, you use the same techniques to copy the text style S-TEXT and the dimension style S-DIMS from S-named_objects.dwg to S-detail.dwg.

14. Make S-detail.dwg the current drawing. Open the Text Style dialog box (use the keyboard shortcut ST or choose Format, Text Style). Note that there is no S-TEXT style.
16. In the AutoCAD DesignCenter window's navigation pane, click Textstyles underneath S-named_objects.dwg in order to display the text styles in this drawing.

17. In the AutoCAD DesignCenter palette, select the S-TEXT style.

18. Right-click in the palette area and choose Copy.

    

19. Right click in the S-detail.dwg window and choose Paste.

20. Make S-detail.dwg the current drawing. Open the Text Style dialog box again. Note that the drawing now contains the S-TEXT style, with font and other settings from S-named_objects.dwg.

21. Make S-detail.dwg the current drawing. Open the Dimension Style Manager dialog box (use the keyboard shortcut D or choose Format, Dimension Style). Note that there is no S-DIMS dimension style.
23. In the AutoCAD DesignCenter window's navigation pane, click Dimstyles underneath S-named_objects.dwg in order to display the dimension styles in this drawing.

24. In the AutoCAD DesignCenter palette, select the S-DIMS dimension style.

25. Right-click in the palette area and choose Copy.

    

26. Right click in the S-detail.dwg window and choose Paste.

27. Make S-detail.dwg the current drawing. Open the Dimension Style Manager dialog box again. Note that the drawing now contains the S-DIMS dimension style, with dimension variable settings from S-named_objects.dwg.

    

28. Note: After you copy a dimension style from one drawing to another, check that the DIMSCALE system variable is set to the current drawing's drawing scale factor: In the Dimension Style Manager dialog box, choose the copied dimension style, choose the Modify button, choose the Fit tab, and verify the "Use overall scale of" setting. (This setting corresponds to the DIMSCALE system variable.)

29. Close the AutoCAD DesignCenter window (press CTRL+2).

30. Save S-detail.dwg.

31. Close S-named_objects.dwg.

32. If you're going to continue with Part 2 of this tutorial, leave S-detail.dwg open and expand its window to fill most of the drawing area. If not, close it.

1. Make sure that you've downloaded the sample drawings, as described in Preparation, and that you've worked through Part 1: Copy layers, text styles, and dimension styles.

2. Open S-detail.dwg, if it's not open already.

3. Make the S-ANNO-DIMS layer the current layer.

4. Use the the Dimension Style Manager dialog box to make S-DIMS the current dimension style.

5. Dimension the oddly shaped plate and the bolt locations, as shown in the following figure. Use the DIMLINEAR command (keyboard shortcut = DLI), DIMALIGNED command (keyboard shortcut = DAL) and the DIMANGULAR command (keyboard shortcut = DAN).

   Tip: You might also want to use the DIMCONTINUE command (keyboard shortcut = DCO) to create the series of 3" bolt dimensions. You will need to adjust the text position for the 1-1/2" dimensions (bolt to edge of plate) - use grip editing to do so.

   

6. Use the Dimension Style Manager dialog box to create a new dimension style called S-DIMS-AROW, based on the S-DIMS dimension style setting. Change the arrowhead type for S-DIMS-AROW to Closed filled.

7. Open the Properties window (CTRL+1).

8. Select the angular dimension (i.e., the 40 degree dimension dimension between the column and the brace).

9. In the Properties window, change the Dim style for this dimension (under Misc) to S-DIMS-AROW.

   

10. Press ESC to unselect the angular dimension.

11. Select the five bolt location dimensions.

12. In the Properties window, change the Ext line 1 and Ext line 2 settings for these dimensions (under Lines & Arrows) to Off.

    

13. Press ESC to unselect the dimensions.

14. Close the Properties window (CTRL+1).

15. Use the Dimension Style Manager dialog box to modify the S-DIMS dimension style so that it uses Architectural tick instead of Oblique as the arrowhead type.

    

    Notice that all of the dimensions of style S-DIMS (i.e., all of them except for the angular dimension) change to reflect the new arrowhead setting.

16. ZOOM All.

17. Save S-detail.dwg.

18. Close S-detail.dwg and AutoCAD.

Continue with the Structural text styles and text tutorial.

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