Someone else brought this up in the 2004 group but didn't get an answer. There used to be a way to dimension an arc length. You could cycle between degrees and length by pressing space. Why this was changed, I don't know. There is a setting in the dimension style to have it do length or angle but that seems stupid as you would need to setup a dimension style for each. I found a key-in command that does exactly what I'm looking for but I haven't been able to find the button to do it. DIMENSION ARC SIZE
Anyone have an answer?
I have been asking for a true arc labeling function, arc length, degree of curvature, tangent length etc..,in Microstation for almost 20 years now so I doubt it will ever be created. My ACAD users use this as another reason why Microstation sucks and I have no come back. Bring up the element info and calculating the other dims from that is a poor work around and it is actually embarrassing to tell my ACAD users that is the only way.
I agree, this is a real let down. I'v used arc dimensions every day for around 12 years and I cannot believe what a tedious slog Bentley have provided of getting to such a basic tool. I watch the visualisation side of Microstation progress in leaps and bounds and am amazed that such a basic dimensioning function has been totally neglected.
It's almost comparable to the curved multi-line fiasco!!!
Paul Barton
Spiral Staircase Systems
www.spiralstairs.co.uk
blog.spiralstairs.co.uk
Im Not having any luck with the Inga's keyin for
"Dimstyle active arclength;dimcreate angular arcsize"
Its not setting for length. I'm stuck in degrees and havve to use the dimension units length keyin instead
V8i ss2
Kirk
I Wish Cadland was Reality
Hello Kirk,
The keyins do work in my MicroStation V8i Selectseries 2 version.
Did you create the dimension styles that you activate in your file, and gave them the proper names and settings as shown below (Element>Dimension Styles)?
Without those styles the keyin will not work.
ArcLength: Units set to Length
ArcAngle: Units set to Angle
Don't forget to click the save button after they are created (diskette like icon).
Hope this is of help.
Best regards,
Henk
You know I haven't spent the time to create a dim style for this. I have numerous styles all base on a level.
Casework
Counter tops
curbs\ base
Booths
RCP
So in my case I would need to create another sub style for each level
I use multiple styles in plan and elevations to dimension different types of elements. It makes it easier for fabrication. All the dimensions print in different colors
Hi Kirk,
If you have not already done so:
Define the needed dimension styles (and textstyles) once and make MS_DGNLIBLIST point to that file, so that the styles are available in any file that you open from then on.
thanks Henk
I have all my dimensions and text styles in a dgnlib file
To switch to lengths or angle use alternatively the keyins: "dimstyleset angle units length" or "dimstyleset angle units angle". Would you need to switch that often? Do you think you need to have substyles or just to create buttons for that? I came up with element templates as I thought they may be helpful here as they help to define standards AND allow to use the Utilies>Standards Checker as elements "remember" which template they were created from. (They yet do not help for switching angle/length though). Gerd
Gerd
I created buttons with the keyins. I find for my workflow to be the easiest way of switching between degrees and length.
I don't stay in one mode of operation or task. I tend to bounce around between drawing to placing text dimensions back to drawing. So I should customize my task bars to all the tools I need are visible
I found this thread because I've got (once again) a customers question for a faster switch between angle and length. I agree with Kirk, that having each style doubled is definitively not an option. (Gerd, have you ever seen the number of dimension styles at BMW or Daimler ?)
Wouldn't this be a good case for a CR ?
The keyins are nice, but I know to many users, which wouldn't know how to implement this in a taskbar or even a function key (an customization by an external company is expensive).
+1