I am trying to plot several Microstation V8 files to pdf, and each time I do this the extension lines on all of my dimensions do not show. I am very new to Microstation, so I have no idea which command or edit I need to do to fix the problem. I have been plotting (not editing) Microstation files that are sent to us for several months now, and I have never noticed the problem before. Advice is greatly appreciated!
Thanks!,
Mickey
Hi Mickey, Welcome aboard.
Several things pop to mind.
Unplotable levels First of all try to find out if the dimension are really that... dimensions. Perhaps they where dropped to geometry... lines or cells. This could be the case with 3rd party drawings. If that is the case, parts of it could be on a level that does not allow printing. In the level manager there's a column "plot". See if there are levels unchecked that are used in your dimensions.
Dimensions don't plot because the plot settings do not allow you to. In the plotdialog there's a pull down menu called Settings. Click Settings > Print Attributtes. A dialog opens. See if the options Dimensions and Text are checked. They should be. If unchecked, dimensions should not print at all. If "Print broken association with different symbology" is checked, dimensions that are 'broken' (not bolted to geometry) will show up in another linestyle. Dashed. That might not come out well on pdf, so perhaps you'd uncheck that.
Your drawing and plot are 3D. Dimensions don't plot because the 3D pdf-settings do not allow you to. (If that is enabled anyway.) In the plotdialog there's a pull down menu called Settings. Click Settings > 3D Plotting. A dialog opens. Here you can toggle Convert Annotations. When checked, dimensions and text are saved to pdf.
(Part of) Dimension are on in a colour that does not show on plot. Open the Dimension dialog. In Microstation that is pull down menu Element > Dimension Styles. Select the dimension style you wish to edit. Select the options on the right and see if there are colours that look like white but are not. Colour 0 is white on screen (black on paper), but colour 16 is just as bright (but allmost invisible on paper). Easy way to test this is to just print it to paper.
Just a few start points. Hope it helps you out.
Ivo Blaauw= = = = = = = = = = = = =Look what the CAD dragged in...