dimensions inconsistent

[kss]

Using the dimension string tool, I dimension a string consisting of 1/4", 1/2" and 3/16" dimensions. Then, when I dimension it overall, it comes out as 7/8". All of the preferences - both under Units in the menus and in the Get Info box - are set to 1/16". I'm running 11.0.1. Any leads?

[jan15]

It sounds like the actual sizes of the things you're dimensioning aren't exactly divisible by 16.

Say, for example, the first one is .23", the second .48", and the third is .17". Rounding those three numbers to the nearest 1/16, which is what the dimension tool has to do, would give you 1/4, 1/2, and 3/16. But the total would be .88", and rounding that to the nearest 1/16 would give 7/8.

The Units setting just affects how dimensions are written. Objects also have a precise actual size, accurate to more decimal places than you'll ever want to see, and you can't reduce that precision. The precise actual size of an object is whatever you've drawn it as, not necessarily what the Object Info palette or a dimension string displays.

If you want VectorWorks to force you to draw in 1/16" increments, you can use a snap grid (Page > Set Grid).

Or, if you want to be in control, you can use the numeric keypad to enter the size of everything you draw, which is what I do. Then whatever length you entered will be the object's precise actual length. And if you only enter values that are multiples of 1/16, then the dimension displayed in dimension strings will be the same as the object's actual size. If you draw those three objects by entering 1/4, 1/2, and 3/16, then the overall dimension will be 15/16, or 0.9375000000.

Note that a value you enter appears in the Data Display Bar, but since you entered it it's a precise value, not like the approximate values displayed there as you move the mouse around.

If you want to keep the drawing as is, you might be able to get the dimension strings to work out by increasing the accuracy in the Units menu, maybe to .00001" or even higher.

[ 08-01-2005, 08:20 PM: Message edited by: jan15 ]

[kss]

Thanks - I was working on someone else's drawing and redrawing accurately worked!