If I have a 3d model and want to measure the distance between two arbitrary points - there’s no tool that gives the dimension with leaders, so now I can’t:
a.) Confirm that the dimension is in the correct place.
b.) Screenshot the dimension to send to someone.
Linear dimension not a problem:
But what about these two points:
Yes I can Analyze → Dimension but there’s no leader (see issues 1 & 2 above). Is it possible to get a tool that does this?
Linear dimension I can see how a scale operation affects the size,
Can’t do this with these points:
Set CPlane to go through the two points, then add a dimension.
Yup, I realise I can click a few buttons to get there, but how about letting users do the dimension directly without the additional steps? I don’t want to fiddle with CPlanes every time I want to check a dimension.
i cant even figure out which option to select to make the cplane go through this diagonal curve, could you show the first part of the video how you got to the dimension?
@ftzuk i fully agree, dimensioning a simple diagonal is a very dangerous task, risking to mess up my entire day by such a simple wish.
what you can do also is use Leader, then go to fx and select curvelength select the diagonal (which you have drawn previously) and it will display the result dynamically, though for resizing the cube you would have to take the diagonal with through that process.
edit @nathanletwory ah i see, you can use option curve, but you have to change the view additionally… ok that is pretty expensive.
Use the 3 point cplane option, setting the first two points at the ends of the diagonal and place the third point arbitrarily.
thanks @jeremy5 i have figured that it also works with option curve… which in that case works pretty fast, it still could and should be easier to dimension → 3 Dimensionally.
But where do you want the dimension to sit? If only there was a way to, I dunno, define a plane…
why would everybody have to worry about so many details which should just work? specifically for something simple as dimensioning one freaking line. if there are so many options that it makes the entire task worthless alright, till then why not just make it simple.
Hence the thread asking for a simpler solution than creating a plane every time I want to check a dimension like this.
Of course you don’t “every time you want to check a dimension like this,” it’s for the very specific example of wanting to show someone else a picture with a dimension placed a certain way. It’s absolutely not necessary just to check what the number is.
This is a “problem” that has literally never been mentioned before today. I’m just explaining that a for-now solution to this incredibly important problem that again hasn’t come up in 25 years exists.
I admire your sharp answers, but sometimes they are so sharp that they cut off its own context.
heck here is even one i requested myself
there are probably more, but i have other things to do than to be right.
Is it safe to say that dimensions are defined or dependent by the Cplane drawn on?—- Mark
DimCurveLength, yeah i overslepped that one, makes it even more convenient. seems like the only quick option for these cases… does not look so fancy though… but well.
_CPlane p _pause _pause _pause _dim _pause _pause _pause _CPlane _World _Top
Assuming you start in perspective view where default cplane (world, top) is used.
I don’t know what you want to achieve, but I use this method for dimensioning, without doing strange things with the C planes. I assure you that it fulfills its purpose of dimensioning objects well. I use it every day to check real molds, and it is a command that never fails.
well in this case i believe its about quickly dimensioning arbitrary located angled curves without much efforts. in my opinion having DimAligned for instance not only follow geometry orthogonal or parallel to the cplane but also along the actual edge having real dimensions instead of leaders would be helpful.
leaders do the job either, but if you have to communicate dimensions in a 3d drawing then making them look like all the other dimensions would probably be a manual endeavour, to keep sometimes heavy plans more compact and readable.
fined tuned macro:
click first point once
click second point twice
uses 0,0,0 as first dimensionpoint
uses _cplane _undo for cplane reset
_CPlane _3Point _pause _pause _enter _dim 0,0,0 _pause _pause _CPlane _Undo