Dimensioning Elevation Plans

[lorrie]

Hello,
I am trying to teach my students (and myself) how to dimension
elevation plans. I am trying to show the basics on the Front Elevation
View. The fin. fl. ceiling, fl., etc. and cannot figure out how to do
this easily. What is the best way? Or is it adding cad lines and dimensioning
to them?
Thanks,
Lorrie

[lbuttery]

is it adding cad lines and dimensioning
to them?

Yes, that is how to do it.

Lew

[Ash]

That's how I do it:
draw a horizontal line, then open its DBX, lock the "Length/Angle" and change the "Y" to zero (at Start or End). The line will represent the 0.00 level.

[Tommy Blair]

Hello,
I am trying to teach my students (and myself) how to dimension
elevation plans. I am trying to show the basics on the Front Elevation
View. The fin. fl. ceiling, fl., etc. and cannot figure out how to do
this easily. What is the best way? Or is it adding cad lines and dimensioning
to them?
Thanks,
Lorrie

Lorrie, you can use text markers too to show floor, ceiling and plate heights as well as ground level. That's how I usually show those heights in the exterior elevations.

[WendyWelton]

Lorrie,

Are you in X1?

Try this:

1 - Take a section view. With Object Snaps and Angle Snaps turned on, draw cad lines at each floor and ceiling line. You should see the "on object" snap symbol.

2 - Turn off all layers except your active cad layer. I do this by making a new layerset called Isolate, so I don't muck up my Section View layer.

3 - You should now have only those cad lines showing. Group select them, and Ctrl-C for copy.

4 - Now generate an elevation view. Ctrl-Alt-V for Paste/Hold Position. Those lines will be pasted in the correct horizontal position, and they will stay selected until you either press Escape or start another command. While they are still selected, move them horizontally (Angle Snaps on) to where they will work for you.

You now have your cad lines in place, exactly matching the floor and ceiling heights of the model.

[Allen Brown]

Wendy, nice method. I have always used the "delete surfaces" tool before drawing my cad lines, I will have to try yours for comparison.

[WendyWelton]

Allen,

You're welcome. I never thought of using the Delete Surface tool! So there, we both learned something.

All,

Another tip - by dimensioning to cad lines and not the model, you can get all your annotation work done on either a section or an elevation, with notes, dimensions, the whole nine yards. Then use the same Ctrl-C to Ctrl-Alt-V sequence to copy that entire batch to the next elevation - and again leave selected and move horizontally as needed.

Fill-uppa-da-page without Fill-uppa-da-workload!

[lorrie]

Thanks to everyone for the comments and suggestions.

[Sal Genovese]

Wendy, your good!, you gotta gift! yeah you do
Sal

[louis]

I prefer the text marker, I can enter an exact location by dimension and I'm not relying on snaps. They also have text already associated with them and they can be copied around just like Wendy's lines.

...and I don't need a special set to do it. Wendy has sets to answer the phone with.

[Tommy Blair]

I have to agree with Louis on using the text markers. I think it would look more professional too. Right now, snaps in X1 kinda gives me the creeps and never know what's going to happen. Ever since Louis taught me how to place the text markers in the absolute position, I tend to trust that more at this time. BTW, using the absolute position in X1 is a little funky in the sense you don't just place the value in the z position. I wish they would impove that to where it works using less steps like in 10. (extra steps )

[WendyWelton]

Louis is correct - I do actually have a layerset for answering the phone! It's true, I'm set happy.

[John D Atkinson]

Tommy - Can you explain how to place the markers in absolute position. I've tried specifying the height for a level line marker in a cross section but the marker doesn't move. There's something here I don't understand.

[Tommy Blair]

Tommy - Can you explain how to place the markers in absolute position. I've tried specifying the height for a level line marker in a cross section but the marker doesn't move. There's something here I don't understand.

Sure John. Please keep in mind that I'm not on the computer that has X1. Bear with me but I can tell you how to do it in general.

Place the text marker. Select it and click on the transform/replicate tool. Select the move portion and select absolute position. Now all x,y and z boxes should be ready to use. Look and see what's the value in the middle (y?) box. Let's say it shows a positive 24 value. In the z, place a -24 value so it zeros it out. Click okay. Open it (text marker) again>transform/replicate, and place the value you want in the z position (absloute). The text marker should go to that position in the absolute value.

[ECSURFER84]

Yep... I Just Delete The Surface... Completely Accurate And The Fastest Way I Believe......