x1.4 noted problems

[ambrozac]

Ha!.....Louis, the *K_A_* Trainer on steroids! That may be better than pro baseball......No, but it'll have to do.

[Doug Park]

Thanks for the input Larry. I knew there was a good reason why we did this.

I would also agree that there may need to be more control on this. One possibility would be to have a way to mark a manual dimension as being used for feedback or not. This could be a default that you could have on or off depending on your preference and then be able to toggle it on an individual basis.

[Larry Kumpost]

Thanks for the input Larry. I knew there was a good reason why we did this.

I would also agree that there may need to be more control on this. One possibility would be to have a way to mark a manual dimension as being used for feedback or not. This could be a default that you could have on or off depending on your preference and then be able to toggle it on an individual basis.

That sounds like a great idea Doug. The individual user could set the basic preference and override on an individual basis.

I think the difference in X1 is that when you select a wall it turns on "All" dimensions that relate to that wall in any way, including "Auto" dimensions. That did not happen in previous versions. You just got dimensions that could be used to relocate that wall. I think.

Hang in there Louis. There is always a possible career in sports broadcasting. Lots of new faces at ESPN these days.

[louis]

I would like to be able to do this.
http://www.lfcompany.com/louis/chief...ion%20centers/

[Larry Kumpost]

Yes, I agree that the ability to snap to points "within" a CAD block would be very useful.

Not just for dimensions but to help locate a CAD block with a point to point move. An example is importing a dwg file from a consultant and aligning that plan to your plan. To do this you need to create a block of the imported plan. If we could select something like the intersection of 2 building grid lines in the block and align that with the corresponding intersection in our plans (with point to point snaps) that would be great.

[Allen42acj]

Yes to Louis's video.
That should work with point to point at least..

[ambrozac]

Excellent suggestions....Thanks.

[louis]

How about this one.

http://www.lfcompany.com/louis/chief...g%20dimension/

If we're going to talk dimensions we're going to talk dimensions.

This brings up another issue. If in dimensioning from the outside in like in the video I don't get the second snap, if I go the other way I get both snaps but with the same result.

[ambrozac]

Louis,

On the first one, you need to have the Dimension Defaults "Locate Objects" set to "Surface" and Cad Objects "Lines/Sides" only. The Intersections/On Object snaps needs to be on.........Now who can remember this? It won't be me. I wonder what the solution can be on this one.

[louis]

Cliff,

That's my point. How is the average user going to know and remember all that.


Why doesn't the snap guide the dimension?

[ambrozac]

Why doesn't the snap guide the dimension?

Louis, That needs to be implemented.....Thanks.

[louis]

Cliff,

What I would like in that example is on object the snap of choice, I want angle snaps to keep the dimension line perpendicular and I want the dimension to go from the first snap to the second and I want to go in either direction and in any location along that wall.

I think it would be easier for newbies to learn with on object to an object instead of on object to intersection. When you think about it when you get your first snap you are creating an intersection but the intersection snap does not show up the on object does. The snapping to the object creates the intersection. So on the other end you don't have an intersection yet until you snap to the object. Then you have an intersection.

Does this make sense? The pnemonia may have fried my brain.

[ambrozac]

Louis,

I prefer the On Object snap, as I keep it on at all times. I switch between End and Intersection snaps, so usually I have the Intersection inactive. It seems like they compete for attention when working with walls. I can remember how snaps work for about a day, then have to relearn. As long as we can get a snap on both ends for the dimension to follow, it should work. There are times when I don't use snaps at all for dimensions, but many times when I wish we had them, such as the example you've shown.

I'm thinking the current setup is okay, but add a feature to allow the dimensions to follow snaps, overriding all else.

[dstig1]

Oooo. A good dimensioning rant!

I think the point I agree with most strongly is the one regarding snaps. It seems the program's routine that picks up snaps it not fully "integrated" with the dimensioning routine (I won't pretend to understand the programming). And that's the annoying rub about it: If the software picks up a snap - which you can visually see - it should use it, but it does not in many cases. That's kind of like the program pulling a "fast one" on you. If the dimension is not going to snap to the highlighted snap, then don't highlight the snap.

The dimensioning in Chief needs work on the intuitiveness side. Speaking as a relatively new user, it was very frustrating when Chief did not do what you would logically expect it to but then goes off and does something else - on something as basic as dimensioning. Sure, I've learned how it behaves now, but it does take more time and adds to the learning curve. I get how it helps automate things like picking up a bunch of dimensions in a string with one line, but often you just need a single dimension or to have the dimension stay where you put it.

/soapbox off/

-Dave

[Tommy Blair]

Ha!.....Louis, the *K_A_* Trainer on steroids! That may be better than pro baseball......No, but it'll have to do.

That's great Cliff!