Dimensioning Non-Parallel CAD Lines...Question Turned Tip

[HumbleChief]

Sometimes just the process of posting a question here stimulates something in my brain to discover the answer to the problem and this morning I was struggling with trying to get a good dimension between CAD lines that are at odd angles ( not 90, 180, 270 etc.). ALWAYS had trouble with this, especially trying to dimension setback lines within property lines.

End to end would seldom give a dimension and point to point was a total PIA to get right.

So as I was posting my question I thought that I should try a couple things. First I made the setback line parallel to PL using CA's make parallel tool but I was snapping all over the place and not getting a good dimension. Then I turned off 'angle snaps' and the dimensions magically worked.

I know it's a bit weird to post an unsolicited tip and especially one that perhaps most users already know but I'd thought I'd throw this out there as this has always frustrated me and may help someone else.

[Curtis Johnson]

Hi Larry:

I to have had my "moments" with this very issue ... and have expended far too much time with it on occasions. I think I have even had my struggles with angle snaps turned off. I will working on one of these today so I will have to see how it goes.

[joey3032]

The long and short of it is...get a dim on one of the lines somewhere, even if to another object if you can't get the two lines lines you are after. Then...

1 - select the dimension
2 - select the MAKE PARALLEL/PERPENDICULAR tool
3 - Select one of the lines to make the dim perp with the line and you can now snap the other end to the other line.