X1.4 Intermittent Dimension Issue

[amichaud]

Morning. I have a few images from screen captures attached that show an irritating dimensioning issue.

If you look you'll notice dimensions are off from an even number by 3/8". If you look really close you'll notice the auto-dimension function is setting on "some thing" that's about 3/8" from the Dimension Layer.

So far I select the Dimension String, grab the dimension marker in question, jiggle it a bit or bump/push irritate it and it snaps back to the PROPER line which is the Exterior Main Layer (it's what I want it to dimension to).

Anyone know what this is all about? Of course I know it must be something I'm doing wrong. Just can't figure out what. Hence my coming here to be told.

By the way, I have NOTHING in the wall make up that is 3/8" thick! I have 3/4" siding layer, 1/2" sheathing layer, 5 1/2" frame etc.

[amichaud]

Man, you don't suppose X1.4 now allows us to dimension to the center of the Siding Layer do you?

I'll have to think how this would be useful but 3/8" is one half my siding layer!!

[Doug Park]

Make sure your walls below or above are aligned properly. We saw a case like this where the walls weren't aligned.

[amichaud]

Doug, I brought this up in the office just after posting. Our intern (17 yr old) taking a CAD course thru school, getting on-site experience suggested I use the railing tool to draw the railing. We had been checking walls were 'properly' snapped and watching the dimensioning. When I erased the railing wall I had created by modifying a siding-6 and redrew the railing wall using the railing tool I couldn't get the 3/8" offset to come back.

My examples shown and others I have seen were all dealing with an area near a siding wall and railing wall junction.

Why it 'sees' something 3/8" differently I can't figure out. The railing I use with the railing tool is now the same as my modified siding-6 wall. No sheathing in or out, no siding layer and 5-1/2" thick.

Will draw all railings using the railing tool from now on.

[amichaud]

Just making sure I relay the exact terminology I used the Railing Subtool from the Wall Parent tool. I did NOT use the new Deck Railing tool that exists same level as wall tool.

Using the railing child tool if I open the railing in the example shown the .DBX of course has a Railing Speciifcation title.

[amichaud]

Now using this cleaned up my dimensions without 'jiggling' the walls but I don't know why there should be a 3/8" offset seen in the first place.

[spark]

Doug, I brought this up in the office just after posting. Our intern (17 yr old) taking a CAD course thru school, getting on-site experience suggested I use the railing tool to draw the railing. We had been checking walls were 'properly' snapped and watching the dimensioning. When I erased the railing wall I had created by modifying a siding-6 and redrew the railing wall using the railing tool I couldn't get the 3/8" offset to come back.

It's possible that it was locating the main layer of the siding-6 railing wall. Do you have a small plan that reproduces this behavior you could send to Technical Support? I would like to take a look at it.

Thanks,

[amichaud]

But Sarah my siding-6 conversion to railing includes my removal of the siding and sheathing layers - which turns it into a single element 5 1/2" framing layer wall type which I simply toggle to a railing in the Wall .DBX.

Actually the .PLAN file I am sending you has TWO wall types calle Railing 6. The top one in the drop down list was built from within the "Railing Wall Type Tool" the second one down is the one I had used to get the erroneous measure. It's simply a siding-6 copied to railing 6 and then stripped of layers.

enjoy

[amichaud]

Thank you for taking the time to investigate this Sarah.

I've zipped the most recent PLAN file that had the problem. I've done a lot of work with it since I posted it earlier this morning when I began the drawing. In fact now it's done. I just sent the customer a PDF of the layout and a hard copy in the mail.

remember two wall types in this PLAN called Railing 6. One causes problem, one doesnt.

[amichaud]

Gone for the weekend.

[spark]

But Sarah my siding-6 conversion to railing includes my removal of the siding and sheathing layers - which turns it into a single element 5 1/2" framing layer wall type which I simply toggle to a railing in the Wall .DBX.

Its a clue in the bizzare plans we sometimes receive at CA with auto dimension problems. The plan usually looks fine, but the generated auto dimensions don't match up. It's possible that this particular process is leaving behind artifacts of the old wall type (which Chief should be cleaning up), causing odd marks to appear when you auto dimension the plan. Hopefully, we'll finally be able to fix-up some of the odd behavior seen in auto dimensions.

Thanks

[amichaud]

Bizarre Plan?

[spark]

Bizarre Plan?

The "looks fine but doesn't auto dimension" plans. In other words, all the walls seem to check out okay but the auto dimension tool doesn't like them. Either way, the point is the process behind constructing such plans is unknown. I think you're the first one to provide both the process and a plan resulting in bad auto dimensioning.

Thanks,

[amichaud]

You're welcome.

Phew, for a moment I thought you were making a comment on the drawing I sent you. Couldn't remember if I removed the roof entry door before I sent it.

:-)

Thanks for taking a look Sarah. By the way, I didn't point it out but I also find that walls near/adjoining railing walls can sometimes lock on at 1/16" error. I simply grab the dimension point and jiggle it over the main layer and it corrects itself. But! These too are examples that came from me placing a siding 6 wall then editing a wall segment to be a Railing and typically I remove layers of the wall.

So that remnant theory may be exactly what it could be. Nothing else makes much sense to me.

Enjoy your day.
Al