Expert: Shauna Anderson - 6/26/2009

Question
Using Autocad 2000 mechanical I need to show diameter dimension with ± tolerances out to an unspecified point. Turning off arrow and line on outside end, the text requires editing. Using the multiline text editor box, I delete the <> and type in required text. This works ok until dimensions edited in this way require amending in the future when after two amendments the ± changes to a ? I have tried editing the text in properties area using the typed Alt+0177 with same result. Is there a better way of producing a tolerance diameter dimension without resorting to placing the text separately. This means that the text could be misplaced when stretching and moving parts of the drawing and is also slower to ensure placement matches attached text. Have opened every settings box to no avail, hope you can help. Thanks for looking into this. Alison

Answer
Hi Alison,

I don't know mechanical but I think this ACAD fix will work for you. Instead of the Alt+0177, try using %%P.  I try to remember that p is Plus-minus. So a tolerance would say %%p.005 and it will show as ±.005

Can also use %%c for the diameter symbol and %%d for degrees.

Hope that helps!

-Shauna