Expert: Bill DeShawn - 2/24/2005

Question
Is this command the correct way to create 2D views and dimension a solid?  If so, then would you provide instructions on how to use this command.  I have been use to creating a 3D solid and then recreating it again as a 2D, so I can dim.  I have used Pro-E, Solid Works and Solid Designer and those are the only software where you can setup views and dim straight from the model.  Is Acad's Solview command autocad solution?  If so, then when was this command released?  

Answer
You can Dim straight from the model in AutoCAD, too, but it's better if you have a scaled viewport to set your DIMSCALE to 0 so that when looking through a paper space viewport, your dimension text will be as shown in DIMTXT system variable as if you create the dimension in paper space with no scaling.  The arrows will respond directly without a scale factor to the DIMASZ system variable.  If you are not looking orthographically at the dimension, from your point of view, your arrows will lose their fill.  But the dimension is still visible.  Remember that Dimensions are 2-D objects, so create a UCS that is coplanar with the desired dimension from which to draw your dimension.

Keep in touch
Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn