Expert: Bill DeShawn - 8/13/2007

Question
I have a floor plan. To draw the exterior elevations of all 4 sides, i spin the UCS 90, issue "plan" & draw below the plan.  lets say I draw & dimension 1 face, then realize the opposite is exactly the same, so I control-C that face, spin the UCS, control-V & the identical face is there in place.  BUT BUT BUT BUT if I explode this block, all dimensions flip around & are useless & unfixable.  this nightmare is also true blocking from dwg to dwg.  it is a flaw that is so UNTHINKABLE, I refuse to believe it exists in a $3000 program.  is there a trick to avoid this & make copying dimensions usable??  thank you, thank you.

Answer
Phil:
Your dimension might very well be associative to their geometry which was produced in another UCS.  Also, If you explode a dimension, its dimension style which is embedded in the block and created from another DWG file where the dimension style is not exactly the same as the one of the same name in your current drawing where you inserted the block.  Your dimensions will take on the properties of the current style of the same in in the current drawing.  This might be the REAL problem.  But if that was the problem, then, I wouldn't say that the problem was unfixable.  You can fix them, by fixing the dimension style.  Also, if you used Aligned dimensions, they'll go haywire, too when you copy and paste them and attempt to manipulate them.  

If you are just using the STANDARD dimension style name and define if differently in two different drawings and paste the dims in a block, then explode the block, well, goobye, Charlie.  Correctly define the dimension style first, and identically in both drawings BEFORE you do insert a block with dimensions & with the intention of exploding the block.  Then you should have a prettier picture.  :)

Also, I wish I could justify the cost of AutoCAD, but I can't.   In my opinion, the main reason they're making it so well is because they seem to be doing a pretty good job of brow-beating the companies using OPENDWG.  I have it, because I have to have it.  It's the industry standard.  If I use IntelliCAD (for example), the "Trusted DWG" check that AutoCAD will do will not allow you to see their drawings with AutoCAD.  If you want send DWG files to somebody with AutoCAD, you have to use AutoCAD to make the DWG file - and ALL of it.  I'm stuck as are many.  If and when the revolution is successful, AutoCAD may be forced to reduce their prices.  But I won't hold my breath.

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