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AutoCAD Architecture Dimension Styles and AEC Dimension Styles

An AEC Dimension Style is a group of properties assigned to an AEC Dimension that define its appearance and other settings of this AEC Object.

Each AEC Dimension Style has in its core a traditional Dimension Style, which controls all parameters that are not directly related to the AEC Dimension Style.

Dimension Style controls the following parameters:

• Dimension line color, linetype, and lineweight, and others
• Extension line color, linetype, and lineweight, and others
• Arrow shape and size, center mark, dimension break, and others
• Text style, color, size, placement, and alignment
• Units format, numeric precision, decimal separator, and others

AEC Dimension Style controls the following parameters:

• Number of dimension lines (chains)
• Content of each dimension line
• Fixed or variable extension lines
• Exhibition of windows and openings' sill values

So, you must create or use an existing Dimension Style to assign to an AEC Dimension Style.

Creating a Dimension Style

Although this article teaches the use of an AutoCAD Architecture feature, we are going to learn to create a traditional Dimension Style to assign to a customized AEC Dimension Style.

First, we will learn how to create a block to use as a customized arrow:

1. In a new file, in the Layer 0, type CIRCLE at the command prompt and press [ENTER].
2. Type 0,0,0 as the circle's center point.
3. Type 1" as the circle's radius.
4. Type LINE and press [ENTER].
5. Type 0,-6" as the initial point.
6. Type 0,6" as the final point.
7. Type LINE and press [ENTER].
8. Type -6",0 as the initial point.
9. Type 6",0 as the final point.
10. Type -BLOCK (with a hyphen in front of the word "BLOCK").
11. In Enter block name or [?]:, type ARROW and press [ENTER].
12. In Create annotative block [Yes/No] <Y>: type No and press [ENTER]. Note that Annotative blocks cannot be used as custom arrowheads for dimensions or leaders.
13. In Orient relative to sheet in paper space viewports [Yes/No] <N>: type No and press [ENTER].
14. In Specify insertion base point or [Annotative]: type 0,0,0 and press [ENTER].
15. Select the circle and the two lines to define our customized block called ARROW.

Now we will create our AutoCAD Dimension Style:

1. Click the Format menu.
2. Click Dimension Style…

   

   Figure 13: Dimension Style Manager Dialog Box

3. In the Dimension Style Manager dialog box, click the New… button.
4. In the Create New Dimension Style dialog box, in the text box New Style Name, type MyAECDimStyle.

   

   Figure 14: Create New Dimension Style Dialog Box

5. In the pull-down list Start With, select Standard.
6. Enable the Annotative check box to activate the annotative feature.
7. In the pull-down list Use for, select All Dimensions.
8. Click the Continue button.
9. In the New Dimension Style: MyAECDimStyle dialog box, click the Lines tab and configure all parameters as shown in Figure 15:

   

   Figure 15: New Dimension Style: MyAECDimStyle – Lines Tab

10. Click the Symbol and Arrows tab and configure all parameters as shown in Figure 16. To define first and second arrowheads, click in each pull-down list, and choose User Arrow, then in the Select Custom Arrow dialog box, select the ARROW block in the list.

    

    Figure 16: New Dimension Style: MyAECDimStyle – Symbol and Arrows Tab

11. Click the Text tab and configure all parameters as shown in Figure 17.

    

    Figure 17: New Dimension Style: MyAECDimStyle – Text Tab

12. To create the DIM text style, click the reticence button (highlighted with a red circle in Figure 17):

    

    Figure 18: Text Style Dialog Box

13. In the Text Style dialog box, click the New button, and type the name of the style as DIM. Then click the OK button.
14. Configure the remaining parameters as shown in Figure 18 and click the Apply button, then click the Close button.
15. Click the Text tab and configure all parameters as shown in ; font-weight: bold Figure 19.

    

    Figure 19: New Dimension Style: MyAECDimStyle – Fit Tab

16. Click the Primary Units taband configure all parameters as shown in Figure 20.

    

    Figure 20: New Dimension Style: MyAECDimStyle – Primary Units Tab

    In this example, we do not use the parameters in the tabs Alternate Units and Tolerances.

17. Click OK button to close the New Dimension Style: MyAECDimStyle dialog box.
18. Click the Close button to close the Dimension Style Manager dialog box.

Creating an AEC Dimension Style

1. Click the Document menu. If you do not have this menu, click the Window menu > Pulldowns > Document, and you will see it.
2. Click the AEC Dimension command.
3. Click AEC Dimension Styles…
4. On the left side of the Style Manager dialog box, right-click in AEC Dimension Styles, and select New.

   

   Figure 21: A new AEC Dimension Style

5. Type MyAECDimStyle as the new AEC Dimension Style name and click twice to edit it.

   

   Figure 22: AEC Dimension Styles Properties – MyAECDimStyle - General Tab

6. In the Description text box, type My AEC Dimension Style.
7. Click the Chains tab to start defining the number of dimension lines.

   

   Figure 23: AEC Dimension Styles Properties – MyAECDimStyle - Chains Tab

8. In the Number of Chainstext box, type 3.
9. Click the Display Properties tab.

   

   Figure 24: AEC Dimension Styles Properties – MyAECDimStyle — Display Properties Tab

10. Apply an override in Display Representation Plan by clicking the correct check box under the Style Override column.
11. In the Display Propertiesdialog box, click the Contents tab.

    

    Figure 25: Display Properties Dialog Box – Contents Tab

12. Select Chain1.
13. Select Wall and select Overall and Wall Intersections.
14. Select Opening in Wall and select Opening Max. Width.
15. Select Mass Element and select Bounding Box.
16. Select Curtain Wall and select Bounding Box.
17. Select Door/Window Assembly and select Bounding Box.
18. Select Structural Member and select Bounding Box.
19. Select Opening/Door/Window and select Bounding Box.
20. Select Grid and select All Grid Lines.
21. Select Linework and select nothing.
22. Select Other and select Bounding Box.
23. Select Chain2.
24. Select Wall and select Overall and Wall Intersections.
25. Select Opening in Wall and select nothing.
26. Select Mass Element and select nothing.
27. Select Curtain Wall and select nothing.
28. Select Door/Window Assembly and select nothing.
29. Select Structural Member and select nothing.
30. Select Opening/Door/Window and select nothing.
31. Select Grid and select Outer Grid Lines.
32. Select Linework and select nothing.
33. Select Other and select nothing.
34. Select Chain3.
35. Select Wall and select Overall.
36. Select Opening in Wall and select nothing.
37. Select Mass Element and select nothing.
38. Select Curtain Wall and select nothing.
39. Select Door/Window Assembly and select nothing.
40. Select Structural Member and select nothing.
41. Select Opening/Door/Window and select nothing.
42. Select Grid and Select Overall.
43. Select Linework and select nothing.
44. Select Other and select nothing.

    

    Figure 26: Display Properties Dialog Box – Other Tab

45. In the Display Propertiesdialog box, click the Other tab.
46. In the Dimension Style list, select the dimension style MyAECDimStyle. This is the style you created earlier in this example.
47. In the Distance between Chains text box, type 1'-0".
48. Turn on the Use Fixed Length Extension Lines check box and type 11/16" in Length of Extension Lines textbox.
49. If you want ACA 2010 to show windows and the openings' sill value, turn on Show Height of Openings.
50. Click OK button to close the Display Properties dialog box.
51. Click OK button to close the AEC Dimension Style Properties dialog box.
52. Click OK button to close the Style Manager dialog box.

Figure 27: Example of MyAECDimStyle Usage

Part 2 – Summing Up

In Part 2, you learned how to create a traditional AutoCAD Dimension Style to assign to an AEC Dimension Style. You also learned how to create an AEC Dimension Style.

In Part 3, you will learn how to insert AEC Dimensions in your drawing and how to edit the grip points of AEC Dimensions.

"Less is more!"
Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
(1886-1969)

The text from this course material was based on AutoCAD Architecture 2010 Student Release and the original content is copyrighted property of Autodesk, Inc. Personal comments from the faculty were added along this course material with educational purposes. All the pictures from this course material were captured using Print-Screen from AutoCAD Architecture 2010 Student Release windows and dialog boxes and they are copyrighted property of Autodesk, Inc.