Appending Data to Dimension Text

Let’s see how this works by changing an existing dimension’s text in your drawing:
1. Choose Modify  Object  Text  Edit, or type ED↵.
2. Click the last horizontal dimension you added to the drawing at the top of the screen, to
open the Text Formatting toolbar.



3. Press the End key to place the cursor at the end of the 14´-0˝ text, and then type to face
of stud.
4. Click OK on the Text Formatting toolbar, and then press ↵ to exit the Ddedit command. The
dimension changes to read 14´-0˝ to face of stud.
5. Because you don’t need the new appended text for the tutorial, click the Undo button in the
Standard toolbar to remove the appended text.

TIP In this exercise, you were able to edit only a single dimension. To append text to several
dimensions at once, you need to use the Dimension Edit tool. See the “Making Changes to MultipleDimensions” sidebar in this chapter for more on this command.
If you need to restore the original dimension text for a dimension whose value has been completelyreplaced, you can use the steps shown in the previous exercise, but in step 3, replace the textwith the <> bracket symbols.
You can also have AutoCAD automatically add a dimension suffix or prefix to all dimensions,
instead of just a chosen few, by using the Suffix or Prefix option in the Primary Units tab of the NewDimension Style or Modify Dimension Style dialog box. See Appendix C for more on this feature.
AutoCAD provides the associative dimensioning capability to automatically update dimension textwhen a drawing is edited. Objects called definition points determine how edited dimensions are updated.
The definition points are located at the same points you pick when you determine the dimension
location. For example, the definition points for linear dimensions are the extension line origins. The definitionpoints for a circle diameter are the points used to pick the circle and the opposite side of the circle.
The definition points for a radius are the points used to pick the circle, plus the center of the circle.
Definition points are point objects. They’re difficult to see because they’re usually covered by
the feature they define. You can, however, see them indirectly by using grips. The definition pointsof a dimension are the same as the dimension’s grip points. You can see them by clicking a dimension.
Try the following:

1. Make sure the Grips feature is turned on. (See Chapter 2 to refresh your memory on the
Grips feature.)
2. Click the longest of the three vertical dimensions you drew in the earlier exercise. You’ll see
the grips of the dimension, as shown in Figure 12.7.

Making Changes to Multiple Dimensions
You can use the Dimension Edit tool to quickly edit existing dimensions. This tool gives you the ability to edit more than one dimension’s text at one time. One common use for the Dimension Edit tool is to change a string of dimensions to read Equal instead of showing the actual dimensioned distance. The followingexample shows an alternative to using the Properties palette for appending text to a dimension:
1. Type Ded↵.
2. At this prompt Enter type of dimension editing [Home/New/Rotate/Oblique]:
type N↵ to use the New option. The Multiline Text Editor opens, showing 0 in the text box.
3. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor behind or in front of the 0, and then enter the text you wantto append to the dimension. Or, you can remove the 0 and replace the dimension with your text.
4. Click OK.
5. At the Select objects: prompt, pick the dimensions you want to edit. The Select objects:
prompt remains, enabling you to select several dimensions.
6. Press ↵ to finish your selection. The dimension changes to include your new text or to replace the existing dimension text.
The Dimension Edit tool is useful in editing dimension text, but you can also use this tool to make graphicalchanges to the text. Here is a list of the other Dimension Edit tool options:
Home Moves the dimension text to its standard default position and angle.
Rotate Rotates the dimension text to a new angle.
Oblique Skews the dimension extension lines to a new angle. (See the “Skewing Dimension
Lines” section, later in this chapter.)