Notes in PS or MS

You'll probably get as many opinions on this theme as there are AutoCAD users. Our preference has alway been to put everything that's directly related to the Model in Model Space -- including dimensions, notes with callouts, etc. Everything that's of a "general" nature -- General Notes, Title Bar, Borders, and similar stuff -- in Paper Space. Our reasoning is similar to yours. ___

Ditto

I take exactly the same approach. But, I really find that modelspace dimensions start to get very cumbersome when you have 20 layers of dimensions. Every release of AutoCAD since the introduction of paperspace has had a "New and Improved" version of paperspace dimensioning. But, every version has problems. In the past, I had problems with paperspace dimensions occasionally forgetting their linear scale factors... resulting in inaccurate dimension values. Then version

2002 introduced the new "Truely Associative" paperspace dimensions... but they also give inaccurate values for some objects. They didn't like most 3d objects either.

So, the modivation to stay in modelspace for dimensions is because of chronic bugs in the paperspace version that cause inaccurate information to be generated.

Joe

Me too.

So far the opinions seem rather one-sided. Where is the arguments for pointing all the notes and dimensions in Paperspace???

Rd

People who do that haven't figured out how to use the net yet. Bwa ha ha ha! ;-)

I go both ways.. my job is more layout work than drafting though. I use ACAD to place equipment & draw piping & ductwork. A typical drawing will have about 3 floors of steel , & layout work all in 3d. large industrial buildings like 100 x100 feet.. the drawings I submit for approval will have minimal dimensions .. mainly elevations & centerline dimensions of various types of machinery from gridlines... I usually do all this in Paperspace.. once I get approvals, I dimension each piece of pipe, duct , or spouting in MS...

just my 2 cents...

Rob

While Paul makes a very good case for his view (he usually does), I have a different one, from a different perspective.

See, most of my work is in manufacturing design (sheet metal chassis, machined parts, etc.). I work in 3D, then send my undimensioned model to the shops to have them built (we have agreements, with our vendors, concerning standard notes and requirements, so that is *typically* not required).

Because the model is gawd (they make the parts from the 3D model), if there is ever need for notes or dimensions (it happens, although rarely), we'll do that in PS, so as not to mess with anything in PS.

Yes, there are other ways to deal with this, but it just seems easier to not muck with MS and, on those rare occasions that we might need dimensions or other annotation, put them in PS in a 2D view.

-- "Who we are and who we become depends, in part, on whom we love."

-- "A General Theory Of Love" Thanks, Mom ______________________________________________________________ Glen Appleby snipped-for-privacy@armory.com

What's "gawd"?

It's a (most often) southern term for "my invisible friend", the head deity of the day.

-- "Who we are and who we become depends, in part, on whom we love."

-- "A General Theory Of Love" Thanks, Mom ______________________________________________________________ Glen Appleby snipped-for-privacy@armory.com

I also use my models in other programs, and would really prefer to just reference the model, without all the dimensions. Putting the dimensions in paperspace does this very well.

Can you say how you deal with making sure the paperspace dimensions are accurate. Do you use the transpacial dimensions? (they don't seem to work on most 3D objects, although SOME of have been fixed in 2004)

Joe

I thought it was some acronym. That reminds me of one of the most embarrassing moments of my life....

I was in 5th or 6th grade and reading aloud in class and came across this word that looked like it should be pronounced "hee-ven". It was "heaven", and the class cracked up, teacher included, because of all kids I should know *that* word. Mine was the only father who had a full face beard and walked around all day in black with a tall, stiff black collar that had a thin white stripe at the top......everybody stared at him wherever we went.

Heck, try a LISP routine (I am sure that I had seen it posted somewhat recently) that gets the paperspace scale and makes the appropriate changes to the PS dimension.

(whatch the grief that I get for this:) I don't use dimensions. They are redundant.

-- "Who we are and who we become depends, in part, on whom we love."

-- "A General Theory Of Love" Thanks, Mom ______________________________________________________________ Glen Appleby snipped-for-privacy@armory.com

[re "gawd"]

It certainly could be! Let's make one up.

(extra points if it involves religion)

-- "Who we are and who we become depends, in part, on whom we love."

-- "A General Theory Of Love" Thanks, Mom ______________________________________________________________ Glen Appleby snipped-for-privacy@armory.com

The most serious problem I've run into with several versions of AutoCAD is that dimensions would occasionally "forget" their dimlfac value. This is not user error - it is probably a drawing corruption issue (one that has been pursued without results). The other chronic problems with paperspace dimensions are enough to convince me that they are just unreliable.

I do occasionally use them... however I always check the values, and then explode them afterwards to immunize them against AutoCAD bugs.

Joe

exploding dimensions is a very bad idea IMO. nothing like scaling a drawing or stretching a part & having a the dimension stay the same.

How about trying it this way.... Draw the model in it's own drawing, with no text, dims, etc. Then x-ref that into another drawing, where you can put dims, notes and stuff in MS if you want. Then, with your title block stuff set up in PS, your all set. Thats pretty much how I do construction drawings involving several disciplines. Since I don't want the mechanical engineers notes in the same model as the electrical, or the civil, or the structural guys, I draw a floor plan on it's own. Then xref the base floor plan into various later drawings (plumbing plan, lighting plan, foundation plan, etc). It also assures everyone is working off of the same, most current version of the floor plan. HTH Steve

That's not a bad idea Steve

RD