There are a number of dimension tools available for use and, prior to the v12.1 Dimensions Tool Classic, a formula has been required to display decimal places and extra details. This topic mainly discusses the use of formulas.

Formatting Labels

On every dimension line you use, a label is placed along it showing details about that line/angle/leader. These labels can show a range of different items such as units, decimals, notations etc.

For example, the default text on a dimension could simply just display, as shown, 1472.9 or it could include a leading notation, have a different colour, be placed on an angle or even include a trailing units e.g. 1472.9mm.

Click to view more examples of leading and at angle

You can also easily change the default dimension label to show a different number of decimal places or fractions and extra details. We do this by using the label details in combination with a format string, as discussed below, which is a special text code containing formatting information.

Once we have figured out the format string to use, it gets entered in the Text edit box of the Line Label page of the dimension's property sheet.

Click to view Label page

Each dimension line (Dim Line) can have a different label format using the drop list for selection. Example, Base_Cabinets and Benchtops.

To create your own default, edit the Dimension Tool - see Dimensions Tutorial.

Click to view DimSet Tool

Format the DimSet Item

A label is placed along dimension lines showing details that can be customised before or after placement.

DimSet - Before and After Placement

Before Placement - Open the DimSet Tool by right clicking on the 'Dimension Set' icon. Tools are displayed with a blue background.

After Placement - Open by selecting dimension line on the drawing and then from the right click menu select 'Format DimSet'. The only visible difference is that the background is displayed in light grey.

The DimSet has four control pages which allows you to control all aspects of dimensioning lines. Click on links for detailed discussion on each of the following:-

• Lines - you select which dimension lines appear on the plan.

  Example

  Simply turn On/Off the dimension lines using the check boxes.

  In this example, Benchtop dimension lines will not be displayed.

  

• Line Style  - customise the display colour/size of the Arrows and Ticks and colour of Stems and Lines.
• Line Label  - change the style of Text discussed below.
• Line Filters - filter each dim line further.
  • For example you can turn on/off displaying Wall Ends and Gaps when dimensioning Base_Cabinets.

Text String Format

Mandatory

Every format string has a particular structure, which indicates that it is a format string and not a regular section of text.

Format strings must start with a percentage sign ( % ) and must end with the letter 'F' in upper or lower case.

• The default is a lower-case f indicating that units should not be displayed. Therefore, using a capital F makes units visible.
• There are no other required elements of a format string, so the simplest string is %F (which will display the units on a dimension).

Optional

There are a number of optional elements though, two of which are the period (or full-stop) and the forward-slash ( / ). These are called the remainder characters, and indicate that decimal places or fractions are to be used.

If you use a remainder character, you can also include a precision number after it (but before the 'F' at the end) to indicate the precision e.g %.2F which, when you use decimals, determines the number of decimal places to display. With fractions, the precision number is the maximum denominator.

So the general structure of a format string is:-

• remainder (optional) is either the period or forward-slash character;
• precision (optional) is zero or a positive integer;
• show units (mandatory) is either an upper or lower-case 'F' character.

This will be made clear in the examples below.

Format String Examples

Result	Formula Format   vs Classic Tool V12.1	Comment	Notes
		No format used (default)	With the default precision and no units shown
	%.0f	no decimals, hide units	Since precision was specified as "no decimal places", note that the number has been rounded, not just cut off.
	%.2F	2 decimal places, show units	Shows the current units being added to the label with 2 decimal places.
	Start Text %.f End Text	custom text before and after format	Shows that you can still have other text in a dimension label. The text is printed as it appears, except the format string is replaced with the dimension length. The format string is only replaced once, and if no format string is explicitly included it is appended at the front of the label.
	%/32F See tutorial on Imperial Measurements and Labels	accurate to 1/32", show units	With fractions, the precision indicates the smallest fraction to use (1/32" in this case). Fractional remainders are always simplified, i.e. 14/32" will be written as 7/16".