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Dimension Tool

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:10 pm
by kohlerpwns
Hi all,

I am new to QCad, I began working with it in the fall, and took a hiatus, but now am back.

I find the dimension tool to be quite frustrating, I know in September/October I struggled with it, and ultimately learned how to use it properly. At that point the issue was that the actual size of the arrows had to be enlarged in preferences, I adjusted, and was all set.

Now when I use it it simply creates a straight line with a beam on either end, and I am struggling to determine what this even means.

Can anyone help? I just want to draw objects, and attach a size to them.

Help! Screen Shot attached,

Josh

Re: Dimension Tool

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:29 pm
by Husky
Hi Josh - welcome in the forum.
kohlerpwns wrote:Can anyone help? I just want to draw objects, and attach a size to them.
Most of the time it is just a question of proportionality between the desired printing scale for the drawing and the drawing itself.
Or if you just need the info on your monitor ....

However, to get a better idea what you are trying to do - could you attach an example dxf with the desired printing scale?

Re: Dimension Tool

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 10:55 pm
by kohlerpwns
Heya Husky,

Just saw your reply, I tried to mock up an example in a new drawing and things got even more bizarre in terms of what the dimension tool was doing.

This was just a brand new file, but I opened it while in session with another and thought perhaps that was an issue.

I closed the program, and now am just trying to do the simplest action of drawing a rectangle, and then adding measurements to it. Now the dimension tool, regardless of what I select on the menu is making angular shapes with large white beams. It really should not be this difficult right? I don't remember it being this way in the fall.

Really confused, attaching screen cap and the file please help explain what I am doing wrong exactly as I am sure the issue is on my end.

Josh

Re: Dimension Tool

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 11:09 pm
by andrew
Something went wrong with your drawing preferences.

Please check Edit > Drawing Preferences > Dimension > Dimension Settings:
Screen Shot 2014-03-17 at 23.04.51.png
Screen Shot 2014-03-17 at 23.04.51.png (105.49 KiB) Viewed 11557 times
Please correct the text height to for example 2 (for 2 Inches):
Screen Shot 2014-03-17 at 23.07.31.png
Screen Shot 2014-03-17 at 23.07.31.png (102.08 KiB) Viewed 11557 times
Your dimenions should then behave as expected again:
Screen Shot 2014-03-17 at 23.08.39.png
Screen Shot 2014-03-17 at 23.08.39.png (11.94 KiB) Viewed 11557 times

Re: Dimension Tool

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 11:52 pm
by Husky
Hi Josh,

just follow Andrews advise - it seems to be the reason for this unexpected behavior of your dimensioning in QCAD.

Double-check also the Defaults in "Application preferences" / "Defaults for new drawings" / "Dimension Settings". That is what QCAD will use first of all as defaults for a new drawing.

Here are my default settings for new drawings: I work most of the time in inch. The Text hight is 0.137795 what is equal to ~ 3.5 mm (Scale 1"=1").
Husky-2014.03.17-01.png
Husky-2014.03.17-01.png (58.22 KiB) Viewed 11554 times

Re: Dimension Tool

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:17 am
by kohlerpwns
Hi all,

Oh wow I am a fool. I did not realize there were additional preferences in the drawing I needed to adjust, I was doing it all in the "QCad" preferences.

Thank you both!

Any idea what the weird angular thing kept happening.

Also, just to prove I'm back in action pic attached.

And yes, it was totally a mistake on my part.

Thank you!!!!

Josh

Re: Dimension Tool

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:45 pm
by Clive
kohlerpwns wrote:Oh wow I am a fool. I did not realize there were additional preferences in the drawing I needed to adjust, I was doing it all in the "QCad" preferences.
Hi Josh, no you're no fool, to be honest, unless you read any documentation or have been told about this - you may well expect that this is an obvious way forward.

- Andrew
I think it would be a good idea to have an automatic window or a note of some sort associated with the Application Preferences dialog, explaining to the user the difference between 'Application and Drawing' preferences and how it effects things in QCAD, with the option to 'Do not show this again'.