Dimensioning a Drawing - AutoCAD 2011 and AutoCAD LT 2011: No Experience Required - page 608

Exploring the Alternate units tab

If your work requires your dimensions to display both metric and architectural
units, use the Alternate Units tab in the New Dimension Style dialog box or the
Modify Dimension Style dialog box when you are changing an existing style. In
the example shown in Figure 12.13, the primary units setting is Architectural
(Decimal). Now you'll set up the alternate units:

1. Click the Dimension Style button on the Annotate Tab ➢ Dimensions
panel.

2. Highlight A-DIMS-PLAN in the Dimension Style Manager, if it's not
already highlighted.

3. Click the Modify button to open the Modify Dimension Style dialog box.
This is identical to the New Dimension Style dialog box that you
used in the previous sections.

4. Click the Alternate Units tab. (Look ahead to Figure 12.13 to see what
the style will look like when you're finished here.) You'll make only
three or four changes on this tab.

5. In the upper-left corner of the tab, select the Display Alternate Units
check box.
This makes the rest of the settings on the tab available to you for
making changes.

6. If Decimal (Architectural) isn't displayed in the Unit Format drop-down
list, select it.

7. If Precision isn't set to 0 (0 ′ -0 1 ⁄ 8 ″ ), open that drop-down list and
select that level of precision.

8. If the Unit Format under Alternate Units is Decimal, set Multiplier
For Alt Units to 25.4 .
This makes millimeters the alternate units. If the alternate units
format is Architectural, then set Multiplier For Alt Units to 0.039370 .
This makes inches the alternate units.

9. In the lower-right quarter of the tab, in the Placement area, select
Below Primary Value. This has the effect of placing the alternate
units below the primary units and on the opposite side of the dimen-
sion line. The tab should look like Figure 12.13.

If you want centime-
ters to be the alter-
nate units, change
the Multiplier For
alt Units setting
to 2.54 and set
precision to 0.00.

10. Uncheck the Display Alternate Units check box; you don't need to use
these settings. You won't be using alternate units when you dimen-
sion the cabin.