Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
earlier in this chapter) are available in the Properties palette when you select one or
more dimensions.
More fine tweaking
In manual drafting, it's considered bad form to cross object lines (that is, real geometry)
with dimension lines or extension lines. Dimension Break (DIMBREAK) prompts you to
select a dimension and then an object to break it. In Figure 14-8, earlier in this chapter,
the right extension line of the 3.50 horizontal dimension is broken by the lower exten-
sion line of the 1.50 vertical dimension.
The Dimension Space (DIMSPACE) command applies a specified separation between ex-
isting linear or angular dimensions. Spacing dimensions equally — if you don't use the
DIMBASELINE command as they're created — requires tedious manipulation with Snap
and MOVE.
If you select one or more dimensions and right-click, the menu displays a
number of useful options for overriding dimension settings or assigning a different
style.
When you change a setting in the Properties palette, you're
overriding
the de-
fault style setting for that dimension. If you need to make the same change to a
bunch of dimensions, it's usually better to create a new dimension style and as-
sign that style to them. You can use the Properties palette or the right-click menu
to change the dimension style that's assigned to one or more dimensions.
You can use the Properties palette to turn on AutoCAD's background mask feature (de-
scribed in Chapter 13) for the text of individual dimensions: Select the dimensions, dis-
play the Text area in the Properties palette, and find the Fill Color item. Click in the list
box, scroll down, and select Background to use the drawing background color (which
usually gives the best results). To ensure that dimension text lies on top of other ob-
jects, use the DRAWORDER or TEXTTOFRONT command — see Chapter 13 for more in-
formation.
