Command of the Month: Trans-Spatial Dimensioning

by Ralph Grabowski

AutoCAD 2002 makes the task of dimensioning easier with the new trans-spatial dimensioning feature (also found in AutoCAD LT 2002). Trans-spatial dimensioning is a feature you may have thought had been in AutoCAD for a long time: while in paper space, you can finally dimension objects located in model space.

After all, paper space is supposed to be for objects that plot full-size, which is what dimensions are. The benefit to trans-spatial dimensioning, of course, is that you no longer need to calculate the scale for dimensioning (via the DimScale system variable). Dimensions created in paper space maintain their associativity, even when you change the geometry in model space, change layout viewport locations, or pan and zoom within the viewport. (I look forward to Autodesk adding the same ability to hatch patterns and linetypes, which are also scale-dependent!)

Curiously enough, this powerful new feature involves no new commands. Instead, all you do to invoke trans-spatial dimensioning is to use it, as described the tutorials.

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Command: None: trans-spatial dimensioning works with all Dim-related commands.

Purpose: Allows paper space dimensioning of model space objects.

Aliases: None

Shortcut: None

Menu bar: None

Tablet menu: None

Status bar: None

Toolbar: None

Related Commands:

All Dim-related commands, plus all editing commands that work with dimensions.

Related system variables:

None. Autodesk says that the DimScale system variable has been made obsolete by this command.