With
dimension breaks, you can keep the dimension, extension, or leader lines
from appearing as if they are a part of the design.
Show Me: Add a Break to
a Dimension
Dimension
breaks can be added to a dimension or a multileader automatically
or manually. The method that you choose to place dimension breaks depends
on the number of objects that intersect a dimension or multileader.
You can add dimension
breaks to the following dimension and leader objects:
- Linear dimensions (aligned and rotated)
- Angular dimensions (2- and 3-point)
- Radial dimensions (radius, diameter,
and jogged)
- Arc length dimensions
- Ordinate dimensions
- Multileaders (straight only)
The following dimension
and leader objects do not support dimension breaks:
- Multileaders (spline only)
- “Legacy” leaders (straight or spline)
The following table explains
the conditions where dimension breaks do not work or are not supported.
| Dimension Break Exceptions |
Condition
|
Description
|
No break in xrefs or blocks
|
Dimension breaks on dimensions or multileaders
in xrefs and blocks are not supported. However, the objects in an xref
or block can be used as the cutting edges for dimension breaks on
dimensions or multileaders that are not in an xref or block.
|
No break on arrowhead and
dimension text
|
Dimension breaks cannot be placed on
an arrowhead or the dimension text. If you want a break to appear
at the dimension text, it is recommended to use the background mask
option. If the intersecting point of an object and the dimension
are at the arrowhead or dimension text, the break will not be displayed
until the intersecting object, or dimension or multileader are moved.
|
| No break on trans-spatial dimensions |
Automatic breaks are
not supported for objects and dimensions or multileaders that are
in different spaces. In order to break a dimension or multileader
that is in a different space, you need to use the Manual option
of the DIMBREAK command.
|
You
can move dimension breaks from dimensions or multileaders. When removing
dimension breaks from a dimension or multileader, all dimension breaks
are removed. If there are some dimension breaks that you don’t want to
remove, you need to add them again.
The following objects
can be used as cutting edges when adding a dimension break:
- Dimension
- Leader
- Line
- Circle
- Arc
- Spline
- Ellipse
- Polyline
- Text
- Multiline text
- Blocks but limited to the previously
mentioned objects in this list
- Xrefs but limited to the previously mentioned
objects in this list
Automatic Dimension Breaks
To create an automatically
placed dimension break, you select a dimension or multileader, and
then use the Auto option of the DIMBREAK command. Automatic dimension
breaks are updated any time the dimension or multileader, or intersecting
objects are modified.
You
control the size of automatically placed dimension breaks on the
Symbols and Arrows tab of the Dimension Style dialog box. The specified
size is affected by the dimension break size, dimension scale, and
current annotation scale for the current viewport. For more information
about annotation scaling, see Scale Annotations.
Dimension Break Created
by Selecting an Object
Instead
of placing a dimension break for each object that intersects a dimension
or multileader, you can specify which of the intersecting objects
to use. Dimension breaks that are added by selecting individual
intersecting objects are updated any time the dimension or multileader,
or intersecting objects are modified.
Dimension Break Created
by Picking Two Points
You can place a dimension
break by picking two points on the dimension, extension, or leader
line to determine the size and placement of the break. Dimension
breaks that are added manually by picking two points are not automatically
updated if the dimension or multileader, or intersecting object is
modified.
So if a dimension or
multileader with a manually added dimension break is moved or the
intersecting object is modified, you might have to restore the dimension
or multileader, and then add the dimension break again. The size of
a dimension break that is created by picking two points is not affected
by the current dimension scale or annotation scale value for the
current viewport.
To automatically create
dimension breaks for each intersecting object
-
- Select a dimension or multileader.
- Enter a (Auto) and
press Enter.
To create a single dimension
break based on an intersecting object
-
- Select a dimension or multileader.
- Select an object that intersects the
dimension or multileader. Press Enter.
To create a manual dimension
break
-
- Select a dimension or multileader.
- Enter m (Manual) and
press Enter.
- Specify the first point on the dimension,
extension, or leader line for the dimension break.
- Specify the second point along the dimension,
extension, or leader line for the dimension break.
To create dimension breaks
for multiple dimensions or multileaders at one time
-
- Enter m (Multiple)
and press Enter.
- Select the dimensions or multileaders
to which to add the dimension breaks.
- Enter a (Auto) and
press Enter.
To remove all dimension
breaks from a dimension or multileader
-
- Select a dimension or multileader.
- Enter r (Remove) and
press Enter.
To remove all dimension
breaks from multiple dimensions or multileaders
-
- Enter m (Multiple),
and press Enter.
- Select the dimensions or multileaders
from which to remove the dimension breaks, and press Enter.
- Enter r (Remove),
and press Enter.
CommandsDIMBREAK
Breaks or restores dimension
and extension lines where they cross other objects.
DIMSTYLE
Creates and modifies
dimension styles.
