Linear dimensions that are on an angle

Dave R · 31 Jan 2014, 21:13

I can't speak for everyone but I would second the feature request.

I'm not sure about the component thing but maybe there's something there. I didn't make any components in my illustration and my drawing was only some lines on the ground plane.

ashscott · 31 Jan 2014, 21:33

Your explanation was another clever way to do it using guides.

What I mean by components is this:
If you dimension a shape like we are describing in SU outside of the component it will give you a straight line dimension between the two points:

Basically in relation to the axes of the main model.

But if you open the component and add the dimension within the component it references the component axes and you get an accurate dimension:

If you could somehow reference these component axes in LO perhaps LO could give accurate dimensions too....?

Dave R · 31 Jan 2014, 22:17

I see what you mean. Somehow it would be nice to have the ability to specify a line to which the dimension arrow would be parallel.

ashscott · 31 Jan 2014, 23:41

Yes! That is a great idea! Anyone here with the programming/scripting capacity to implement it?

pbacot · 1 Feb 2014, 19:17

Your example is great, and adding to my earlier point, the CAD I use has many angles that can be preset besides ortho. Dimensions can work to all preset angles besides directly between the pick points.

ashscott · 2 Feb 2014, 19:58

Here is the feature request - http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13%26amp;t=56111

do I need to document it more fully within the request or can I simply reference this thread?

Dave R · 2 Feb 2014, 20:02

Good. I think the reference is probably fine but you might want to add your screen shot to that other post.

Dave R · 2 Feb 2014, 20:30

Well, it makes sense to me.

ashscott · 2 Feb 2014, 20:35

The other useful thing is in relation to angle cuts. If you cut a piece of steel or wood in a workshop cutting machine, a 90 degree cut straight across the material is considered 0 degrees so a slight angle might be 5 degrees. If you try to show this in layout you have to reference it from the edge of the material and so get 85 degrees or 95 degrees.

Some way of referencing a perpendicular cut as 0 would be very helpful when making cut diagrams for the workshop.

I have been working around this by using a modification of Dave R's methodology above in that I put in a perpendicular guide in SU, reference in layout, delete it in SU and "Update Reference" in layout but the ability to do this in some natural manner within Layout would be very powerful.

Am I making sense?

ashscott · 2 Feb 2014, 20:40

I updated the feature request - please support it!:
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13%26amp;t=56111%26amp;p=509418#p509418