Problems with dimesion settings

[DaveB]

I'm using TFP 14 trial and I'm trying to set the interior dimensions to measure from surface of one wall to surface of another wall.  I've got the Dimesion Settings/Interior set for leading edge but everytime I try to add a dimension (linear dimension) to my drawing it measures from the center.  Is there another setting that needs to be set for this to work right or is there a bug or limitations in the trial version?

Thanks in advance,
Dave

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Dave,

Dimensions can be confusing at times as it is quite intricate really and very customisable.

First, maybe you have not see the Dimension Settings on the Settings menu.  This allows you to determine how you want the diemnsions to appear.  Maybe this is what you are looking for.

A couple of points re Interior Dimensions:

Linear Dimensions:  This will do the dimension from where you click first to where you click second.  It will highlight a circle and X at the centre of the wall but you can start and end anywhere or you can click on the dimension line and move the blue triangle to exactly where you want it. Zoom in close and you can get it very exact!

Auto Linear Dimensions:  Click outside the building then clcik on the other side of the building - it will add dimensions all the way along this line.  Unfortunately, if you are showing wall thicknesses, it will only show the tickness of the Core. For the most part this is fine but if you are using a brick veneeer wall for example, it ignores the veneer and just shows the core measurement where it crosses the exterior walls.  The exterior dimensions will show the whole of wall thickness.

Check out the help files on these as it explains them quite well.

Allan

[DaveB]

Hi Allan,
Thank you for your reply!
I had found the Dimension Settings in the Setting menu and tried all the combinations of leading edge, center and trailing edge.  Your explanation of Auto Interior and Linear Dimensions did help my understanding of the difference. 
What I'm trying to accomplish is to add interior room dimensions to my drawing with the dimension showing the inside room measurements (from edge of wall to edge of wall.) 
Basically with Linear Dimensions I can get an accurate center to center dimension but not an accurate inside room dimension.
With Auto Interior dimensioning I can get 1 of 4 room dimensions (please see attachment.)  Number 4 of the attached example is the closest to what I'm looking for except that it includes the dimension for the width of the wall which I then have to manually remove.  Manually removing the wall width isn't horrible unless the dimension is totally inside the wall which I then can't select (it always selects the wall.)

Is there a way to select an item that is between the edges of a wall?  I have another example attached where there is a section of wiring that I'm trying to remove from the drawing but it's in a wall.

FYI I'm a long time user of IMSI products; I've been using FP3D v7 for years and I regularly use TurboCAD.

Thanks,
Dave

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Dave,

The simplest way to do what you want, is to use the Linear one, select it and drag the little blue arrow head from the centre of the wall to the edge - the measurement will adjust automatically.  If you go in really close you can get it exact (set the green line exactly over the wall edge - see image). You can do this with any of the dimensions but bear in mind, if you do it with the auto ones, and refresh them later, the auto ones will revert to their original positions.

To delete the electrical wiring element that is within the wall, just lock the walls while you do it. In the View Filter, select walls and click the little filter icon in the Selection column. This will freeze the walls so you can select anything without selecting the walls instead.

I will leave TurboCAD to you! Played with it a few times but could not justify the time for the obvious big learning curve that was in front of me!!!  I have used it a few times to "pinch" part of some TFP items. e.g. I pinched some fancy spindles off a 4 poster bed to use as finials for the roof, but that was enough for my poor brain and time constraints to cope with!!.

Hope you are enjoying TFP. It is much more capable that FP3D once you get used to how it works.  Still a few tweaks needed by the programmers though in the rendering areas, but they will no doubt get there.

Allan