The Chained Dimension Option is really missing in Layout.
The current dimensions are single ones.
I work with Vectorworks, and a chained dimension are for example 12 dimensions chained together.
So instead of placing or moving 1 dimension at a time a chained dimensions saves you lots of time.
I’m an architect and I use Sketchup and Layout for all my drawings.
This would be a huge timesaver.
If you like we can set up a Teamviewer meeting and I can show you how this works in Vectorworks.
I tried looking up chained dimensions, but Vectorworks Knowledge Base seems to have a gap. To clarify, is a chained dimension a series of dimensions that are aligned?
If so, LayOut has its own shortcut for producing aligned dimensions. Matt at Master SketchUp put together a pretty good tutorial on LayOut Dimensions. More specifically, check out Matt’s description of aligning multiple dimensions in LayOut (Tip 1): set your first dimension, then simply double click the next point on your model viewport you’d like to dimension and LayOut will quickly produce aligned dimensions.
Once you’ve churned out aligned dimensions, it’s pretty easy to select all and group them for control of the entire set.
Let us know if this is something closer to what you’re looking for!
Sure, this is possible too using the Shape Style and Dimensions Style styling dialogs in LayOut (both in the Window menu). The key here is to select the Dimensions tool and then set all of your dimensions style settings before you start drawing a dimension.
First things first, select the Dimensions tool (shortcut D), then go to these dialogues and set how you’d like dimensions to be styled. In the Shape style you can control line weights, tick marks, etc. In the Dimensions Style dialog you control precision, text placement and more. The key is to set your desired style before you start drawing a dimensions. Similarly, while you have the Dimensions tool activated, you can go to the text menu and select a default text size and font.
Also, if you do this and then save a template, you can always have these setting available to you whenever you open a new LayOut file.
AND, if already have the dimensions placed with an undesired style, and others dimensions already placed with the desired style, you can use the “Dropper tool” (called “Style” tool) at the Tools Bars in LO:
click up the “Dropped tool”;
click up the desired style dimension (already placed);
click up the undesired style dimension (already placed to).
The undesired dimension styles will change to the desired style.
I like when the dimensions are aligned with the 3D objects in a perspective view, but this is not possible in LayOut. The workaround is to dimension your model directly inside SketchUp, but it might be difficult to adjust the dimensions to a specific scale. See the attached image for an example.
Would it be possible to bring this incredibly useful tool from SketchUp to LayOut?
As you can see, after the 3D project is done, I draw the same ambient with the 2d furniture and apply a different style into sketchup to paint the lines, with an isometric perspective saved on a scene. Then, I export to LayOut and put that invisible dimensions
Workarounds are smart, but often are much more laborious than one would like, and are not my favorite solution for teamwork. But thanks for the tips, anyway.
