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Tips, Tricks, and Cheats… ArchiCAD Dimensions

Dimensions in ArchiCAD are super basic, right? Well here’s a video on some tips, tricks, and cheats regarding this essential tool. I cover about 15 to 20 different aspects of ArchiCAD’s Dimension Tool. So clearly not an exhaustive or comprehensive discussion. If there’s interest, I’ll gladly do more videos like this for various tools and features with ArchiCAD (ei, back to basics videos). Hopefully regardless of your skill level a few of these techniques will be new to you, or at least a good refresher. Here’s a sample of what I cover in the video…

Tips:

How to add ±, ø, ∞, and other weird symbols into dimension text.

Tricks:

How to move a single node in a static dimension independent of the rest of the string.

Cheats:

I won’t give specifics here. But I will say this: sometimes you need to cheat within BIM. And sometimes that cheating involves dimensions. So do it in the smartest way; use BIM concepts even with your dirty secrets.

Enjoy!

Bonus: At the end of the video, I mention manuBIM’s Floating Dimension Object.
Learn more about it here.

UPDATE and BONUS TIP: From the feedback I’m getting, users of all skill levels have something to learn from this video. Awesome. Awesome. I’m so glad to hear that. Now here’s a bonus tip I should have mentioned in the video… When you are placing node points while creating a dimension string, if you goof up and add a node in the wrong place, just click on the node again (before you finish the string) and that node will disappear.

Now it’s your turn. Did I forget to mention a cool dimension trick? Leave your Dimensioning advice in the comments.

Comments

  • November 14, 2012
    reply

    stephan langella

    Jared,
    you forgot about having different length leader lines across a string. How to create them for different nodes and how you can alt click & alt ctrl click to transfer the same setting to other nodes.

    Cheers

  • March 28, 2013
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    Danielle

    Jared, this was a great video! I have a question, though– When you are dimensioning to the wall, and then hit the button in the info box for the core of the wall… where is that button?! I’m in AC16 and don’t have any sort of symbol like that at all in my info box. I checked to see if I was missing a palette or toolbar, but it didn’t look like it. Any ideas?

    Thanks!

  • March 30, 2013
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    akanksha sinha

    I need measurements shown on the outside of the building plan so i can print the building with the measurements
    not getting how to do it. help

  • May 23, 2013
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    Paula

    Hi! Any idea how can I set in the same plan, dimensions less that 1meter to be writen in cm and the ones bigger that 1m to be in meters? I saw this in many projects and I really can’t find this option anywhere.

      • May 24, 2013
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        Paula

        Wow. thanks. I just handed my school project today, so your advise was life saving. Thank you so much!

  • July 18, 2013
    reply

    Cam

    Hi Jared,

    I have been watching your tutorials and it has been a great help to me since I just started a new job using Archicad.
    I do have a question about the dimension string and its probably a very dumb question. I see that when you deleted a piece of the dimension string you could easily select the individual dimension but for some reason I can’t do this. Is there a way to separate the dimensions so I can delete them?

    Thanks.

      • July 21, 2013
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        Cam

        Thanks Jared. Appreciate the help.

  • October 8, 2013
    reply

    Great….thanks

  • October 8, 2013
    reply

    Hey Jared

    Thanks for the post! Dimensions are always one of my favorite training topics, along with roofs and layouting! And there’s so many things to show off with ArchiCAD’s fantastic dimensioning tool. I particularly like to highlight the round vs square reference points and their resulting associated vs static dimensions, tabbing through multiple overlapping elements to choose what you’re going to dimension to and hovering over (completed) dimension string nodes and using pre-selection highlight to see what that dimension is associated to. Really powerful stuff and helps it sink in for new users. Don’t start me on accuracy, rotating, copying or automatic dimensioning. We’d be here all day!! 🙂

    Hope all is well.

    Cheers,
    Link.

  • February 6, 2014
    reply

    Marko

    HI !I would like to ask if some one knows how to set the automatic dimensiong tool ( reference lines) to: snap to the skin and core at the same time,having multipal layer walls and slabs dimensioning proces made easy?? or something on automatic dimensioning topic more would help.
    Thanks Marko

  • February 7, 2014
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    marko

    Thanks for your time .

    Marko.

  • March 28, 2014
    reply

    sireen

    How can i resize (re scale it) my drawing if i import a map in mm how can i rescale it to m in archicad ???????????

  • March 29, 2014
    reply

    Marko

    Hi ! quick one , do i need to install the latest hot fix for archicad 17, or all of them ??

  • May 23, 2014
    reply

    Andra

    Hello,
    I have a real problem with layout book. The drawings that I made in project map have dimensions, while in the layout, they don’t. How can I set it wright, so I can see the drawing as designed? Thank you!

  • May 27, 2014
    reply

    Morgan

    Hi Jared i have a very small problem with my dimensioning.How do i make my dimension text to be always on top of it’s corresponding dimension line, even if the space seems small so that it makes the text appear elevated from the normal dimension text?

  • July 16, 2014
    reply

    Hi Jared I scanned here and in Ac forum pretty quickly, I am checking to see if AC can do both Imperial and metric dimensioning at the same time. Thank JA

  • July 21, 2014
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    Marko

    Hi !! please can you tell me if there is a way to make my schedule list for zones, to show the fill of the corresponding zone in the schedule list ?? or is there a other way to so.
    i have a lot of zones and would make it much easier to view my zone list with my floor plans and have a colored matching fill next to it.

    Thanks Marko.

  • February 26, 2015
    reply

    Hi Jared,
    Do you happen to know of a way to create a dimension with the dimension (measured value) on top of the dimension line, and then custom text below the dimension line?
    Many thanks!

  • March 4, 2015
    reply

    Luka Florjanc

    Hello Jared,
    Please allow me a quick question about zone dimensions. I understand that the units (and decimals) for floor area could be controled through “project preferences – dimensions”. But I can`t find where I can control units and decimals for zone height? For example I have floor area in meters with one decimal and height in centimeters with one zero decimal (and would like to change it). I use Archicad 16. Thank you in advance. Regards …

  • March 6, 2015
    reply

    Luka Florjanc

    Thank you very much. I`d let you know if I find out. Regards.

  • April 23, 2015
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    Peter

    Can you scale individual objects in archicad18 like you can do in illustrator?
    I want to scale a imported exploded PDF

  • May 11, 2015
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    Sarah Patterson

    Hi Jared,
    Thanks for the video! Unfortunately it didnt help me solve a problem i’m having when using auto dimensioning. When doing this I end up with lots of small dimensions at the corners of my building which would suggest the walls aren’t square. However, when I try to adjust the walls they are actually along the guideline or at 0 angle or intersected with another wall, for example. I can actually just delete the dimension values like how you show to, but I want to know why they are happening. Is it my drawing or dimensioning? ? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Sarah.

  • May 22, 2015
    reply

    Alex

    Hi Jared,
    My dimension lines are starting too close to the walls … on all of the tutorials they seem to sit out from the walls but mine are almost on top. Is there a setting to have them 10mm away from the walls/object.
    I’ve been play around with all the settings and can only manage to change lines individually. There has to be an easier way because this will take forever and they don’t end up even.
    Help would be muchly appreciated!

  • July 8, 2015
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    JENNIFER

    Jared, great video. Any ideas in how to make the dimension strings default to place in front of all other model components? Quite often, the dimension strings get placed behind walls, railings, slabs etc and we consistently have to select all and bring to front. Thanks!

      • July 13, 2015
        reply

        Jennifer

        We actually just got an interesting response from Graphisoft. See below:

        Elements have a a default display order based on the tool that created them:

        1. Annotation (Text, Labels, all Dimension types, Zone Stamps)
        2. 2D Lines, Circles, Splines, Hotspots
        3. Library Parts (Objects, Lamps, Stairs)
        4. 3D structures (Walls, Beams, Slabs, Doors, Windows, Columns, Roofs, Meshes)
        5. 2D polygons (Fills, Zone Polygons)
        6. Figures (Images)

        There are 16 possible levels of display order, so there should be room to adjust these to play well together. Often people only use the “move up” or “move to the top” command rather than the “Move down” command to adjust the relative display order of some elements. If so, you could find that some elements are already at the top, conflicting with annotation. If everything moved down a level or two, you might fix the problem by selecting all the dimensions and reseting them to their default display order.
        ______________
        I discovered that these display orders can be easily reset via the following:
        Edit > Display Order > Reset Default Order

    • May 9, 2016
      reply

      Danielle

      Hey Jared and Jennifer,

      I know this was a while ago, but I was so glad to find this comment, as my office is having the same issue. But when we tried the Edit>Display Order>Reset Display Order command, we found that we had to do it for each dimension string (or batch of strings) and that it didn’t solve the problem for putting in new dimension strings. Plus, while the dimensions moved above some things (walls, some objects), they still were behind slabs for some reason. So I’m wondering if you found anything else about this? I checked out the forum but didn’t find anything useful, but I’ll post there next if you don’t have more advice. Thanks in advance!

      • May 10, 2016
        reply

        Jennifer

        In plan view, you can either “select all” or “find and select” all dimension strings and then these are selected, then do Edit > Display Order > Reset Default Order

        The downside of doing select all is that this may undo some positions that you have already customized. In most cases, I’d recommend just selecting all of your dimensions and maybe the text and label components and then do the reset. You will have to repeat this on each story level. Also, the reason you are having the issue with new dimension strings is that you probably have some elements brought all the way to the front. If you “select all” and click the “send backwards” tool one time, this could resolve the issue but I am not sure if this will retain all of the ordering of each element and just move them back one priority level or if this would reset them all to be the same priority level (described in the ArchiCAD response above). Hope this is helpful and not too wordy!

  • July 29, 2015
    reply

    Andrew

    Hello Jared –

    My question with dimension is this:

    Let’s say you have a dimension that is too big to fit within its witness lines, and it appears outside, but next to, another dimension. Is there a way, besides drawing a polyline, to have the dimension have a leader to its proper dimension? Thanks.

      • July 30, 2015
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        Andrew

        Thanks for the response, Currently running on 18, so will have to stick with drawing a polyline for the time being.

  • August 31, 2015
    reply

    andrea

    Hi Jared, this is my problem: archicad18, I’ve been working on my model using imperial dimensions and also working units, but when I go to layout it automatically shows the dimensions in the model like metric … ? I set the settings in working preferences/working units/ model units and layout units both on imperials but it still show in the layout all metric … do you know a way to get it all in imperials? Thanks a lot.

      • August 31, 2015
        reply

        andrea

        Thank you for the very quick answer. Actually I did, they are both (working units and dimensions) set on feet and inches but when I see the model in the layout it shows only metric … Am I working with a wrong template maybe? I think it’s problem of layout settings but I don’t know where to change it other than in project preferences …

  • August 31, 2015
    reply

    andrea

    Thank you! You were right, I had to modify the source view settings and now it is working fine.
    I selected the drawing in the layout view, I clicked the right side of the mouse and a panel came out with the option to modify source view settings …
    Thanks again.

  • December 15, 2015
    reply

    Mubangizi Rauben

    my walls appear disconnected in the plan(appear crossing each other). how can i overcome this problem? help pliz

  • December 21, 2015
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    Bill

    Hi Jared,
    Firstly, thanks for sharing great tips.
    We (work) are currently in the process of upgrading to Archicad 18 from version 13.
    Big jump, I know… I have been exploring V18 and discovering what things had changed over the years with all the newer versions. I’m wondering if you can help me out with this question?
    How do you extend dimension witness lines individually ? In V13 we were able to just select the witness line node (while the dimension tool is selected) and just drag the witness line with the mouse to whatever length we liked. This is something we do in all our projects as we connect all our witness lines that are common in each adjoining dimension string.
    I have tried this in V18 and it doesn’t seem to work. Would you know if this is possible in V18?
    Thanks

      • January 13, 2016
        reply

        That function still works in AC18. Select a single node then click on the dimension line, pop up palette with 3 icons appears, select far right one then drag witness line to required position.

        I am doing the same jump Archicad 13 to Archicad 18 and have another dimension problem though. Dimensioning to core elements. Typically we put spot levels on floor slabs but with say a tile finish it dimensions to the finished floor level not the structural level.
        So i switch to core only view place the spot level with gravity to slab to give the structural level. This then hides all the dimensions to walls that were placed in entire model view.

  • January 21, 2016
    reply

    Yang xiucheng

    Dear Jared,
    Firstly, thanks for sharing great tips.
    I am just modelling on a building with ArchiCAD 19. It is nearly finished, but I find that i mistake the working unit (with millimeter as model unit). I take it as cetimeter. That is, all lengths of elements are reduced the ten times. I doult whether there is a possible idea to change the units of all elements from millimeter to cetimeter.
    Thanks very much and I am looking forwards to your reply at the first time.

  • February 18, 2016
    reply

    Gerald Lock

    Hey Jared. Is there any way that you know to re-set all custom dimensions (aka dirty lies) to their true measured values?

    • February 18, 2016
      reply

      Gerald Lock

      Actually I just found the answer to my own question…
      Go to: Document > Document Extras > Revert All Custom Texts to Measured Value

      • July 10, 2016
        reply

        Sagar

        This will revert to measured values across entire project and again its undoable.
        I think this solution which Jared has shown works very well for selected set of dimensions. You can select it with your marquee or go on each floor wise so you know where exactly are you changing them.
        If it happens across entire project, you wouldn’t know where all it has changed in case if you have to cloud them. Also if the project is complex and huge, it really matters.
        Thanks
        Sagar

  • July 4, 2016
    reply

    Sagar

    Hi Jared,
    Do you know how to identify dimensions which are with custom text? (non associative)
    I have heaps of them mixed with measured value dimension text.
    Please help.

      • July 6, 2016
        reply

        Sagar

        Thanks Jared.
        I myself never do it unless there is absolutely no alternative. But I have received a file which has mixed dimensions.
        My question is how to isolate them? Is there a way to identify through select and find tool? Or any other tool?
        Literally I have to open up every single dimension to check if it’s customised or not.
        If there is any method, would appreciate if someone can share here.
        Thanks.
        Sagar

          • July 7, 2016
            reply

            Sagar

            Thanks Jared.
            Can someone here tell me which is the best method available to select all texts of all dimensions at once? Only texts not the entire dimension.
            Thanks.
            Sagar

            • July 10, 2016

              Sagar

              Hey Jared,
              Thanks heaps. It has saved so much of my time identifying and then correcting them.
              Cheers,
              Sagar

  • September 29, 2016
    reply

    Ruupessh

    hi jared banks,
    am new to archicad
    and wen am trying a drag a copy ,its happening orthogonally ( though am not using shift key )
    i need ur help !! plz

  • January 23, 2017
    reply

    Lipi

    Hi I need your help please,

    Every time i change the scale of drawing (view) under view map -> View setting -> Scale, the text size changes with it. how can i have same text size on all different scales? is there any way to fix the text size for all different scales and views?

    Thank you 🙂

      • January 23, 2017
        reply

        Lipi

        hi,
        how can i change the scale of drawing on layout?

  • March 29, 2017
    reply

    MANNY

    DO YOU KNOW HOW TO CHANGE ONE DIMENSION NUMBER OF DECIMALS THAT IS DIFFERENT
    THEN THE DEFAULT?
    THANKS
    MANNY

  • April 22, 2017
    reply

    Duncan

    Hi Jared,

    Do you have any tips on dimensioning diagonal lines ?
    I find trying to dimension set backs/boundary lines and Archicad likes to give me grief.

  • April 23, 2017
    reply

    Duncan

    Doesn’t seem to work for me. With 2 lines parallel on a an angle, click on one then the other, hover over the line, the parallel option pops up, click on the line, archicad then draws the dimension adjacent to the lines ??

  • May 30, 2017
    reply

    Luis

    Hi Jared,
    Do you know how to change the zone stamp settings to display the zone’s “ceiling height” in feet and inches (ie: 6′-2″)?

  • July 20, 2017
    reply

    arturo

    HI Jared,

    Do you know how can in the same drawing have different units in the dimensions.
    I mean I need in the same drawing a dimension in feet decimal, and some dimension in feet fractional and elevation markers in feet decimal.

  • July 21, 2017
    reply

    arturo

    Another one for the weekend. How about in shop drawings? I need document drawings from different areas like sloped roofs, walls, foundation. . . be calculated automatically.

    Thanks!!!

  • July 26, 2017
    reply

    arturo

    Thanks Jared for all. I have another issue. I have a windows schedule which I need to show in dimensions in feet and in metric.

    Thanks again!

  • March 19, 2018
    reply

    betty

    Jared,
    I have a question regarding scale dimension. When I resize the drawing, the dimension changes as well. How can I keep the same dimension numbers with different scale is practiced. I need this when presenting the scale details in the same page. Thank you

  • March 25, 2018
    reply

    Sarah

    Hi Jared,
    Thanks for being so helpful and sharing your knowledge!
    In your video, you dimensioned to the core of a wall where you could just click on the wall rather than find the core, I have done this before but for some reason I can’t at the moment? I have dimension to core selected in the setting but the little pencil does not come up when selecting a wall and it just dimensions to wherever I’ve clicked? Any ideas why this might be happening?
    Thanks,
    Sarah

  • October 26, 2019
    reply

    Mandara Kelvin

    I’ve been mistakenly sing cm instead of mm to create my project. How do I rescale my entire model. I’ve tried using Resize but the height and mesh won’t change.Please help

  • November 12, 2019
    reply

    Sara

    Just the quick question, how would i be able to copy paste my dimensions on different levels?
    Thanks

  • September 29, 2021
    reply

    rebekah

    Hi,
    Great video. I’m wanting to add level dimensions to the top of a wall in plan (retaining / foundation wall heights). At the moment I add a tag and manually add height and RL. It would be great if dim tool to snap in the same way it does for slab, mesh or roof. Any ideas?
    Thanks,
    Rebekah

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