2004

Table Of Contents
548 | Chapter 20 Dimensions and Tolerances
Override a Dimension Style
A dimension style override is a change made to specific settings in the
current dimension style. It is equivalent to changing a dimensioning system
variable without changing the current dimension style.
You can define dimension style overrides for individual dimensions, or for
the current dimension style.
For individual dimensions, you may want to create overrides to suppress
a dimension’s extension lines or modify text and arrowhead placement so
that they do not overlap drawing geometry without creating a different
dimension style.
You can also set up overrides to the current dimension style. All dimen-
sions you create in the style include the overrides until you delete the
overrides, save the overrides to a new style, or set another style current.
For example, if you choose Override in the Dimension Style Manager, and
change the color of extension lines on the Lines and Arrows tab, the
current dimension style remains unchanged. However, the new value for
color is stored in the
DIMCLRE system variable. The next dimension you
create will have extension lines in the new color. You can save the dimen-
sion style overrides as a new dimension style.
Some dimension characteristics are common to a drawing or to a style of
dimensioning and are therefore suited to be permanent dimension style
settings. Others generally apply on an individual basis and can be applied
more effectively as overrides. For example, a drawing usually uses a single
type of arrowhead, so it makes sense to define the arrowhead type as part of
the dimension style. Suppression of extension lines, however, usually applies
in individual cases only and is more suited to a dimension style override.
There are several ways to set up dimension style overrides. You can change
options in the dialog boxes or change system variable settings on the com-
mand line. You reverse the override by returning the changed settings to
their original values. The overrides apply to the dimension you are creating
and all subsequent dimensions created with that dimension style until you
reverse the override or make another dimension style current.