help please dimension an imported file

[rftools]

i have had a 3d drawing sent to me and i have saved it as a .dxf file and when i come to dimension the drawing the only sizes that show are for radius's. When i try to get dimensions the line what normally shows the dimesnsions still come up but there is no size showing, do i have to do anything to the drawing itself before i can start getting information off it, any info is much appreciated as i have only started using bob-cad this week, thanks alot.

[clive1964]

Hi i use bobcad sometimes v19 try selecting all then goto the change menu and choose reorganise, cleanup and optimise also check 3d is turned off this often causes problems with dimensions hope this helps

[rftools]

Thanks for the fast reply, could you tell me how you turn the 3d off please?? i have noticed when i move the cursor over the worksheet only x and z are moving and when i would have thought it should be x and y because im looking at the drawing at a top view if you know what i mean?

[clive1964]

Hi goto the 3d menu dropdown list top option is turn off 3d then goto view menu and select 3d view and select top view this should give you x and y as i said i have version 19 the latest version has different menus so this might not apply

[rftools]

ah thanks for the help unfortunetly i cant see an option to turn 3d off.. i cant understand why im having so much trouble as i normally pick things up quite fast.. been trying for hours to sort this now lol.

[dcskid]

If only x and z are moving with the cursor, it seems to me you are in lathe mode. V22, go to Modules from the top menu and select Mill mode. Maybe that will help.

Edit
Or the view is wrong. I know in Mastercam you could look at a drawing from side view and still dimension in front view. Is this possible with BobCAD? Could he be looking at a side view of the part with the dimensions being done in the top view? Just thinking outloud.
Edit

[PinMan]

I am having the same problem with saved .bbcd files. When i draw the geometry everything is ok with the dimensions, but if i save it and close BC, then open the file again I get the dimension line but no numbers.
I have been stumped with this for a couple of weeks.

[smurph]

It has to do with your fonts. Check your system settings and see what font is there. And then check your part settings and see what is there. After one of the updates, this was killing me. I opened the part on one computer and all was well, but on another computer, the dimension values just disappeared. It was because the font I used on the first computer was not on the second computer. It simply couldn't render the non existent font.

This will be the case with imported DXF files too. And DXF also has other issues with dimensioning. It's a terrible format to import or export with. Don't use it if you can help it. Use STEP for 3D or DWG for 2D if you can.

Steve