Override Dimension Text

The dimension value that is displayed can be replaced using the DimensionText property. Using this property you can completely replace the displayed value of the dimension, or you can append text to the value. To represent the measured value in the override dimension text, use the character string “<>” in the text.

Modify dimension text

This example appends some text to the value so that both the string and the dimension value are displayed.

VB.NET

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry

<CommandMethod("OverrideDimensionText")> _

Public Sub OverrideDimensionText()

  '' Get the current database

  Dim acDoc As Document = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument

  Dim acCurDb As Database = acDoc.Database

  '' Start a transaction

  Using acTrans As Transaction = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()

      '' Open the Block table for read

      Dim acBlkTbl As BlockTable

      acBlkTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.BlockTableId, _

                                   OpenMode.ForRead)

      '' Open the Block table record Model space for write

      Dim acBlkTblRec As BlockTableRecord

      acBlkTblRec = acTrans.GetObject(acBlkTbl(BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace), _

                                      OpenMode.ForWrite)

      '' Create the aligned dimension

      Dim acAliDim As AlignedDimension = New AlignedDimension()

      acAliDim.XLine1Point = New Point3d(5, 3, 0)

      acAliDim.XLine2Point = New Point3d(10, 3, 0)

      acAliDim.DimLinePoint = New Point3d(7.5, 5, 0)

      acAliDim.DimensionStyle = acCurDb.Dimstyle

      '' Override the dimension text

      acAliDim.DimensionText = "The value is <>"

      '' Add the new object to Model space and the transaction

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acAliDim)

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acAliDim, True)

      '' Commit the changes and dispose of the transaction

      acTrans.Commit()

  End Using

End Sub

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;

[CommandMethod("OverrideDimensionText")]

public static void OverrideDimensionText()

  // Get the current database

  Document acDoc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;

  Database acCurDb = acDoc.Database;

  // Start a transaction

  using (Transaction acTrans = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())

      // Open the Block table for read

      BlockTable acBlkTbl;

      acBlkTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.BlockTableId,

                                   OpenMode.ForRead) as BlockTable;

      // Open the Block table record Model space for write

      BlockTableRecord acBlkTblRec;

      acBlkTblRec = acTrans.GetObject(acBlkTbl[BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace],

                                      OpenMode.ForWrite) as BlockTableRecord;

      // Create the aligned dimension

      AlignedDimension acAliDim = new AlignedDimension();

      acAliDim.XLine1Point = new Point3d(5, 3, 0);

      acAliDim.XLine2Point = new Point3d(10, 3, 0);

      acAliDim.DimLinePoint = new Point3d(7.5, 5, 0);

      acAliDim.DimensionStyle = acCurDb.Dimstyle;

      // Override the dimension text

      acAliDim.DimensionText = "The value is <>";

      // Add the new object to Model space and the transaction

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acAliDim);

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acAliDim, true);

      // Commit the changes and dispose of the transaction

      acTrans.Commit();

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference