jura,
I have a solution for you, but you have to dim in paperspace. Please follow this through to the end. I realize some of this you know, but I am trying to spell it out clearly for newer people too.
Now you MUST have associative dimensions turned off in tools, options, user preferences tab.
Let me give you an example. Let's say you have two different dimension styles for dimming in paperspace.
One for full size and one for 1 1/2" = 1'. You have to edit the scale factor box on the primary units tab in the dimension style editor. For the full size dim style you put a 1 in the box, as you are dimensioning 1 to 1.
For the 1 1/2" = 1' style, you will have to call it something different as acad does not allow the "/" character, you put the number 8 in. Why? Because that is for dimming a viewport who's scale has been reduced 8 times.
You see 1 1/2" = 1' is really 1 1/2" = 12". We want apples to apples or oranges to oranges. ie, inches to inches and NOT inches to feet.
So, if we divide 12" by 1 1/2" then we get 8. 1 1/2 is 8 times smaller then 12. For the scale factor of the viewport we put 1/8xp. Open the viewport and type z, enter, 1/8xp, enter. Now the viewport is 8 times smaller and is a at a factor of 1 1/2" = 12".
So when we go to dimension our viewport we use our dimension style for 1 1/2" = 1', where we have an 8 in the scale factor box. Now whatever acad returns as a measurement will be multiplied by 8 and we have the real world value displayed in the dim line instead of a value that is 8 times too small.
Make a 3D solid in modelspace that is 10 x 5 x 1.
Go to paperspace and make 2 viewports
First we will start with 2 typical orthographical views. Open each viewport and set the view to top or world.
Set one viewport to full size, z, enter, 1xp, enter.
Set the other to 1 1/2" = 1'. z, enter, 1/8xp, enter.
Use the 2 dim styles to dim them. You should have the values 10 and 5 on both views.
If you got this far, now for the fun part.
Dimming non-orthographical views in paperspace.
Create 2 more viewports and set the views to se isometric. (An acad isometric view is not a true isometric as there is no vanishing point. It is really an axonometric view). Also keep in mind that this will not work for perspective views.
Set each viewports scale. One at full size and one at 1 1/2" = 1'.
Open your dimension style editor and set it to decimal and to the highest precision possible.
Now dim the full size view on the 5" side with an angular dimension.
It will return 4.08248283.
Now for some simple math.
4.08248283 x n = 5
We divide 5 by 4.08248283 and that leaves us n.
5 / 4.08248283 = 1.22474487278318
Create a new full size dimstyle for this angle of view and edit the dim style scale factor box and put in 1.22474487278318 and set it as the current dimstyle.
Now when we dimension the full size view the 5" side says 5" and the 10" side says 10" on the dim line.
For the 1 1/2" = 1" dim style, copy it, edit the scale factor box and multiply 1.22474487278318 x 8, which is 9.79795898226544.
This will give us the correct dims for the se axonometric view that is scaled to 1 1/2" = 1'.
If you are using standard isometric/axonometric views, you need only create a few more dim styles in your template and use them again and again. You can always twist your view and create new dim styles on the fly, but keep in mind that if the view is not a typical iso, only 1 direction will work at a time for each new dim style.
Now you have nothing, but your 3D solids in modelspace. IMO this is the ideal way to work.
