Dimensions are the wild west

[eric_the_red]

Someone help me make this make sense.

Dimension shape 'Horizontal baseline' with a set length of 2' 5.625" should show as 2' 5 5/8" but its not.

I tried changing the precision and NONE of the settings had eny affect. I get there might be rounding errors with other decimal points but this is a specific dimension and an exact 1/8" inch off from the actual length of the shape. Note the shape in the image is not attached to anything either so it should not be influenced by any other shape or object.

Help!

[Surrogate]

Someone help me make this make sense.

Hope this animation can helps...


The correct width value is shown only if BeginY and EndY are the same...

[Visio Guy]

It's a horizontal dimension line. It's intended to label and depict horizontal distances, as the graphical part of the shape shows.

The Length field in the Size & Position panel shows the distance between the "1D" endpoints for the shape (aka: Begin and End).

Check out my old video, it still applies:

8.4 Using Visio Dimension Lines

I made these shapes in the '90s for Visio Corp., if you can believe it!

[wapperdude]

How about those fractions?  Obviously, inches(decimal) and all things metric don't use fractions.  Indeed, Visio is quite reluctant to use fractions.  Whatcha gonna do?

Well, this seems to work...
> 1) drag a measurement shape onto a drawing page open it's shapesheet.
> 2) in User section, find row=User.LUnitsFactor, and paste this formula:  IF(User.LUnitsInd=0,User.DrawingUnitFactor,INDEX(User.LUnitsInd,"0;0FT 0IN_F;0.0FT;0IN_F;0FT;0MI;0 MM;0 CM;0 M;0 KM"))   The change from original formula is "IN" -> "IN_F"
> 3) Close shapesheet. 
> 4) Right click the dimension shape and choose:  Set As Page Default

Other settings I have include: 
> Precision = 0.0
> Units:  Feet-Inch (1'-0")
> Unit Display:  Show Units

Should work for all dimension shapes.  Initial drop will not show fraction, though.  This is on per page basis.  No universal document setting.