how to get dimension lines show both in and cm

[coach_z]

Hello,

I was wondering if someone could help me out editing an existing shape (or creating a new shape i guess) to have a dimension that shows both inches and centimeters in this format:

1 in
(2.54 cm)

and

1 1/2 in
(3.81 mm)

thank you so much for your help!
-Chris

[wapperdude]

I'm assuming that you are using the dimension shapes from the General Dimensioning stencil.  If you click on the shape and then open it's shapesheet (menu bar> Window > Show Shapesheet), then scroll down to near the bottom for the TextField section.  The Value cell should have a formula like:  =User.LengthText.  Change this text to: =GUARD(User.LengthText & CHAR(10) & "(" & FORMATEX(User.Length,"0.00 u","in","cm") & ")").

The guard function hopefully keeps the formula from getting clobbered by Visio code.  The Char(10) is a line feed.  Info on Formatex function may be found here:  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms406694.aspx.  The format of the numbers inside the parenthesis will be hard coded.

HTH
Wapperdude

[wapperdude]

Ah!     The following formula change no longer hard codes the precision for the 2nd parenthetical dimension:
=GUARD(User.LengthText&CHAR(10)&"("&FORMATEX(User.Length,User.FormatString,"in","cm")&")")