Override Dimension Text (.NET)

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
        Using 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)
        End Using

        '' Commit the changes and dispose of the transaction
        acTrans.Commit()
    End Using
End Sub

C#

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
        using (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

Sub OverrideDimensionText()
    Dim dimObj As AcadDimAligned
    Dim point1(0 To 2) As Double
    Dim point2(0 To 2) As Double
    Dim location(0 To 2) As Double
 
    ' Define the dimension
    point1(0) = 5#: point1(1) = 3#: point1(2) = 0#
    point2(0) = 10#: point2(1) = 3#: point2(2) = 0#
    location(0) = 7.5: location(1) = 5#: location(2) = 0#
 
    ' Create an aligned dimension object in model space
    Set dimObj = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace. _
                     AddDimAligned(point1, point2, location)
 
    ' Change the text string for the dimension
    dimObj.TextOverride = "The value is <>"
    dimObj.Update
End Sub