With dimension breaks, you can keep the dimension, extension, or leader lines from appearing as if they are a part of the design.
Dimension breaks can be added to a dimension or a multileader automatically or manually. The method that you choose to place dimension breaks depends on the number of objects that intersect a dimension or multileader.
You can add dimension breaks to the following dimension and leader objects:
- Linear dimensions, including aligned and rotated
- Angular dimensions, including 2- and 3-point
- Radial dimensions, including radius, diameter, and jogged
- Arc length dimensions
- Ordinate dimensions
- Multileaders that use straight-line leaders
The following dimension and leader objects do not support dimension breaks:
- Multileaders that use spline leaders
- Leaders created with the LEADER or QLEADER commands
The following table explains the conditions where dimension breaks do not work or are not supported.
You can also remove dimension breaks from dimensions or multileaders with the Remove option of DIMBREAK. When removing them, all dimension breaks are removed from the selected dimension or multileader, but you can always add them back individually.
The following objects can be used as cutting edges when adding a dimension break:
- Dimension
- Leader
- Line
- Circle
- Arc
- Spline
- Ellipse
- Polyline
- Text
- Multiline text
- Blocks but limited to the previously mentioned objects in this list
- Xrefs but limited to the previously mentioned objects in this list
Automatic Dimension Breaks
To create dimension breaks automatically, you select a dimension or multileader, and then use the Auto option of the DIMBREAK command. Automatic dimension breaks are updated any time the dimension or multileader, or intersecting objects are modified.
Dimension Break Gap Size
You control the size of dimension breaks in the Dimension Style dialog box, Symbols and Arrows tab. The specified size is affected by the dimension break size, dimension scale, and current annotation scale for the current viewport.
Dimension Break Created by Selecting an Object
Instead of placing a dimension break for each object that intersects a dimension or multileader, you can specify which of the intersecting objects to use. Dimension breaks that are added by selecting individual intersecting objects are updated any time the dimension or multileader, or intersecting objects are modified.
Dimension Break Created by Picking Two Points
You can place a dimension break by picking two points on the dimension, extension, or leader line to determine the size and placement of the break. Dimension breaks that are added manually by picking two points are not automatically updated if the dimension or multileader, or intersecting object is modified.
So if a dimension or multileader with a manually added dimension break is moved or the intersecting object is modified, you might have to restore the dimension or multileader, and then add the dimension break again. The size of a dimension break that is created by picking two points is not affected by the current dimension scale or annotation scale value for the current viewport.