Dimension Value Formats

Format Definitions

This section deals with dimension value descriptions, which are user-defined formats to be applied to dimension values.

To create a new dimension value display format, you must use the Standard Definition editor (via Tools > Standards). Select the Value Formats type in the standards editor, and then click the Add Instance button to add a new instance of a format. This will create a sample format definition that you will then customize to suit your needs, by modifying one or several values of the parameters defining the format.

Once defined, a format can be applied to dimensions just as any dimension attribute, either via Edit > Properties, or using the Numerical Properties toolbar.

Dimension Value Display Formats

These parameters are located in the Value Formats node of the standard file.

The dimension value display style parameters drive the representation of a dimension value, and include parameters such as:

multiplying factor
separators for thousands
position relatively to dimension line
display of fractional values
trailing zeros display
and so forth.

Once a given description is embedded in a given drawing, it can not be modified or removed. Even a standard upgrade using a modified version of the xml standard can modify the existing description. To bypass this limitation, you have to create a new description with another name.

Parameter	Parameter Name	Value	Description
Value Format Name	NDName	(8 char string)	User-defined name that will be used as the description identifier
Value Magnitude (type)	NDType	[ 1 / 2 ] 1 = length (for length/distance/radius/diameter dimensions) 2 = Angle (angle dimensions)
Value Units	NDUnit	[ 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 ] 1 = mm 2 = inch 3 = radian 4 = degree 5 = grade	Unit used to display the dimension value
Global Multiplying Factor	NDGlobFact	(real)	The dimension measured value is multiplied by this factor prior to being displayed. For example, to display a distance in kilometers with units set to mm (NDUnit=1), use: NDGlobFact = 0.000001
Separator Characters for Decimal and Thousands	Display of separator for Thousands NDExise	[ 1 / 2 ] 1 = No display of separator 2 = Display of separator
Separator Characters for Decimal and Thousands	Decimal Separator NDSepNum Thousands Separator NDSep1000	[0...18 ] separator number as described in the Separator Character Table
Display of Trailing Zeros	NDFinZer	[ 1 / 2 ] 1 = No display of trailing zeros 2 = Display of trailing zeros (number of digits specified in the value precision) Note that these integer values are directly linked to those defined in NDNulOther. Please take it into account when defining your standard
Fractional Rest Justification	NDAlignFrac	Not yet implemented
Fractional Rest Display Mode	NDTypFrac	[ 1 / 2 ] 1 = Side by side 2 = Super-imposed
Fractional Rest Height Ratio	NDResScl	(real) = Unit height / value height ( = B / A )
Fractional Rest Positioning Offsets (the horizontal offset also applies to decimal rests)	NDRestX	(real) This value is a ratio to the character height
	NDRestY	(real) This value is a ratio to the character height
Offset between Fractional Rest Numerator and Denominator	NDOperY	(real) This value is a ratio to the character height
Position of Last Term Unit	NDSepDen	[ 1 / 2 ] 1 = Before fractional rest 2 = After fractional rest
Number of Terms in the Value	NDFact	[ 1...3 ] This parameter is related to the `Display` option (via the contextual menu, selecting `Edit > Properties`, `Value` tab, `Format` section). Refer to Editing Dimension Tolerance Properties.

Definition of each of the value terms

A value can be made of up to three terms plus a rest. All of the following parameters, suffixed by the term number, apply to each of the possible 3 terms.
The numbering of the terms goes from right to left, #1 being the right-most term.

Parameter	Parameter Name	Value	Description
Display of Null Terms	NDNulFac_1	[ 1 / 2 ] 1 = No display of zeros 2 = Display of zeros
Display of Leading Zeros in Last Factor	NDNulFac_2	[ 1 / 2 ] 1 = No display of zeros 2 = Display of zeros
DEPRECATED	NDNulFac_3	-	-
Display of Null Terms	NDNulOther	[ 1 / 2 ] 1 = No display of zeros 2 = Display of zeros Note that these integer values are directly linked to those defined in NDFinZer. Please take it into account when defining your standard
Term Multiplying Factor	NDFact_1 NDFact_2 NDFact_3	( real )	The term measured value is multiplied by this factor prior to being displayed (the global multiplying factor is also used). All 3 values must have increasing and distinct values. Example: to display a value with a term in centimeters and a term in millimeters, with NDUnit=mm and NDGlobFact=1, set NDFact_1 = 1 NDFact_2 = 10
Term Unit Suffix	NDSepar_1 NDSepar_2 NDSepar_3	(16 char string)
Term Unit Height Ratio	NDSepScl_1 NDSepScl_2 NDSepScl_3	(real) = Unit height / value height ( = B / A )
Term Vertical Positioning Offset (relatively to the left-most term)	NDValPos_1 NDValPos_2 NDValPos_3	(mm)
Term Unit Vertical Positioning Offset (relatively to its term)	NDSepPos_1 NDSepPos_2 NDSepPos_3	(mm)