Working with Dimension Styles in Files That Will Be Saved to DWG Files

MicroStation PowerDraft uses an unnamed dimension style for active settings. This concept works differently in AutoCAD. The unnamed style is exported to AutoCAD as active dimension style overrides in AutoCAD. These overrides take precedence over the effect of the active dimension style. For compatibility, you should not use an unnamed style to create dimensions. An active dimension style in a DGN file is converted to active dimension style and active multi-leader style in DWG.

The following table describes how to work with the dimension styles so that they are compatible with DWG format. The DGN–specific options mentioned in the table are disabled in DWG workmode.

Dimension Styles Tab	To Make Dimension Styles Compatible with DWG Format:
Custom Symbols	Do not set Overall Prefix and Suffix to Cell. Do not use any options in the Components area.
Dimension Lines	Do not change the Level setting. Keep the dimension lines on the same level as the dimension element (the active level when placing a dimension). Use the same Attributes settings (Color, Style, and Weight) for Terminators and Dimension Lines. Set the Style to be the same as in the active dimension element. Do not use different line styles on dimension components (dimension lines, extension lines, and terminators).
Dimension with Leader	When Allow Dimension with Leader is on: Do not set Type to Curve. Do not use a Terminator (where the leader joins the dimension line).
Extension Lines	Set the Style to be the same as the style of the active dimension element. Do not use different line styles on dimension components (dimension lines, extension lines, terminators, and text). Do not set the Geometry Offset to a negative number.
Place Note	No restrictions.
Placement	The Center Size value is only saved to a DWG file when the Center Mark (Tool Settings category) is turned on for radial dimensions.
Terminators	Turn on Uniform Cell Scale in the Terminator Symbols category to use the Geometry Width as a shared cell scale factor. Use the same Attributes settings (Color, Style, and Weight) for Terminators and Dimension Lines. Do not set Minimum Leader. In AutoCAD, the dimension line extending beyond terminator has same length as text height. Set the Style to be the same as the dimension element. Do not use different line styles on dimension components (dimension lines, extension lines, and terminators).
Terminator Symbols	Use shared cells for terminators, since AutoCAD only uses blocks for terminator symbols. If the terminator symbol for Arrow is set to Default, it is automatically converted to a shared cell when you save to DWG. Do not set the Terminator Symbols options to Symbol. Turn on Uniform Cell Scale. When on, the Geometry Width setting is used to uniformly scale the width and height of cell terminators, in text height units. This setting does not scale terminators defined as Default or Symbol.
Text	Do not set Text Frame to Capsule. Do not set a Left Margin. Do not use Underline Text. Do not use a Weight setting. Do not use a Width setting. Instead, define text width in the text style. Set the Style to be the same as the dimension element. Do not use different line styles on dimension components (dimension lines, extension lines, and terminators).
Tolerance	No restrictions.
Tool Settings	Most Tool Settings are not saved to DWG. However, the Left and Right Extension settings are preserved. For the Size Arrow tool, the Left and Right Terminator settings are also preserved. The Advanced tab of the Dimension Styles dialog lets you define tool and terminator settings.
Units	When you save to a DWG file, the dimension labels are saved. However, when you open the file in AutoCAD, they are defined as proxy objects. In AutoCAD, a proxy object is a placeholder for an object that you cannot edit directly. In this case, you cannot edit the dimension label information. Under Primary, turn on Use Working Units, if possible. If you do change the units settings, a unit scale factor is applied to the dimensions. Use only the ' (feet) and (inches) symbols. The DWG format does not allow other symbols. Do not use the Alternate Label setting.
Unit Format	For Angle Format, do not set Units to Length. For Metric Format, do not use Unit Separation. For Secondary units, always use a Leading Zero and Training Zero. When Use Stacked Fractions is on, click Settings. In the Stacked Fractions dialog, set Alignment to Center, and set Scale to 1.0.