Associative Dimensions in BricsCAD Explained

Quick answer: Associative dimensions update automatically whenever the entity they measure is moved or modified. BricsCAD creates them by default (DIMASSOC set to 2), and this associativity even works across spaces, a dimension placed in paper space can stay associated with a model space entity.

Which Entity Snaps Support Associative Dimensions

Nine entity snaps can be used to create an associative dimension: endpoint, midpoint, center, perpendicular, quadrant, insertion, point, intersection, and apparent intersection.

Managing Associativity

Run DIMREGEN to manually update every associative dimension in the drawing if needed. DIMDISASSOCIATE removes associativity from selected dimensions, and DIMREASSOCIATE reassociates or associates dimensions to entities or points on entities. ANNOMONITOR controls whether a disassociated dimension gets marked with a warning sign, so you can spot ones that have lost their connection to the geometry.

Associativity in Generated Views

GENERATEASSOCVIEWS enables associative dimensions for views generated by VIEWBASE and VIEWSECTION (covered elsewhere in this hub), and also for drawings generated by BIMSECTIONUPDATE, which updates the result of a BIM Section entity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an associative dimension update if I move the entity it’s measuring? Yes, that’s the whole point, it recalculates automatically to reflect the entity’s new position or size.

Can a dimension in paper space stay associative with something in model space? Yes, associativity works across spaces, not just within the same one.

How do I tell if a dimension has lost its associativity? Turn on ANNOMONITOR, which marks disassociated dimensions with a warning sign.

What’s the difference between DIMDISASSOCIATE and DIMREASSOCIATE? DIMDISASSOCIATE removes associativity from a dimension entirely. DIMREASSOCIATE reconnects it, or connects it for the first time, to entities or points on entities.