When the Auto check box in the Axes area in the Feature Location dialog box (Insert | Dimension | Location) is checked, the check boxes for the axes that appear in the dimension are selected according to the default axes of the feature type. In this case, the check boxes for those axes are not available to edit:
If you select multiple features of different types (for example a circle feature and a point feature), the Axes area selects the axes to use based on the last-selected feature:
By default, PC-DMIS marks the Auto check box. But if you want to choose your own axes, you can clear Auto and choose them manually. If you want to then save your selection as the new default for this routine, you can mark Default and create your dimension. The next time you open the Feature Location dialog box in that routine, PC-DMIS uses your defaults.
Changing the Default Axes
In some circumstances, it may be necessary to override the default setting. The Default check box remains available so that you can alter the format of the default output.
To alter the default output:
Select each feature to dimension.
Select the Default check box. The Auto check box clears, and all axes become available for selection.
Select the appropriate axes as needed.
X
= Prints the X axis value.
Y = Prints the Y axis value.
Z = Prints the Z axis value.
Prad = Prints the Polar Radius.
Pang = Prints the Polar Angle.
Area = Prints the area of a selected Blob
feature. It appears as AR in the report and in the Edit window in Command
mode.
D = Prints the Diameter value. For an ellipse,
this is the minor diameter value (same as H).
R = Prints the Radius (half of the Diameter)
value.
A = Prints the Angle value.
L = Prints the Length (used for cylinder, cones,
slots, and ellipses). For an ellipse, L gives you the major diameter value.
H = Prints the Height (used on cones, cylinders,
and ellipses). For an ellipse, H gives you the minor diameter value.
V = Prints the Vector location.
Form = Prints the feature's integrated form dimension
with the location dimension.
For a circle, cylinder, or cone feature, this is the Roundness (RN) dimension.
For a plane feature, this is the Flatness (FL) dimension.
For a line feature, this is the Straightness (ST) dimension.
Click the Create button.
Once the output values have been changed to something other than the default, PC-DMIS uses the new settings for all subsequent dimensions.
Resetting to the Original Axes
If you modified the default axes, but you want PC-DMIS to use the original default axes, you must reset the format to the default settings.
To reset the format to the default settings:
Select the Default check box.
Select the Auto check box. All of the axes check boxes become unavailable.
Select each feature to dimension. The original default axes are selected.
Click the Create button.
PC-DMIS automatically resets the dimension to print the default axes according to the feature type.