Hi please add the ability to choose the dimension option directly into the measurement input pad. Thank you.
Why do you need to do this? Are you creating drawings with both imperial and metric measurements? You can set the type of unit in the menu in the upper right hand corner from the beginning.
This seems like a good idea. Could reduce mental gymnastics, say in metric, for non-metric users and vice-versa.
Best,
Tommy
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This is awkward. 3D modeling apps generally do not actually model in any particular dimension.
They model in “Units”. You simply define what the term “Unit” means in real dimension by setting the units for the space in the menu provided. The modeling app then applies that unit across the entire modeling space.
When you change the Units, the app applies a conversion to give correct dimensions to all objects.
But this kind of functionality would lead to folks trying to mix units in a single modeling space- or- each time you selected a different unit for a dimension, it would have to change the units setting for the entire space.
This would play havoc with such things as Snapping functions… as the grid would be off from one type of units to another.
As is, Just choose a format of measure and model your entire project in those units. If you need to see what any given dimension is in some other units- just change the units measure for the space- and then change it back afterwards.
But good modeling practices is to keep your modeling space dimensionally consistent for an entire project,
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I’ve used this feature quite a bit in Fusion 360. I generally use mm dimensions, but occasionally I’ll want to specify an imperial dimension, which is done in F360 simply by appending " in" to the numerical value to specify inches.
This is not entirely true. 3D graphics apps usually don’t, but CAD software always use units. This is so deeply burned into the CAD systems, that for example Parasolid, the geometry engine under Shapr3D and Solidworks (and many other CAD systems) is using meters as units. So it’s not even an application level implementation, but it’s implemented in the underlying engine.
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This is where you deal with numbers most often, so why wouldn’t the option be there?
Feels like a no brainer to me.
Not having this option is akin to owning two measuring tapes, one for metric, one for imperial, and only being allowed to have one at the job site at a time…and having to go home and swap them out every time you need to switch. (Pro tip, the measuring tape companies understand this and now you can buy measuring tapes with both imperial and metric on them)
Also, simply put, my user experience has pin pointed always having to go elsewhere to change the increments as a time wasting annoyance. A so called “pinch point”. It’s super annoying going in to a measurement input only to realize I wanted a different unit, then having to go back out, change the unit and then go back in to the measurement input.
Not to mention that even if I’m not switching back and forth between imperial and metric, it would be nice to be able to quickly switch between a large unit and a small unit. This is akin to having a measuring tape for inches, and a completely separate one for feet.
Keep the original option to change units where it is, but add this additional option.
If you feel fancy about it, make it only effect the specific measurement that is being input at that moment and not let it change the overall document units.
Personally, I design and build a lot of different Movie Props as well as original Prototype Objects. Depending on many different variables I often need to switch between units. Sometimes it’s just easier to use mm when doing small details, where as inches/feet can be quicker when relating to many real world items/spaces. It is nice to work with whole numbers, less fractioned, and less long strings of numbers after decimals when ever possible. Sometimes switching between units makes this a snap.
Sometimes I’m designing in metric but might need to insert an imperial part into it. Or vice versa, case dependent.
As well, I am often given measurements from people who are not very familiar/fluent in dimensional understanding. So having extra ease of flexibility in the app would be nice.
Yes, I am often switching between imperial and metric. The work I do presents many reasons for that. Not to mention, even when I’m not it would be nice to switch quickly between large and small units within the same measuring system.