User Guide
User Guide
User Guide

Dimension-driven Cells

Cells have many uses: They can save time drawing repeated details, make it easy to update details throughout a design, provide uniformity in a project, and so on. Although they can be modified, most cells are placed as static parts of a DGN file.

A dimension-driven cell has special “intelligence.” It is not static, but dynamically changes based on relationships that were defined when it was created. A cell in the DGN file that is based on a dimension-driven cell is called a derived cell.

For information about creating dimension-driven cells, see Dimension-driven Cells.

In DWG workmode, by default, dimension-driven design tools are disabled.

To place a derived cell
  1. Make the dimension-driven cell the active cell.

  2. Key in MDL LOAD DDCELL.

  3. Key in PLACE CELL DIMENSION.
    The Dimension-Driven Design dialog box opens. A list box with each dimension or constant's initial value (the value stored in the library cell) is displayed.

    Dimension-Driven Design dialog box

      

  4. (Optional) For each dimension or constant you want to change, select it in the list box, press <Tab>, and key in the new value in the Edit field.
    If the cell is visible in a view, the changes display dynamically.

  5. (Optional) To place the cell with active constraints so it can be modified after placement, turn on Save Constraints.

  6. Enter a data point to position the cell's origin.
    The cell is derived and placed. If the cell cannot be derived from the supplied dimension and constant values, the cell is not placed, and you are prompted to enter new values.

Dimensions can be tagged by a constant or, if not, appear in the list labelled as “DIMENSION.”
To modify a derived cell
  1. Key in MDL LOAD DDCELL.

  2. Key in MODIFY DIMENSIONS.

  3. Identify the cell.
    The Dimension-Driven Design dialog box opens. A list box with each dimension or constant's value is displayed.

  4. For each dimension or constant you want to change, select it in the list box, press <Tab>, and key in the new value in the Edit field.

  5. Enter a data point to modify the cell.

If the cell cannot be derived from the supplied dimension and constant values, the cell is not modified and you are prompted to enter new values.