The DIMASSOC system variable is used to control the association of dimension objects and whether dimensions are exploded.

What is DIMASSOC (Dimensional Association) ?

Normally, when we adjust geometric objects in the drawing, the dimensions in the drawing, if there are any, would be updated automatically, and that’s due to the association.

Below is a linear dimension created by snapping two end points on the line, we can see that when dragging the grip of a line to change the line length, the dimension changes accordingly, shown as below,

How to control the Dimensional Association

DIMASSOC has three values 0, 1 and 2:

If the value is set to 0, there is no association between different dimension elements. Line, arc, arrow, and dimension text are all created as different objects.

Moving one element of the dimension won’t affect other elements in the dimension, here we move the text to see what happens,

If the value is set to 1, users will create non associative dimension objects.

The elements of the dimension are packed into a single object. If one definition point changed, all dimension updates.

But when we drag the grip of the line to change the line length, the dimension won’t accordingly.

If the value is set to 2, users will create associative dimension objects.

The elements of the dimension are packed into a single object.

If the association point on the geometric object moves, the dimension location, orientation, and value are updated,

GstarCAD 2022 has a new feature to associate or reassociate dimensions, check it out