User dimension text for cast-in-material dimension lines

When generating Shop drawings, sometimes is needed to add extra text on the cast-in-materials dimension lines. It is now possible to to generate a Shop drawing and have the user text added in an automatic way on the cast-in-materials dimension lines. 

Figure 1 - Dimension User Text field in Shop drawing template settings

In the example below, we will configure the dimension line with CIM number and then generate a Shop drawing. 

The dimension line families are placed in the IMPACT annotations folder of the corresponding Revit version that is in use. 

Figure 2 - Dimension line families in IMPACT Standard folder

By default, the dimension line families from IMPACT does not contain the parameter "Dimension User Text" and it needs to be added by the user. Open the dimension line family and go to "Family types". 

Figure 3 - Family types option in dimension line family 

Add a new instance parameter and name it "Dimension User Text". Configure the parameter as shown in figure 4. 

Figure 4 - Adding Dimension User Text parameter

The next step is to add the label in the dimension line family. To do that, press on "Label" option from Revit ribbon and then place the label in the desired position in dimension line family.

Figure 5 - Label option in Revit 

You will be prompted with a dialogue window where the "Dimension User Text" parameter needs to be added to the label. Select the parameter and add it to the label and if needed change the Sample value. 

Figure 6 - Adding Dimension User Text parameter to label

We have finished now configuring the dimension line family and in this example the label is placed below the dimension line. See figure 7. 

 Figure 7 - Dimension line family after configuring it 

Load the dimension line family in the Shop drawing template. At the beginning of this article we added the text in the Dimension User Text field from Shop drawing template settings so all we need to do now is to generate the Shop drawing. The Dimension User Text is now added to the cast-in-material dimension line. 

Figure 8 - Dimension User Text added on the cast-in-material dimension line