In AutoCAD 2015 is it possible to dynamically label a line with bearing and distance?

Question

In my AutoCAD 2015 project, I would like to label lines with a bearing and distance, similar to the image below, ideally in a way that allows them to dynamically update if I adjust the lines.

I've seen tutorials (such as this) that use the "Add Label" command, but that appears to only be in "AutoCAD Civil 3D" and not in my standard version of AutoCAD.

Am I correct in thinking that it's not easily doable in my version?

Answer 1

It is doable! However probably not the way you are thinking.

For starters you will need to set up your drawing so it displays the way you are showing. You could also probably get away with it with some UCS manipulation but that is not the route I chose.

1. Type the command units

2. Place a check mark in the Clockwise box
3. Select the Direction... at the bottom

4. select North and press OK

Now you have your model space set up just like a compass.

Draw your 4 lines.

1. Pick the line command and select a point anywhere to start.
2. Enter the information for the next point in the format @Distance<direction ie for your top line @96.270<103d24'33"
3. Repeat step 2 for the next line in sequence until you are back at the start
4. You can either set up a specific dimension style for this or use and existing one that work for your scale and manually override the settings.
5. Draw an aligned dimension for each line.
6. Edit the dimension text. After the displayed length without a space enter "\X" without the quote and ensure it is a capital X. This will move the next bit of text to below the dimension line while the dimension text is in its home position.
7. After the "\X" which will disappear when you press space, press control+F to enter a field.
8. Start by selecting "Objects" in the Field category drop down, and then select Object.
9. Press the little green box with a small mouse button next to Object type and then go into your drawing and select the line you are dimensioning.
10. Select "Angle" which happens to be the first entry in the property list.
11. Select Deg/min/sec under the Format list
12. In the precision box select 0d00'00". then press Ok
13. Repeat steps 6 to 12 for the 3 other lines.
14. Select the property box for the dimension or set up your special dim style to do the following:
15. Set Arrow 1 and 2 to "none"
16. Set Dim line 1 and 2 to "off"
17. Set Ext line 1 and 2 to "off"
18. Select the grip point for the dimension where the arrow head would have been, and drag it down to the end of the line it is dimensioning. Note: DO NOT DRAG THE TEXT as you are moving it out of the home position and the formatting may not work as intended.
19. Repeat steps 15 to 18 for all other lines

In the end you should have something that looks similar to this:

So the reason I chose this method, is that the dimension would pick up the length of the line on its own and inserting the field would keep the text aligned with the referenced line. There are a couple of catches though:

1. When you drag/stretch the end of the line, the field information will not update automatically. You will either have to use the update command or regen all command.

2. If I recall correctly, when you copy a line with its corresponding dimension, the copied field code will still point back at the original line. You will need to edit the field and pick the new line as the object.