The other day I had to work on a file in which there were numerous points of data that someone wanted to display in another way much like you can set a Dimension Style to display both Imperial and Metric Units.

I was in a terrible hurry and decided to see if I could just use a Field to solve my problem.  I got it to work and decided this trick might be of value to others.

To explain the problem better, here's what I was up against.  Another user had created labels using Mtext that contained specific dimensional values but someone else wanted to see mathematical modifications to those numbers so I needed a way to capture the value of the Mtext, modify it and product another value.

In the illustration to the right I show that I have started a Field text and set the Field Category to Objects where I have selected Formula.

In the Formula box I use the right-click context menu to access the "Insert Field" menu option.  This action opens another Field dialog because it's a Field in a Field.

For the first part of my Formula Field, I used the Object option under the Field Names and then used the Select Object button under the Object Type value field.

I selected the Mtext that holds the number I want to work with (see top image to the right).

Once the Mtext Object has been Selected, you should see several options for Property.  In the illustration to the right I show that I selected "Contents" in order to retrieve the actual written information in that Mtext.

Back on the original Field dialog I now have the Mtext value captured in the Formula box.  At this point I can now use mathematical statements to modify the value that I captured.

In the example illustrated to the right I show that I added six (6) inches to the captured value and then divided the sum by twelve (12) inches to produce a result in inches.  Notice that I set the Format to "Decimal", the Precision to zero (0) and added the inch mark (") under the Additional Format... dialog as a Suffix.

To finish the work, I added the statement, "TO FINISHED FLOOR" as part of the Field but outside of the Field dialog; i.e., just as plain Mtext.

Among the many cool things this example demonstrates is the linking between numeric values.  If a person changes the 144'-6" value, the Field will automatically run the Formula and show the new value to "finished floor".