Dimension Add Horizontal

Dimension Add Horizontal ( Drawing Editor )

Tool summary :

Locate two or more points then right-click ( Return ) to add a dimension or dimension chain that shows horizontal distances between the located points.
If User and Site Options > Drawings > " Confirm adding of dimensions " is turned on (checked), a confirmation step with Yes - No mouse bindings is provided at the end of the add operation.
See setup and defaults and the step-by-step instructions .

Also see :

Drawing Editor (where Dimension Add Horizontal is a tool)
Edit Dimension (window for editing dimensions)
Dimensions (topic)
Unshorten (before using Dimension Add Horizontal )
Layer selection tool (drawing layer the dimension will be added to)
Adding extension dimensions (optional for Dimension Add Horizontal )
Add Dimension (alternative way to Dimension Add Horizontal )
The parts of a dimension (terms used to describe dimensions)

Setup and defaults :

Setup:

Dimension terminals (arrows or slashes)
Confirm adding of dimensions ( User and Site Options > Drawings > )
Expand dimensions less than or equal to
Material point dimension holdback distance

Defaults for user-added dimension labels:

The default character height and width/height ratio for a primary dimension label added using Dimension Add Horizontal is set using the Edit Palette .
After Dimension Horizontal Dimension , the last-added or last-edited dimension sets the defaults for subsequently added dimensions unless you change the Edit Palette in the meantime.

Defaults for auto detailing:

Automatically detailed dimension labels use the " Dimension label pen color " and character height and width/height ratios set in Drawing Presentation .
If you are using the ' SDS2 ' font , the " Dimension label pen color " also sets the default stroke weight of that font.

Dimension line defaults:

The " Dimension pen color " for the legs and lines of automatically detailed and user-added dimensions is set in Drawing Presentation . To change this on individual drawings, you have to Dimension Edit or Dimension Edit All then reset the " Pen color " on the edit window.

Step-by-step instructions :

The following instructions assume that you are using a 3-button mouse and that User and Site Options > Drawings > " Confirm adding of dimensions " is off (not checked).

1 . Before using this tool:

1a : Either allow the program to select a layer of its choosing -- or -- on the layer selection tool , select the drawing layer that you want to add the dimension to.

1b (if applicable) : To ensure accuracy of measurement, first Unshorten the drawing (if it has been shortened).

2 . Invoke Dimension Add Horizontal using any one (1) of the following methods:

Method 1 : Click the Dimension Add Horizontal icon. The icon can be taken from the group named ' Objects -- Dimensions ' and placed on a toolbar (classic) or the ribbon (lightning).

Method 2 : If " Drawing Editor layout style " is ' Classic ', you can use the menu system to choose Objects > Dimensions > Add Horizontal .

Method 3, 4 or 5 : Dimension Add Horizontal can also be invoked using a keyboard shortcut , the context menu , or a mode . For the ' Lightning ' layout style, configuration of the interface is done using Customize Interface .

3 . Locate - Remove - Return mouse bindings become active.

bindings

3a : Select the Locate icon that you want (if it's not pressed already).

3b : Position the mouse pointer ( ) so that the point location target snaps to the point you want to measure from , then left-click ( Locate ).

4 . An X appears at the point located in step 3. This X marks the base of the dimension leg .

bindings

4a : Position the mouse pointer ( ) so that the target snaps to the point you want to measure to , then left-click ( Locate ).

4b (optional) : You may now optionally left-click ( Locate ) more points if you want to add a dimension chain. If you locate too many points, middle-click ( Remove ) to remove the last point located.

4c : When you are done locating points for dimensioning, right-click ( Return ).

5 . The status line prompts you to " Locate dimension line ..." and shows the calculated distance between the located points. Locate- Pan -Return mouse bindings become active.

bindings

5a : Left-click ( Locate ) any point through which you want the dimension line to be drawn. This point also sets the length of the dimension legs .

6 . A dimension or dimension chain is drawn on screen. Assuming that User and Site Options > Drawings > " Confirm adding of dimensions " is off (not checked), Locate - Remove - Return mouse bindings become active again so that you can optionally add more dimensions.

bindings

Alternative 1 : Add additional dimensions or dimension chains by following these instructions beginning with step 3 .

Alternative 2 : If you are done adding dimensions, right-click ( Return ).

Tip: Dimensions or dimension chains added using this procedure can be quickly removed (one chain at a time, in reverse-order of their addition) by using Undo .