The Chain dimension tool makes it easier to rapidly measure several successive distances and display a running total of the distance.

To use the Chain dimension tool, follow these steps:

1. Select the Chain Dimension tool on the Tools component tab.
   
   
   
   
2. Click to set the starting point for your first measurement.
   
   
3. Move the mouse pointer to the next point you want to dimension and click.
   
   
4. Click to determine the height of the dimension line.
   
   
5. Keep clicking until you have measured all desired distances.
   
   
6. Move the cursor off the drawing area or press the Esc key to release the chain dimension tool.

Chain dimension properties

Change properties from the green properties box:

Properties for the Chain dimension tool

• Text display: Lets you decide how the dimension and/or text should be displayed.
• Line length: Increase or decrease the line height of the dimension line.
• Text rotated: Rotate the text showing the segment dimensions by 90 degrees.
• Text Style: Define the appearance of the text or customize by expanding Edit. Create and edit your own Styles from the Style Editor.
• Dimension Style: Define the appearance  of your dimension or customize by expanding Edit. Create and edit your own Styles from the Style Editor.
• Fill background: Show color behind the text of the dimensions.
• Line Style: Define the appearance of your line or customize by expanding Edit. Create and edit your own Styles from the Style Editor.
• Display dimensions: Select which dimension text to show in your chain dimension:
  • All = dimension of each segment and running total of all segments
  • Main = only dimension of each segment
  • Side = only running total shown on the side lines of each segment
  • None = no dimension text shown