You can place dimensions anywhere in a drawing and you’ll find the dimension tools on the Tools component tab. There are tools for measuring horizontally/vertically/diagonally in both 2D and 3D, as well as tools for Angle dimensions, Radius dimensions, and Chain dimensions.

Placing a Dimension

Diagonal, vertical and horizontal dimensions are positioned in the 2D view and the 3D view using the same tool.

To place a dimension, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Tools component tab and select the Dimension tool:
   
   
   
   
2. Move the cursor to either the 2D or the 3D drawing view and click where you want the dimension to start.
3. Move the cursor and click again where you want the dimension to end.
4. Move your cursor to adjust the length, which in this step is the distance between the dimension text and the distance being measured, or use the properties box to enter a precise length:
   
   
   
   
5. Click one last time to place the dimension.

While placing a line dimension, before the third click, you can choose Diagonal, Vertical, or Horizontal in the Properties box:

To use the Dimension tool in 3D, simply move your cursor into the 3D view once the tool is selected either from the Tools component tab, 2D toolbar, or with the keyboard shortcut 'D'.

Editing dimensions

When a dimension is selected in the drawing, the yellow stretch nodes can be used to adjust the distance, height, or the placement of the text.

1. Click and drag to adjust the distance of the dimension.
2. Click and drag to move the placement of the text above, below, or anywhere along the line, including outside of the line.
3. Click and drag to adjust the height of the line between the distance and the text line.

Dimension properties

For each dimension you can change its properties from the property box. Each dimension type has different sets of properties. To change them, select the dimension in 2D or 3D to bring up the property box:

• Text Display: Choose the desired way to display the text with your dimension: Dimension only, Text only, Text and dimensions, Text and dimensions on 2 lines, or Text and dimensions on multiple lines.
• Text: Type the text you would like to show with or in the place of your dimension text.
• Line length: Increase or decrease the line length of the dimension. You can also do this with the stretch node of the top line of your dimension in the drawing view.
• Text rotated: Check this box to toggle between horizontal and vertical text.
• Text Style: Use drop-down to select a pre-defined style or click Edit to customize Font, Font Height, Font color, and more. Choose between different text styles that you create in the Style Editor.
• Dimension Style: Use drop-down to select a pre-defined style or click Edit to customize Distance unit, arrow head type, and more.
• Arrows Outside: Places the arrow heads on the outside of the dimension line and remove the line between the two end lines.
• Fill background: Check this box to make the background a solid color.
• Background color: Click this box to change the color of the fill.
• Line Style: Use drop-down to select a pre-defined style or click Edit to customize Width (thickness), type (solid, dashed, etc.), and more.