Dimension commands

Dimension commands create dimensions that annotate length, angle, radius, etc. parallel to the active CPlane. Dimensions are attached to the object by History.

Centermark

Toolbar Menu

Dimension

Drafting

Not on menus.

 History enabled

The Centermark command draws a cross or a cross and center lines at the center point of a curve.

The size and style of the centermark are controlled by the Annotation style and the Centermark properties.

  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.

Centermark Properties

Centermark size

The size of the centermark for radius and diameter dimensions.

Centermark style

Sets the style of the centermark for radius and diameter dimensions

None

No centermark is drawn.

Mark

A cross mark is drawn at the center of the radius or diameter.

Mark and Lines

A cross mark and lines that extend to just beyond the edges of the object.

Dim

Toolbar Menu

Dimension
Drafting
Standard

Dimension

Linear Dimension

 History enabled

The Dim command draws horizontal or vertical linear dimensions.

Steps

  1. Start the command.
  2. Pick two points.

  3. Pick the third point to locate the dimension line.

    When the dimension text does not fit between the extension lines, you can place the dimension text on left or right.

  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.
  • Linear dimension line and text stick to their locations when the object is moved. If you need to relocate the linear dimension line and text with the object, they have to be moved together.
Command-line options

Style

Select the annotation style name.

Object

Select an object to dimension.

Continue

Add more (chain) dimensions along the same dimension line.

Undo

Reverses the last action.

Baseline

Continues dimensioning from the first point.

Vertical

Draws the dimension aligned with the construction plane y axis.

Horizontal

Draws the dimension aligned with the construction plane x axis.

DimAligned

Toolbar Menu

Dimension
Drafting

Dimension

Aligned Dimension

 History enabled

The DimAligned command draws a linear dimension lined up with two points.

Steps

  1. Start the command.
  2. Pick two points.

  3. Pick the third point to locate the dimension line.

    When the dimension text does not fit between the extension lines, you can place the dimension text on left or right.

  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.
  • Linear dimension line and text stick to their locations when the object is moved. If you need to relocate the linear dimension line and text with the object, they have to be moved together.
Command-line options

Style

Select the annotation style name.

Object

Select an object to dimension.

Continue

Add more (chain) dimensions along the same dimension line.

Baseline

Continues dimensioning from the first point.

Undo

Reverses the last action.

DimAngle

Toolbar Menu

Dimension
Drafting

Dimension

Angle Dimension

 History enabled

The DimAngle command dimensions the angle of an arc, or between two selected lines, or from three points.

Steps

  1. Select an arc.

    Or
    Select two lines, polyline segments, linear surface, or polysurface edges.

  2. Pick the dimension location.
  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.
Command-line options

Style

Select the annotation style name.

Points

Pick the apex of the angle (1) and then the dimension points (2) and (3).

DimArea

Toolbar Menu

Dimension

Dimension

Area Dimension

 History enabled

The DimArea command dimensions the area of closed planar curves, surfaces, polysurfaces, sub-surfaces, meshes, or hatches.

Steps

  1. Select a closed planar curve, surface, polysurface, sub-surface, mesh, or hatch.

  2. Pick a start point for the text or leader.
    If the Leader option is used, continue to draw leader points as for the Leader command.
    The area of the object is automatically entered.

  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.
Command-line option

Style

Leader

Uses a leader to point to the object.

Text

Places the text at the picked location.

The dimension uses the Area text field for calculating the dimension.

To edit existing dimensions

  • Select the dimension, and edit the leader or text in the Properties panel.
  • Or, double-click the dimension to open the leader or text edit box.

DimCurveLength

Toolbar Menu

Dimension

Dimension

Curve Length Dimension

 History enabled

The DimCurveLength command dimensions the length of a curve.

Steps

  1. Select a curve.
  2. Pick a start point for the text or leader.
    If the Leader option is used, continue to draw leader points as for the Leader command.
    The length of the curve is automatically entered.
  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.
Command-line option

Style

Leader

Uses a leader to point to the object.

Text

Places the text at the picked location.

The dimension uses the CurveLength text field for calculating the dimension.

To edit existing dimensions

  • Select the dimension, and edit the leader or text in the Properties panel.
  • Or, double-click the dimension to open the leader or text edit box.

DimCreaseAngle

Toolbar Menu

Dimension

Dimension

Crease Angle Dimension

The DimCreaseAngle command dimensions the angle between two planes.

Steps

  1. Select the first surface.
  2. Select the second surface.
  3. Pick a location for the dimension.

  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.

DimDiameter

Toolbar Menu

Dimension
Drafting

Dimension

Diameter Dimension

 History enabled

The DimDiameter command dimensions the diameter of a selected curve.

Steps

  1. Select a curve.
  2. Pick the dimension location.
    Dimensions always measure as though the object were projected to the current construction plane.

  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.
Command-line option

Style

Select the annotation style name.

DimOrdinate

Toolbar Menu

Dimension
Drafting

Dimension

Ordinate Dimension

 History enabled

The DimOrdinate command dimensions the x or y distance from a base location.

Note

  • Ordinate dimensions show the horizontal or vertical distance from an origin point (called the basepoint) to a dimensioned feature, such as a hole Center or a feature in a part.
  • The DimOrdinate command annotates the absolute distance in the X or Y axis between two points. It is always positive and different from vectors that may be negative.
  • Ordinate dimensions are widely used in CNC related manufacturing industries because the clutter caused by dimensions is minimized.
  • This type of dimension prevents accumulated errors by showing the X or Y offset of the feature from the basepoint.

  • The shape of the ordinate leader can be point edited after creation to avoid overlapping geometry.

Create an Ordinate dimension

  1. Pick a dimension point.
    An XDatum dimension is implied if your second pick is primarily above or below the first pick.
    A YDatum dimension is implied if your second pick is primarily left or right from the first pick.
  2. Pick a leader endpoint.
  3. Press Enter when finished placing dimensions.

Update an Ordinate dimension

  1. Select an Ordinate dimension.
  2. Turn on its control points. (Edit > Control Points > Control Points On)
  3. Move the base point (1) or dimension point (2) to a new location.
    Dimension text (3) will update if History was recorded.

How to Update Ordinate Dimensions

  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.
Command-line options

AnnotationStyle

Select the annotation style name.

XDatum

Overrides the implied biasing and forces an X ordinate dimension.

YDatum

Overrides the implied biasing and forces a Y ordinate dimension.

Basepoint

Changes the basepoint for the duration of the command. The basepoint reverts to the default construction plane origin when the DimOrdinate command is run again.
KinkOffset

Decides the offset distance of the two kinks (1) (2) before the leader endpoint (3). This option appears after the first point is picked.

DimRadius

Toolbar Menu

Dimension
Drafting

Dimension

Radial Dimension

 History enabled

The DimRadius command dimensions the radius of an arc or circle.

Dimensions always measure as though the object were projected to the current construction plane.

Steps

  1. Select a curve.
  2. Pick a dimension location.

  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.
Command-line options

Style

Select the annotation style name.

PointOnCurve

Pick a point on the curve where the dimension arrow will start.

DimRotated

Toolbar Menu

Dimension
Drafting

Dimension

Rotated Dimension

 History enabled

The DimRotated command draws a linear dimension that is rotated from the xy axis.

Steps

  1. Start the command.
  2. Enter a number to set the rotation angle of the dimension line.
    The rotation angle can also be set by picking two points.
  3. Pick two points.
  4. Pick the third point to locate the dimension line.
    When the dimension text does not fit between the extension lines, you can place the dimension text on the left or right side.
  • Dimensions have History recorded by default. The default History recording behavior is controlled by the RecordAnnotationHistory option in the History command.
  • Linear dimension line and text stick to their locations when the object is moved. If you need to relocate the linear dimension line and text with the object, they have to be moved together.
Command-line options

Style

Select the annotation style name.

Object

Select an object to dimension.

Continue

Add more (chain) dimensions along the same dimension line.

Baseline

Continues dimensioning from the first point.

DimRecenterText

Toolbar Menu

Dimension
Drafting

Dimension

Recenter Dimension Text

The DimRecenterText command returns dimension text to its default location.

Steps

  • Select dimensions.
    To move dimension text away from the dimension line, turn on the dimension control points and drag the text control point.

Dimension properties

Text

Style

The used annotation style.

Style menu

Lists the annotation styles available in the model. If an annotation has any settings in its properties different from its style, a menu behind the style name appears.

Remove overrides

Resets all the changed settings to the style defaults.

Update <Style> to match

Applies the changed settings to the annotation style.

Save as new style

Uses the settings in the properties to create a new style.

Edit Style...

Edits the Annotations style used by the selected annotation object.

Height

The text height.

Mask

Surrounds text with an opaque color.

None

Turn off mask.

Background

Sets the mask color to the viewport background color.

Solid Color

Selects the mask color using the Select Color dialog box.

Mask Color

When Mask is set to Solid Color, click to change the color.

Mask margins

The width of the blank area around the text.

Model space scale

The display size is a product of the component's size (like arrow size or text height) and the Model space scale value.

Normally this is the inverse of the print scale. The text height, extension line extension, extension line offset distance, and arrow length are multiplied by this number.

Draw frame around text

Displays a rectangle enclosing the text in annotations. The Mask margins setting controls the distance between the text and rectangle.

Font

The text appearance.

  • Click to open the drop-down list, and type the initial letter of a font to find the font quickly.

  • Click the font control and scroll the mouse wheel through the list to select a font.

  • If a font used by an annotation is missing on the current system:

    You will be prompted when the model is opened.

    Enable the "Don't show this message again" checkbox in the warning dialog box to stop detecting missing fonts.

    To re-enable missing font detection, enable Rhino.Warnings.MissingFontWarning in Rhino Preferences > Advanced.

    The annotation displays with a substitute font in viewports.

    The missing font is listed with "(not installed)" in the font list.

B

Sets the font style to bold.

I

Sets the font style to italic.

U

Sets the font style to underlined.

Text Field

Text fields are formulas that are evaluated while Rhino is running and the result is displayed in the text. All text fields are in the syntax of %<field and options>%. When a formula cannot be evaluated an error string of #### is displayed.

  • If a text field displays a long text string, such as a long file path, you can turn on control points of the text and move the right text point to wrap the text string.
  • Text fields support basic arithmetic operations.
    To double an area, add *2 behind the close parenthesis as:
    %<Area("d90815b8...80c59a")*2>%
    To multiply two text fields, use:
    %<CurveLength("07c73fde...8a5c7b")*CurveLength("296ed593...0472e0")>%
Toggle stacking brackets

The toggle stacking brackets button is a shortcut to add or remove [[...]] around text selected in the edit box. Stacking brackets will make the text between them stack, so that [[1/2]] will display as a stacked fraction.

Degree

Enters a degree symbol (°) into the text.

Radius

Enters a radius symbol (R) into the text.

Diameter

Enters a diameter symbol (Ø) into the text.

Plus/Minus

Enters a plus/minus symbol (±) into the text.

Exponent 2

Enters a superscript 2 (²) into the text.

Exponent 3

Enters a superscript 3 (³) into the text.

Edit Box
Angle brackets

The angle brackets < > represent the dimension value. You can type additional text before or after the angle brackets, or you can eliminate the angle brackets.

To type multi-line text, press and hold Alt and press Enter.

Dimension display

The current dimension value.

Font size of the edit box can be controlled by command prompt options.

Edit Style...

Edits the Annotations style used by the selected annotation object.

Match

Select an annotation to apply its properties to the current annotation.

Fit text
Auto

Automatically determines where to place the text.

Inside

Forces the text to the inside of the dimension lines.

Right

Forces the text to the outside and to the right of the dimension lines.

Left

Forces the text to the outside and to the left of the dimension lines.

HintLeft/HintRight

HintLeft and HintRight are automatically selected based on where you pick to place the dimension line. Picking on the left, HintLeft is selected. Picking on the right, HintRight is selected. When the dimension is changed, and the dimension text no longer fits between the extension lines, the dimension text will be moved to the left or right side.
HintLeft
HintRight
Dimension lines
Arrows
Arrowhead 1 / 2
Arrow
Dot
Tick
Short arrow
Open arrow
Rectangle
Thin arrow
Thinner arrow
User arrow

Uses a previously defined block as an arrowhead.

This option is not available when no blocks exist in the model.

To create a block to represent the arrowhead

  1. Draw the arrow elements.
  2. Create a block from the geometry.
Note

  • The base point of the arrowhead block determines how the arrowhead is placed on the end of a dimension line or a leader. In the illustration below:

    (1) The base point of the arrowhead block is placed at the tip of the arrowhead curve. The dimension line passes the arrowhead.

    (2) The base point of the arrowhead block is placed at the end of the arrowhead curve. The dimension line does not pass the arrowhead.

    If you want the tip of the arrowhead to be accurately placed at a location, be sure to place the base point of the arrowhead block at the tip.

  • Make use of the By object, By layer, and By parent features of the Block command to control the appearance of the arrow.
No arrow

No arrow is drawn.

Arrow size

The length of the arrowhead from tip to tail.

Fit arrow

When there is not enough space for the arrows, you can force their position.

Auto

Automatically determines where to place the arrows.

Inside

Forces the arrows to the inside of the dimension lines.

Outside

Forces the arrows to the outside of the dimension lines.

Draw dimension line between extension lines if arrows are outside

Force drawing the dimension line when the arrows are on the outside.

Length units
Unit - Format

The unit and format of the annotation style.

Length factor

Distances in dimensions are multiplied by this value.

Linear resolution

The number of decimal places for the distance display.

Round off

Rounds off the dimension to the nearest listed value.

Prefix / Suffix

Text added before and after the dimension text.

Prefix and suffix only display when the dimension text string contains "<>".

Zero suppression

Turns off the display of zeros at the beginning or end of the dimension.

No zero suppression

0.560

Suppress leading zeros

.560

Suppress trailing zeros

0.56

Suppress leading and trailing zeros

.56

Alternate units
Use alternate units

Displays the second units in linear dimensions.

Unit - Format

The unit and format of the annotation style.

Length factor

Distances in dimensions are multiplied by this value.

Linear resolution

The number of decimal places for the distance display.

Round off

Rounds off the dimension to the nearest listed value.

Prefix / Suffix

Text added before and after the dimension text.

Prefix and suffix only display when the dimension text string contains "<>".

Zero suppression

Turns off the display of zeros at the beginning or end of the dimension.

No zero suppression

0.560

Suppress leading zeros

.560

Suppress trailing zeros

0.56

Suppress leading and trailing zeros

.56

Alternate units below

Displays alternate units on the other side of the dimensions lines.

Tolerance
Tolerance style

Controls how the tolerance is formatted or displayed on the dimension line.

No tolerance

No tolerance is added.

Symmetrical

Adds a ± (plus/minus) character and single Upper value.

Deviation

Displays the Upper value preceded by a + (plus) character and the Lower value preceded by a - (minus) character on the dimension line. Entering a negative number reverses the tolerance display from positive to negative and negative to positive.

Limits

Displays the dimension length plus the Upper value and the dimension length minus the Lower value.

Resolution

Specifies the number of decimal places for the tolerance value.

Alt resolution

Specifies the number of decimal places for the tolerance value in the alternate units.

Upper value

Specifies the maximum or upper tolerance value.

Lower value

Specifies the minimum or lower tolerance value.

Text height scale (%)

Specifies the relative text height for the tolerance values. This setting is only for stacked types of tolerances.

More properties

See Annotation: Angular units

See: Annotation: Arrows

See: Annotation: Centermark

See: Annotation: Dimensions

See: Annotation: Leaders

See: Annotation: Length units

See: Annotation: Radial dimension text

See: Annotation: Tolerance

SetDimensionLayer

Toolbar

Menu

Dimension

Layer

New in V7

Dimension

Set Dimension Layer

The SetDimensionLayer command decides if dimensions will be created on the current layer or the specified layer.

To set a dimension layer

  1. Select Specify Layer.

  2. Enter a layer name.

    • If the layer does not exist, the layer will be created.

    • The specified layer applies to every modeling window of the current Rhino application session.

Command-line options

UseDimensionLayer
UseCurrentLayer

Creates dimensions on the current layer.

SpecifyLayer

Creates dimensions on a specific layer.

DimensionLayerName

The name of the layer for creating dimensions.

See also

How to use SmartTrack to place the dimension

Use text and dimensions for annotation