This tutorial is not designed as a reference for dimensioning conventions. There is also a keyboard short-cut you can display the Osnap Settings dialogue box simply by hitting the F3 key. To display this dialogue box type DDOSNAP at the keyboard or select Tools Object Snap Settings from the Pull-down menu. Running object snaps are set using the Osnap Settings dialogue box. If you have a lot of dimensioning work to do, it will be worth using a running Osnap. Always use an Osnap to pick dimension line origins. When working with dimensions it is very important that line origins are picked accurately so that the resulting measurement and textĪre correct. (see Object Properties for more information on layers) AutoCAD uses this layer to store dimension information and you can effectively ignore it. This is a special layer which cannot be deleted or renamed. When you create dimensions, AutoCAD automatically creates a new layer called "Defpoints". For the purposes of this tutorial we will only consider some of the commands within the Linear, Radial and Angular categories. If you would like to learn more about dimensions, refer to the AutoCAD user manual.ĪutoCAD divides dimensions into four main categories: Linear, Radial, Ordinate and Angular. However, this tutorial aims to cover the most common commands for general use and constitutes an introduction to dimensioning with AutoCAD.
There are lots of dimension commands which include facilities for indicating tolerances and alternate units dimensioning. The arrows have been changed to obliques, the vertical alignment of the text has been centred and the current text style has been changed. The dimension on the right has been drawn using a new style. The dimension line has arrow heads and the dimension text is positioned above the line and is drawn using the current text style. If you do not create a style of your own or modify the standard style, all dimensions will look like this. The one on the left is the default style known as STANDARD.
Using a system similar to text styles, dimension styles allow you to design dimensions so that they look just the way you want them to.įor example, the illustration above shows two different dimension styles.
AutoCAD dimensions are special blocks which can easily be edited or erased as necessary.ĪutoCAD provides lots of control over the way dimensions look. Dimensioning in AutoCAD is automatic lines, arrows and text are all taken care of by the dimension commands. If you just need to quickly find a description of the various dimension commands, click on the appropriate button on the QuickFind toolbar below.ĪutoCAD provides a whole range of dimensioning tools which can be used to quickly dimension any drawing without the need for measurement. The correct use of AutoCADs dimension tools is the key to producing clear and concise measured drawings.
Dimension autocad 2007 how to#
This tutorial describes the options and commands available for dimensioning drawings and how to use them.