Dialog Dimension Settings
The dialog defines the defaults for new dimensions and manages the dimension styles. Access: gear on the right of the ribbon or of the classic toolbar, entry ⚙ Dimension settings — see command. Connections: Settings and dimension styles.
OK acts only on dimensions created afterwards. Existing dimensions receive a snapshot of their previous values on OK and do not change. To change existing dimensions, select them and click Apply, or use the attribute panel.
Fields
All lengths are millimetres of the drawing; on screen they scale with the zoom, on paper they apply at scale 1:1.
Font
Font of the dimension text: Arial (factory), Helvetica, Verdana, Tahoma, Calibri, Segoe UI, Courier New, Consolas, JetBrains Mono. The font also applies to tolerances, prefix and suffix and is used in the preview of the Edit dimension dialog.
Text height (mm)
Height of the dimension text, 0.5 to 50 mm (factory 3.5). Common values per DIN are 2.5, 3.5 and 5 mm. The text height also sets the stagger of the baseline dimension (2.5 times) and the text height of new datum features and feature control frames.
Text color
Colour of the dimension text and the dimension lines (factory a dark orange). Individual dimensions can get their own colour in the Properties panel.
Line width (screen)
Width of dimension lines and extension lines on screen in pixels, 0.5 to 5 (factory 1). Per ISO/DIN dimension line and extension line are equally thick. The print width you set in the print dialog under Line widths (mm), row Dimensions.
Dimension offset while drawing
Offset of the dimension line from the element for the live dimensions that are created automatically when drawing lines, rectangles, circles and arcs, 1 to 50 mm (factory 10). Choose larger if the text covers the geometry. The value has no effect on dimensions placed by hand.
Dimension arrows (mm)
- Arrow length (mm): length of the arrowheads, 0.3 to 50 (factory 3.5). Usually 3 to 5 mm.
- Arrow width (mm): total width of the arrows, 0.1 to 50 (factory 1.2). Usually about a third of the arrow length.
- Extension line overshoot (mm): overshoot of the extension lines beyond dimension line and arrows, 0 to 20 (factory 1); 0 = no overshoot, usually 1 to 2 mm per DIN. Applies to linear, angular and arc length dimensions.
- Arrow style: open triangle (V) or closed triangle (factory).
- Arrow filled: for the closed triangle only — filled (factory) or outline only.
On screen a minimum size of 9 pixels applies so that arrows stay visible at small zoom; they are never enlarged beyond a quarter of the dimension line. If the set arrow length does not fit between the extension lines, the arrows flip outside.
Snap dimensions (smart guides)
When moving dimensions, the text snaps to the middle of the dimension line, and dimension lines align collinearly with existing dimensions (alignment line). Factory on. Holding Ctrl (Mac: Cmd) suppresses snapping temporarily.
Since program version v3.0.47 this check box also governs the alignment snap while placing: with it off, the preview does not snap either.
Decimal places, Hide trailing zeros
Decimal places of linear dimensions, 0 to 6 (factory 2). Hide trailing zeros (factory on) drops trailing zeros: 40.00 → 40, 40.50 → 40.5. Both values are stored per dimension; the Edit dimension dialog can override the decimal places of a single dimension.
Driven dimensions in parentheses
Show driven (reference) dimensions in round parentheses, for example (40). Driving dimensions stay without parentheses. Factory off. The parentheses appear only for dimension types that could be driving (linear, radius, diameter, rectangle, segment and angular dimensions), not for point-to-point dimensions. The setting belongs to the dimension style and acts immediately on the display of all dimensions.
Angle decimal places, Hide angle trailing zeros
Decimal places and zero rule specifically for angular dimensions, independent of linear dimensions (factory 2 and on): 45.00° → 45°, 30.50° → 30.5°.
Align angle dims with the arc
Align the degree value tangentially to the dimension arc, readable from below or from the right per drawing standard (factory on). Off: the degree value stands horizontally.
Unit
Display unit of linear dimensions: mm (factory), cm, m or m/cm (Bau). Drawing is always in millimetres; cm and m convert and append the unit. m/cm (Bau) shows metres with two decimal places from 1 m, centimetres below that, half a centimetre as a superscript digit (84⁵, 2.36⁵) — see Units. The unit is stored per dimension.
Arrow type, slash, dimension-line stub
- Arrow type: Arrow = classic arrowhead (factory); Slash 45° = stroke per building and timber-construction standards, with dimension-line stubs beyond the extension lines.
- Slash length (mm): length of the stroke on paper, 0.5 to 50 (factory 3.5; timber and building styles 2).
- Slash weight (mm): line weight of the stroke on paper, 0.1 to 3 (factory 0.6); shown thicker on screen too.
- Dimension-line stub (mm): overshoot of the dimension line beyond the extension lines with the slash type, 0 to 10 (factory 2).
Chain: running total from zero point
For chain dimensions show at every extension line the total accumulated from the zero point (first click), rotated 90°; 0 stands at the zero point (factory on). The numbers can be dragged with the mouse; a sideways offset kinks the extension line. See Chain dimension.
Dimension style
List of the named styles: the factory styles ★ Maschinenbau (mm), Holzbau (mm) and Baubemassung (m/cm) as well as your own styles stored in the browser of this computer. Choosing a style loads its values into all fields — they are applied only with OK, Apply or ★ Save as default. For a factory style the tooltip appears: ★ Factory preset — it is part of the delivery and cannot be overwritten or deleted. …. A style from a loaded drawing that does not exist here appears as ⟨from the drawing⟩ name.
A style comprises all fields of this dialog; if a field is missing in an older style, the factory setting applies for it.
Buttons
| Button | Effect |
|---|---|
| Save | Write all dialog values into the chosen own style. |
| Save as… | Create a new own style with the dialog values; the name is asked. |
| Delete | Delete the chosen own style after confirmation. If it was the active style, that entry is cleared. |
| Apply | Transfer all dialog values to the selected dimensions — the only way this dialog changes existing dimensions. Without a selection, post-selection follows. |
| ★ Save as default | Store all values with the style permanently (apply at the next start, travel with Save settings). The dialog stays open. |
| Cancel | Close the dialog, apply nothing. A click beside the dialog does the same. |
| OK | Apply the values as default for new dimensions and save. |
Further places for dimension defaults
- The floating panel Defaults for new dimensions appears as soon as the dimension tool is active and offers text height, decimal places, unit, zeros, colour and the arrow sizes — see attribute panel.
- Create dimensions while drawing in the Settings dialog switches live dimensions on and off; the same dialog holds the switch for the visibility of dimensions.