DIMLINEAR — Linear

Creates a horizontal or vertical dimension.

• Command: DIMLINEAR · Global name: _DIMLINEAR · Alias: DLI, DIMLIN, DIMHORIZONTAL, DIMROTATED, DIMVERTICAL
• Ribbon: Home › Annotation
• Ribbon: Annotate › Dimensions
• Menu: Dimension

Dimensions the horizontal or vertical distance between two points. The dimension is horizontal or vertical depending on where you drag the dimension line: above or below the points it measures the X distance; to one side, the Y distance.

Usage

1. Enter DIMLINEAR (or DLI) or click Linear on the ribbon.
2. Specify the first extension line origin, or press Enter to select an object.

Specify first extension line origin or <select object>:

3. Specify the second extension line origin.

Specify second extension line origin:

4. Move the cursor to preview the dimension and specify where the dimension line goes.

Specify dimension line location or [Mtext/Text/Angle/Horizontal/Vertical/Rotated]:

Selecting an object

With Enter at the first step the object is requested: the endpoints of the selected line, arc or polyline segment are the two origins; for a circle the horizontal or vertical diameter is dimensioned, depending on where the dimension line goes.

Select object to dimension:

Notes

• Use object snaps (endpoint, intersection…) so that the origins fall exactly on the geometry.
• The dimension uses the current dimension style (DIMSTYLE): arrows, text height and placement, precision and units. Change it with DIMSTYLE.
• The measurement is written automatically; to show another text use DIMEDIT or the PROPERTIES palette.
• Location options, as in AutoCAD: Mtext opens the multiline text editor (it starts with <>, the measurement), Text asks for one line of text (<> is the measurement), Angle rotates the text, and Horizontal, Vertical and Rotated force the dimension line orientation (Rotated asks for its angle). Without them the orientation comes from the position of the dimension line. For a dimension parallel to two diagonal points, use DIMALIGNED.
• If its points lie on the geometry (endpoint, midpoint, center...), the dimension is associated with it and follows it when it is moved, stretched or scaled (DIMASSOC). With an annotative dimension style, the dimension is annotative.

See also

DIMALIGNED · DIMCONTINUE · DIMBASELINE · DIMSTYLE · Dimensions