Dimension Properties Toolbar

The Dimension Properties toolbar enables you to quickly edit or define a limited set of properties of dimensions and texts. The tools are designed to offer you a quick access to the most used dimension and text properties.

Use the Toolbars tab of the Customize dialog box to display the default Dimension Properties toolbar. Note that the program can manage the toolbar status automatically or manually, and you are enabled to switch between the two modes:

• By default, when you select one or more dimensions, the program displays the toolbar automatically. When you cancel the selection, the program hides the toolbar automatically.
• If you turn the toolbar on or off when in idle mode (i.e. no dimension is selected), the status of the toolbar becomes the new default, and the toolbar status management will be the same as that of any other toolbar. In other words, the automatic mechanism is turned off and you have to display or hide the toolbar manually.
• In order to enable the automatic display mode, select at least one dimension, then turn on the toolbar. When you then cancel the selection, the program hides the toolbar.

In the default configuration, the toolbar provides you with the tools to control properties such as:

• The Linear Dimensions Arrow type and the visibility of witness lines
• The Dimension Text size
• Text effects such as underlining, parentheses and orientation
• The presence of the Radius symbol in radius dimensions, of the Diameter symbol in linear dimensions, and of the Symmetry symbol in linear and diameter dimensions
• The Measure prefix and suffix
• The Tolerance format and content

When you rest the cursor on the toolbar commands, the program displays a tooltip with a short description of the command. At the bottom of customizable drop-down lists you find the Edit command that enables you to edit the list of values available.

Dimension Properties commands behavior

The toolbar commands act differently whether there are preselected entities or not:

With preselection

When you preselect a dimension or text, the toolbar reflects the properties of the entity; when you select multiple entities, only values that are constant through the selected entities are displayed, while the others are blanked. Non applicable properties are disabled. When you change a property, all preselected entities are assigned the value you have specified.

Without preselection or while inserting entities

When no dimension or text is selected, if you use one of the commands in the Dimension Properties toolbar to set a property to a certain value, the entities you then insert acquire the value you have specified until you reset it.

Dimension Properties toolbar customization

The Dimension Properties toolbar is fully customizable. You are also enabled to create new ones. Use the Customize command to add and remove buttons to the existing Dimension Properties toolbars. Note that although you are enabled to add any command to a Dimension Properties toolbar, only dimension or text properties will operate as described above.

The New Toolbar Object command enables you to have full control of the customization of existing Dimension Properties toolbars and to enable you to create new ones. You can find the New Toolbar Object command in the context menu of the properties of the Dimension and Text categories of the Entity Properties.

When you execute the Customize command and you right-click on the toolbar background, the program displays a context menu with the Use Block to Align command. This command enables you insert non-functional blocks of various sizes that are designed to serve as place holders or separators for the alignment of the objects in the toolbar.

Related Topics

• Creating a new Dimension Properties Toolbar
• Customizing a Dimension Properties toolbar