Use the Dimension properties dialog box to set dimension properties.
Save, Save as, Load
Use Save to save your settings as the standard ones.
If you need to vary your standard settings for a particular project, make the changes and use Save as. Use a unique name for these settings.
Select the name of a saved set of properties from the list box and click Load to use those settings.
Topics Dimension options (p. 102) Dimension format (p. 103) Placing (p. 105)
Preferred dim side (p. 107)
Aligning sloped dimension text (p. 108) Appearance (p. 109)
Advanced (p. 110)
Dimension options
To access automatic dimension settings, open the drawing properties dialog box, then click Dimension....
To access the settings for manual dimensions, in the Drawing Editor, click Properties > Dimension to open the Dimension properties dialog box.
Dimension types
You can select dimension types for straight dimensions (common setting) and for dimensions in the x direction (special setting). For more information on all the available types of dimensions, see Dimension types (p. 64). There are two basic types, all the others are combinations of these basic types:
• Relative
Shows linear distances or length
• Absolute
Shows the perpendicular distance from an origin point to the dimensioned edge, hole, etc.
Create short extension lines
Use the Yes option to create extension lines all the same length:
To adjust the extension line length, use the following environment variables:
• set XS_DIMENSION_EXTENSION_LINE_TOWARD_FACTOR=1.5
• set XS_DIMENSION_EXTENSION_LINE_AWAY_FACTOR=1.0
No Yes
Angle
Angle defines the type of angle measurement Tekla Structures displays. The options are:
Angle options affect the appearance of the following dimensions:
• Bevel dimensions (Radius and bevel dimensions (p. 74))
• Skew position (Skew position (p. 84))
• Skewed bolt groups (unless XS_NO_BOLT_ANGLE_DIMENSIONS is set), see Bolt internal dimensions (p. 76)
Radial dimensions
Adding dimensions using the Drawing Editor gives you additional options for radial dimensions:
Radius You have only one option for radius type.
Curved radial Select the type of radial dimension required from the list box:
• To display the length of the arc, select Distance
• To display the angle in degrees, select Angle
Dimension format
To set the format to use for dimensioning, open the drawing properties dialog box, and then click Dimension... > General. Set the precision, format and units options.
Image Description More information Shows the angle
dimensions in degrees Shows the angle dimensions using a tri- angle
You can also set the Tri- angle base length. This controls the base dimen- sion shown for bevel dimensions.
Text height * 1.5 Text height * 1.0
Precision Select the level of precision for dimensions using the Precision list box. The for- mat you use also affects dimension precision. For example, if you set the format to ###.# you get 1/10 precision not 1/1000 precision.
You need to enter values as integers when setting environment variables for unfolding. See Unfolding dimensions (p. 75).
Format Use the Format list box to select a format for displaying dimensions. Tekla Struc- tures only uses the information in brackets when necessary and it is optional. For example, the dimension 500.00 is shown as 500 if you use the format ###.[#] and as 500.0 if you use the format ###.#.
Field Integer value
Description
0.00 1 For defining precision with
rounding. For example, with precision 0.33 the actual dimen- sion 50.40 is shown as 50.33.
0.50 2
0.33 3
0.25 4
1/8 5 For imperial units
1/16 6
1/32 7
1/10 8 For defining precision without
rounding
1/100 9
1/1000 10
Field Integer value
### 1
###[.#] 2
###.# 3
###[.##] 4
###.## 5
###[.###] 6
###.### 7
### #/# 8
Units Select the units to use from the options in the list box, as shown below:
Placing
Use the Placing options to control how dimensions appear relative to the object they dimension.
Short dimensions The short dimension options allow you to choose whether to place short dimen- sion text between or outside of the dimension lines.
Place
To define the location of automatic dimensions, open the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimension..., and then click Place.
To manually edit dimension locations, you need to set the dimension placing properties in the Drawing Editor. Click Properties > Dimension to open the Dimension properties dialog box and then click the Place button.
The Dimension placing dialog box appears.
Field Description
automatic Uses the units defined in model
mm millimeters
cm centimeters
m meters
inch inches
Inside moves the dimension text fur- ther away or closer to the dimension line.
Outside moves the dimension text out- side the extension lines.
Field Description More information Placing Method used to place
dimension:
• free
Tekla Structures decides the location and direction of the dimension based on the Direction settings.
• fixed
You can place the dimension at any point.
Only available for manual dimensions.
Search mar- gin
The farthest distance Tekla Structures uses when searching for an empty space for the dimension.
Placing and Direction are only available for manual dimen- sions in the Drawing Editor
Preferred dim side
To indicate whether dimensions should appear on the front or side view for adjoining parts, in the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning... > Part dimensions > Preferred dim side, and then select one of the options:
Minimal dis- tance
The closest distance Tekla Structures uses to search for an empty space for a dimension.
Direction The side on which Tekla Structures places dimen- sions (relative to the object being dimen- sioned).
Field Description More information
Positive Negative
1’-4 1’-4
1’-4
1’-4
Aligning sloped dimension text
Tekla Structures aligns slightly-sloped dimension text as shown below:
The default limit for aligning dimension text is 0.1 (sin 5.74°). To adjust this limit, use the environment variable:
set XS_DIMENSION_LINE_TEXT_EPS=0.1
Tekla Structures aligns slightly- sloped (<5.74°) dimension text in the same way as vertical dimension text:
If the dimension text is sloped more than >5.74°, Tekla Struc- tures flips the text:
Appearance
These options control the appearance of dimensions in the drawing.
To define the appearance of automatic dimensions, open the drawing properties dialog box, then click Dimension...>Appearance.
To define the appearance of dimensions in the Drawing Editor, click
Properties > Dimension to open the Dimension properties dialog box, and then click the Appearance button.
Text options
Field Description
Text color Controls the color of the text. The color controls the line weight.
Text height Controls the height of the text used in the dimensions in the drawing.
Font Controls which font is used in the dimension.
Line, Arrow options
The Line, Arrow options define the appearance of dimension lines and arrowheads in the drawing.
Advanced
The Advanced tab in the Dimension properties dialog box controls the type and appearance of some check dimensions.
Frame Defines a frame for the dimension mark Place Defines how the dimension is placed
relative to the dimension line
Field Description
Color The color of the dimension line. This controls the line weight in printed draw- ings.
Arrow shape Controls the type of the mark used with the dimension line
Arrow size Sets the size of the arrowhead
Field Description
Line and text color and text height only apply to position dimensions to work points and bolt holes in a main part. Use the following options in the Dimension- ing dialog box to create these dimensions:
• Position tab >Position to (Working points) or (Both)
• Position tab >Main part bolt position (On) Knock off
dimension types
These are the options for knock off dimension type:
• Typical dimension style
• Set-back style
The field for creating the knock off dimensions is located on the Part tab in the Dimensioning properties dialog box.
See also Check dimensions (p. 88) Knock off dimensions (p. 90)