AutoCAD does not set the size. Methods for setting dimensions in AutoCAD

AutoCAD is an extremely popular software that is used by certain specialists when creating drawings. Most often, this program is used by designers and engineers working in a variety of industrial production, in the construction industry, and so on.

An important element of such activity is dimensional value. The fact is that such drawings are usually later included in the official documentation of a particular project, so the size of AutoCAD is set on the basis of government standards established today. Most of them are prescribed in GOST 2.307-68.

So, in the drawing product itself there are two options for this parameter:

  • The first is responsible for angular values;
  • The second is linear. That is, it gives such characteristics of an object as its height, length, width, thickness, and so on.

All that remains is to understand how to set the size in AutoCAD.

Setting the required parameters

How to set the size in this PO:

There is also alternative method, which can be used when you need to set a similar characteristic for an integral part of an object. To do this, you need to complete the first three steps from the previous instructions, but then immediately, when prompted, press “Enter”.

At this moment, the “select object” functionality will be activated. All that remains is to use the same mouse to indicate the element of the figure being processed and its location.

Using this functionality, you need to know about additional options and what exactly they are intended for:

  • "Mtext". Allows you to activate the editor to make changes and add new symbols;
  • "Text". Provides command line functionality for editing text symbols in the drawing;
  • "Corner". Necessary for adjusting the rotation angle of text symbols;
  • "Horizontal/vertical". Similar functionality to the previous one, but only within the specified framework. There is also another alternative to “Angle” - “rotated”.

Using a callout

This is another option for solving the problem, since it is not possible to register the dimensional parameters on some drawing options. For example, on very complex ones, with an abundance of various, sometimes small, details. What to do? Use callouts. Initially, you need to configure their appearance:


Another opportunity to edit this functionality is the “Leader Options” dialog box, where there are also three tabs:


Some people have a problem - everything seems to be set correctly, but nothing is visible on the screen. The reason lies in the size. They can be very small against the background of the entire drawing. To see them, you will need to zoom in with the mouse wheel, or change some parameters using the configuration options discussed above.

This is the most important component when working with drawings. This is a complex object that is perceived as a single whole and consists of an extension and dimension line and the given dimension itself. For a more understandable distribution, two main types should be distinguished: angular, which, accordingly, provides information about the size of the angle, and linear, characterizing the length, width, height, thickness and similar values.

It is also worth taking into account the fact that drawing dimensions, and, in principle, all work with the drawing, is regulated by the standards prescribed in GOST 2.307 - 68. And these standards should not be neglected.

First you need to create the figure itself, for which you need to put dimensions.

Then expand the “Annotation” tab and click on the “Dimensions” section.

Now you need to select a view, for example “Linear”.

A prompt appears at the bottom of the screen in the command line:

Using the mouse and cursor, alternately indicate the first and second points of the segment to be defined on the selected figure.

Once the required points have been determined, you will be prompted to select the location of the dimension line:

Once you have successfully specified the location of the values, press the “Enter” key to accept the entered data.

As an alternative, you can bypass the placement of points and use the selection of part of the drawing.

To do this, you will need to immediately press “Enter” at the first request, thereby the “Select object” function will be applied.

Now all that remains is to indicate by clicking parts of the figure/drawing and by moving the cursor away and clicking the mouse, determine the location of the dimension line.

Additional options

These options have already been mentioned above; they appear at the first request on the command line, and their purpose is as follows:

  1. “Mtext” is an option that calls the editor. It allows you to change already entered data or add additional characters in the form of “+”/“-”/“&”, etc.
  2. “Text” – this option provides the ability to edit text directly from the command line, without involving or calling the editor.
  3. “Angle” – serves to change the rotation angle of the entered text.
  4. “Horizontal/Vertical” – to determine only vertical or only horizontal location of values.
  5. “Rotated” – on the same principle as the “Angle” option.

How to make a callout

In complex objects and drawings, there are situations in which there is simply nowhere to put the dimensional value, or it will simply be out of place due to the presence of many parts.

It is for these purposes that there is the “Leader” option, which allows you to set the desired dimensional value outside the selected object.

First of all, set up the external design of the callouts, call the “MultiLeader Style Manager” to do this, and then click on the “Edit” button to change the standard style.

The Change Multileader Styles: Standard dialog box contains three tabs:


It is also worth paying attention to the “Leader Options” dialog box; similar to that described above, here 3 tabs are shown or provided that define the following parameters:


Useful Commands and Variables

  • “CMLEADERSTYLE” – to set the name of the current multileader style;
  • “SIZE” – used to apply values ​​based on selected objects;
  • “DIAMETER” – establishing the diameter of an arc or circle;
  • “RZMORDINATA” – application of ordinate dimensional values;
  • “BREAK” – to restore or break dimension lines that intersect others.

Many novice users are faced with the fact that the size is no longer displayed in the drawing or is not visible at all. The reason is elementary simple. The fact is that the necessary values ​​are displayed, but the default is set minimum size, which is simply invisible in the large drawing. The problem is solved by simply enlarging the object (by scrolling the mouse wheel) and/or adjusting the external display in the dialog boxes described above.

Any correctly designed drawing carries information about the dimensions of the drawn objects. Of course, AutoCAD has a lot of intuitive dimensioning capabilities.

After reading this article, you will learn how to apply and adjust dimensions in AutoCAD.

Applying dimensions

Let's consider adding dimensions using a linear example.

1. Draw an object or open a drawing in which you need to add dimensions.

2. On the Annotate ribbon tab, go to the Dimensions panel and click the Dimension (Linear) button.

3. Click at the start and end points of the distance being measured. After that, click again to set the distance from the object to the dimension line. You have drawn the simplest size.

To create drawings more accurately, use object snaps. To activate them, press the F3 key.

4. Let's make a dimensional chain. Select the size you just added and in the “Dimensions” panel, click the “Continue” button, as shown in the screenshot.

5. Click one by one on all the points to which the dimension should be attached. To complete the operation, press the "Enter" or "Enter" key in the context menu.

All points of one projection of an object can be measured with one click! To do this, select "Express" in the dimensions panel, click on the object and select the side on which the dimensions will be shown.

Angular, radial, parallel dimensions, as well as radii and diameters are entered in the same way.

Editing dimensions

Let's look at some options for editing sizes.

1. Select a size and call the context menu with the right mouse button. Select Properties.

2. In the “Lines and Arrows” rollout, replace the ends of the dimension lines by setting the “Slope” value in the “Arrow 1” and “Arrow 2” drop-down lists.

In the properties panel, you can turn dimension and extension lines on and off, change their color and thickness, and set text parameters.

3. On the dimension panel, click the text position buttons to move it along the dimension line. After clicking the button, click on the dimension text and it will change its position.

You can also use the Dimensions panel to break dimensions, skew text, and leader lines.

You can adjust dimensions in AutoCAD according to GOST, according to text height, and also create your own dimensional style using the command Format/Dimensional Styles . To create a new dimension style, in the Style Manager dialog box, click New. Also in this window you can set the name of the newly created style. Fig 1.


The Symbol Manager has many top tabs. These are Lines, Arrows and symbols, Text, Basic units. Using these tabs you can customize the dimension style.

In the Style Manager dialog box, you can configure the Lines the following parameters:

1) Set the step in basic dimensions

2) Extension beyond dimension lines – the amount of extension of extension lines beyond the dimension line

3) Indent from object - indents of extension lines from the object

On the tab Arrows and symbols you can make the following settings:

1) Arrows You can set the design of the arrows, namely left, heel and extension lines

) 2) Arrow size – you can specify the size of the arrow

3) Arc length symbol – sets the position of the arc above or below the text

The text tab, where you can customize the text.

1) Text style in which you can select a font and set the indentation between characters

2) Text height – you can set the text height

4) Text alignment – ​​you can set text alignment horizontally and vertically

5) Text orientation – you can set the position of the text along the dimension line, horizontally

On the tab Accommodation You can set Placement Options, Text Alignment, Scale of Dimensional Elements, Fitting of Elements.

1) Placement options – when text and arrows cannot be placed between leader lines (do not fit), you can specify what will be placed first behind the leader lines

2) Suppress arrows if they do not fit between extension lines - you need to check the box if, and do not check anything if not.

3) Text alignment, you can set the position of a dimension line or a leader if you move text in the drawing.

4) Global scale, you can set the global scale

5) Fitting elements, you can set the position of elements

Tab Basic units You can specify the dimensional accuracy. Specify a prefix, for example, if you want the size numbers to be preceded by a letter, for example B10, and not just the value 10. This is necessary when you need to indicate what size or what size. Also in this tab you can specify the separator between the integer and fractional parts (period or comma). You can specify the scale of measurements (depending on the scale of the drawing). You can specify the dimension and accuracy of angular dimensions (in degrees or degrees minutes seconds).

Well, in the tabs Alternative Units and Tolerances , alternative units and tolerances can be specified.

Dimensions- an important detail in the drawing. Therefore, I decided to write this article about what dimensions are in AutoCAD, how to set and change dimensions.

A dimension in AutoCAD is a complex object that is treated as a single entity. It consists of extension lines, a dimension line with arrows (or tick marks), and a dimension value.

All sizes are fundamentally divided into two groups: linear and angular. Linear dimensions characterize such parameters as length, width, thickness, height, diameter, radius. Angular size characterizes the magnitude of the angle.

Rules for applying dimensions.

These rules in our country are regulated by GOST 2.307-68. So you can go there for the rules for applying sizes. I advise you to adhere to these rules, even if you are not a professional designer or engineer.

Now I will just focus on how to put certain dimensions on drawings in AutoCAD.

On “Annotations” tab on “Size” panel click on button “Linear dimension”. As you probably already know, AutoCAD has special commands for calling tools. In our case this is the command “RZMLINEAR”. Try entering in command line the first letters of the command, for example, "RZML". The command will be added to the command line itself. Now press “Enter”.

A corresponding prompt will appear on the command line: “Start of first extension line or<выбрать объект>:". Click LMB to select the first dimension point on the object, then the second.

After this, the command line displays the prompt: “Dimension line position or [MText/Text/Angle/Horizontal/Vertical/Rotated]:”. Those. Now you need to indicate the location of the dimension line. According to GOST, this value is 10mm.

Simply moving the cursor approximately to the place where the size should be located, enter the value 10 from the keyboard. You will see how this value is displayed in the number field. Now don't forget to press “Enter”.

For faster work, you can not specify size points, but specify the part of the object that you want to measure.

To do this, in response to the first request, indicate the beginning of the first extension line, simply press “Enter”. You will use the “Select object” option.

Now you need to specify the object for which you need to size. For example, I'll indicate an interior wall. And now, moving the cursor away from the object, a linear dimension follows it. Here the position of the dimension line is arbitrary. Therefore, click LMB anywhere.

Always pay attention to the prompts that appear on the command line. After all, almost every command in AutoCAD has its own options.

Options that can be used when applying dimensions.

After placing the second point of the dimension - this is the beginning of the second extension line, a number of options appear on the command line - MText, Text, Angle, Horizontal, Vertical, Rotated.

Let's look at the sizing options available when using these options.

"MText". This option opens an editor that allows you to edit dimension text.

Here you can change the size value itself. Or add symbols “+-”, “~”, etc. to the value.

"Text". This option allows you to edit dimension text on the command line (without calling the editor). The resulting size value is displayed in angle brackets.

Enter a new numeric value at the command line. You can also change the text in the number field. After entering the value, specify the position of the dimension line.

"Corner". Allows you to change the rotation angle of dimension text.

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