<!DOCTYPE html
  PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

<!--
Copyright (c) 2006 UGS Corp.

All Rights Reserved.

This software and related documentation are proprietary to UGS Corp.
-->
<html>
   <head>
      <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
      <title>Drafting dimensions</title>
      <script language="javaScript">
        abridged="false";
        displayConditions=new Array();
      </script>
      <link type="text/css" href="../css/main_styles.css" rel="stylesheet">
   </head>
   <body class="bodydocs" onload="top.pageLoader()" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
      <div class="title_topic3" id="xps10_pagetitle">Drafting dimensions</div>
      <hr noshade="true"><a name="ndxgenid_roadmap549"></a><p class="para_topic">Create drawing dimensions using the <b class="uiTerm">Insert</b> &rarr; <b class="uiTerm">Dimension</b> menu or the <b class="uiTerm">Dimension</b> toolbar.
      </p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/icons/drafting_dimension_toolbar.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">In most cases, you can use the <b class="uiTerm">Inferred</b> button to create dimensions, but you can also select explicit dimension types.
      </p>
      <p class="para_topic">Set the dimension style options for the number of decimals and tolerance on the dialog bar.</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/icons/dimension_style_dialogbar.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">Dimensions are attached to the 3D model. When you create dimensions, use the <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('roadmap/02qt_nx_basics_28.html#qt_nx_quickpick');return(false);">QuickPick</a> box to select between lines and faces. You should attach dimensions to the most durable object. For example, faces are less apt than edges to be completely cut away when blends or chamfers are applied.
      </p>
      <p class="para_topic">Unlike I-deas, dimensions are not attached to vertices. In NX, they are attached to the start and end points of lines instead of to a shared vertex.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">For example, the dimension below could be created by just selecting the line on the left, the top and bottom lines, or the top and bottom faces.</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/drafting/dimension1.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">Depending on the type of dimension and the objects selected, the dimension can behave differently when the model changes as shown below.</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/drafting/dimension3.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">If the dimension was attached to the start and end point of the vertical line and the line was completely cut away by applying a blend or chamfer, the dimension could lose it's associativity. In this case, it will be displayed with dashed lines as shown below. If this happens, either create the dimension again, or fix it using <b class="uiTerm">Edit</b> &rarr; <b class="uiTerm">Drafting Object Associativity</b>.
      </p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/drafting/dimension2.gif"></p>
      <div class="title_division">Inherit feature dimensions</div>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/drafting/dimension_inherit.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_division">To display dimensions on the drawing from a sketch or other modeling feature, use:</p>
      <ul class="unmarkedList">
         <li>
            <p class="para_item"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/icons/icon_drafting_feature_param.gif" border="0"> <b class="uiTerm">Feature Parameters</b> (<b class="uiTerm">Drafting Annotation</b> toolbar) or
            </p>
            <p class="para_item"><b class="uiTerm">Insert</b> &rarr; <b class="uiTerm">Feature Parameters</b></p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Select the sketch or other features.</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Select the views to place the dimensions.</p>
         </li>
      </ul>
      <p class="para_division">See also:</p>
      <ul class="unmarkedList">
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Help: <img align="bottom" src="graphics/widgets/book_closed.gif" border="0"> Design &rarr; Drafting &rarr; Using Dimensions
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Help: <img align="bottom" src="graphics/widgets/book_closed.gif" border="0"> Design &rarr; Drafting &rarr; Insert and Tools &rarr; Feature Parameters
            </p>
         </li>
      </ul>
   </body>
</html>