MET
THFree trial

Manual / Dimension & Annotation

Editing dimensions (DIMEDIT, DIMTEDIT, DIMBREAK ...)

Edit dimension text, position, arrowheads, prefix/suffix, break gaps and spacing.

What it does

These commands work on the selected dimensions. If nothing is selected, they work on every dimension in the drawing.

Command Alias Syntax Meaning
DIMEDIT DED DIMEDIT <Home|New <text>|Rotate <degrees>> Restores the text position, replaces the text, or rotates the text.
DIMTEDIT DIMTED DIMTEDIT <Left|Right|Center|Home|Angle <degrees>> Moves the text to the left, right or centre, or rotates it.
DIMOVERRIDE DOV DIMOVERRIDE <precision|text> <value> Changes the decimals (0–8) or the text without editing the style.
DIMPOST DP DIMPOST <format> Sets a prefix/suffix for all dimensions. <> = the measured value, for example DIMPOST <> mm or DIMPOST %%c<>. With no value, it clears the setting.
DIMARROW ARCHTICK DIMARROW [arrow|tick] Switches between arrowheads and architectural ticks. With no value, it toggles.
DIMBREAK – DIMBREAK [size|REMOVE] Leaves a gap in a dimension line where it crosses other objects.
DIMSPACE – DIMSPACE [distance] Evens out the spacing of parallel dimensions (0 = align them on one line).
DIMJOGLINE DJL DIMJOGLINE [0-1|REMOVE] Adds a not-to-scale jog symbol on the dimension line, at a position from 0 to 1.
DIMREGEN – – Re-measures every dimension from its objects.

Special codes in DIMPOST: %%c = Ø, %%d = °, %%p = ±. Plain text, Multileaders and text typed over a dimension keep these codes as typed.

Where to find it

  • Ribbon: Annotate › Dimensions › Dim Space / Dim Break
  • Command line: see the table above
  • You can also drag the dimension text directly with the mouse.

Steps: add the mm unit and even out the spacing

  1. Type DIMPOST <> mm and press Enter. Every dimension now ends with mm.
  2. Type DIMSPACE 12 and press Enter. Dimensions on the same side are 12 mm apart.

DIMPOST adds mm and DIMSPACE spaces two rows of dimensions
DIMPOST adds mm and DIMSPACE spaces two rows of dimensions

Try it: Belt pulley diameters

A side view of a belt pulley: Ø120 rim, Ø40 hub and a Ø20 bore. You place three rough vertical dimensions, then two edit commands turn them into a tidy diameter stack.

  1. On Annotate › Dim Defaults, set Dim H 7 and Arrow 4 so the numbers suit a part this size.
  2. Hub REC 0,-20 → 50 Tab 40, rim REC 13,-60 → 24 Tab 120, and the bore lines L 0,-10 → 50,-10 and L 0,10 → 50,10.
  3. Three DVE dimensions on the left of the part: bore 0,-10 to 0,10, hub 0,-20 to 0,20, rim 13,-60 to 13,60. Place them anywhere to the left; uneven is fine.
  4. Type DIMPOST %%c<>. Every value now starts with the diameter sign: ⌀20.00, ⌀40.00, ⌀120.00.
  5. Type DIMSPACE 20. The three dimension lines line up 20 mm apart.

Pulley side view with an even stack of ⌀20, ⌀40 and ⌀120 dimensions
Pulley side view with an even stack of ⌀20, ⌀40 and ⌀120 dimensions

Challenge: Type DIMOVERRIDE precision 0 to drop the decimals (⌀20, ⌀40, ⌀120), then DIMPOST with no value to remove the sign again.

See also