Dimension properties in drawings

To open the Dimension Properties dialog box, open the drawing, go to the Drawing tab and click Properties > Dimension.
To open the object level Dimension Properties, double-click a dimension in an open drawing.
To open Dimension Properties dialog box for general arrangement drawings before creating a drawing: On the Drawings & reports tab, click Drawing properties > GA drawing, and then click Dimension...

General tab


Option	Description
Dimension types
Straight	Sets the dimension type for straight dimensions.
	Relative: Point to point dimensions.
	Absolute: Dimensions from a common start point.
	Relative and absolute: Combination of point to point and common start point.
	US absolute: Dimensions from a common start point, which include a running dimension mark (RD).
	US absolute 2: Similar to US absolute, but it changes short dimensions to relative.
	Absolute plus short relatives: Similar to Absolute, but it changes short dimensions to relative. Also called internal absolute. This option may show both dimensions, but it does not show relative dimensions when dimensions are long. This option shows the absolute dimensions inside the dimension lines.
	Absolute plus all relatives above the absolutes: Similar to Relative and absolute, but it places the relative dimensions above the absolute.
	Elevation: Creates an elevation dimension at a picked point. This type is only available in the dimension properties of manual dimensions in drawing mode.
In x direction	As above, but overrides the straight setting for horizontal dimensions. If you use the blank option, Tekla Structures uses the Straight option settings. The x direction usually means dimensions parallel to the drawing x axis.
Angle	Defines the appearance of angle dimensions.
	Shows the angle dimensions in degrees on side.
	Shows the angle dimensions in degrees at angle vertex.
	Shows the angle dimensions using a triangle. You can also set the Triangle base length to control the base dimension shown for bevel dimensions.
	Shows the angle dimensions using a triangle with degrees.
Triangle base length	The base length of a triangle.
Curved	Defines whether to use angle units or distance units for curved dimensions.
Short extension line	Defines whether Tekla Structures should create extension lines all of the same length or use the short extension line automatically if the dimension line falls on a grid line. If you want to exaggerate dimensions, you need to set this option to No.
Dimension format
Units	Defines the units used in dimensioning. See the table below for details.
Precision	Defines dimension precision: rounding, imperial units. See the table below for details.
Format	Defines the dimension format: the number of decimals and their appearance. See the table below for details.
Use grouping	Select Yes to group long dimension values.
Combine equal dimensions	Combines equal dimensions. The choices are Off, 360 or 360=180. The accuracy of combining equal dimensions is 0.1.
Minimum number to combine	Defines the minimum number of dimensions to combine.
Dimension grouping
Update grouping when model changes	Available in automatic Integrated dimensions only. Yes updates dimension grouping automatically when the model changes.
Placing
Dimension lines spacing	Defines the space between parallel dimension lines. In manually created dimensions, this setting works only if dimension Placing is set to free, see below.
Short dimensions	Defines the text location of short dimensions: between or outside the dimension lines.
Place...	Opens the Dimension Placing dialog box. Placing is the method used for placing dimensions. The choices are: free lets Tekla Structures to decide the location and direction of the dimension based on the Direction settings. fixed allows you to place the dimension at any point. Search margin is the empty margin that you want to have around the dimension. Minimum distance is the closest distance Tekla Structures uses to search for an empty space for a dimension. Direction defines the side of the dimensioned object on which Tekla Structures places the dimensions. For more information about dimension placement properties, see Placement properties for dimensions, marks, notes, texts and symbols.

Format, precision and units


Option	Integer value	Notes
Format
###	0
###[.#]	1
###.#	2
###[.##]	3
###.##	4
###[.###]	5
###.###	6
### #/#	7
## ^#/##.## ^#	8	This option is available only for straight dimensions.
Precision
0.00	1	For defining precision with rounding. For example, with precision 0.33 the actual dimension 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
Units
automatic		Uses the units defined in the model
mm		millimeters
cm		centimeters
m		meters
foot - inch		feet and inches Inches are converted into integer feet, and the remaining inches are shown in inches.
cm / m		centimeters and meters Dimensions under 100 cm are shown in centimeters, and dimensions above 100 cm are shown in meters. Millimeters are shown as superscript.
inch		inches
feet		feet

Appearance tab


Option	Description
Text
Color	The color of the dimension mark text. This controls the line weight in printed drawings.
Background mask	Select Opaque to hide the area of the drawing that is covered by the dimension mark. Select Transparent to show the drawing content in the dimension mark background so that drawing linework is visible.
Height	Controls the height of the text used in the dimension marks in the drawing.
Font	Controls which font is used in the dimension mark.
Frame	Defines a frame for the dimension mark.
Place	Defines how the dimension mark is placed relative to the dimension line.
Line, Arrow
Color	Controls the color of the dimension line. The color controls the line weight in printed drawings.
Arrow shape	Controls the type of mark used with the dimension line. You can also create arrow types of your own.
US Absolute dimensions	Controls the type of mark used with the dimension line in US Absolute dimensions. This setting is only available in GA drawing dimension properties.
Level dimensions	Controls the type of mark used with the dimension line in level dimensions. This setting is only available in GA drawing dimension properties.
	Sets the height and the length of the arrowhead.

Marks and Tags tabs


Option	Description
Marks tab
Prefix	Displays the defined value before the numeric value of the dimension. Enter text or click ... to select elements. The prefix value cannot be plain numbers, and cannot end with a number.
Visibility of numeric value	Defines whether the numeric value of the dimension is visible or hidden. If you hide the numeric value of the dimension, the prefix and postfix text will still be shown.
Postfix	Displays the defined value after the numeric value of the dimension. Enter text or click ... to select elements. The postfix cannot be plain numbers, and the it cannot start with a number when the numeric value of the dimension is visible.
... buttons	Define dimension mark contents by adding elements. You can also modify the mark appearance. Frame around elements: Type and Color define the element frame type and color individually for each element. < Add frame allows you to add frames around elements. Font: Color, Height and Font define the font type, color, and height used in element texts individually for each element. Clicking Select... gives more font choices. Units: Units and Format allow you to set the unit and format for length elements. Unit settings can be modified only when a length element is selected. You can also use template attributes in the User-defined attribute element. In marks, you cannot use template attributes such as `MODEL_TOTAL` that refer to the whole model. Marks only check the information from the object in the drawing and not from the whole model.
Plate side marks	Specified creates plate side marks to plate dimension using the specified color, size and offset. Offset means the distance of the mark from the dimension line. The option Automatic is available only in intelligent drawings, that is when the advanced option `XS_INTELLIGENT_DRAWING_ALLOWED` is set to `TRUE`.
Exaggeration	Specified exaggerates narrow dimensions. Select the Direction: Left / Down, Right / Up or Both. Set the Origin, Width, Position and Height.
Tags tab
Tags area	Add tags to dimensions: You can enter text in the tag box or add elements by clicking the ... When you click the ... button next to a tag box, a dialog box for the particular tag is displayed and you can define dimension tag contents by adding elements. You can also modify the tag element appearance. Rotation > Perpendicular to dimension line rotates the tag. Rotation > Parallel to dimension line does not rotate the tag. This is the default value. Frame around elements: Type and Color define the element frame type and color individually for each element. < Add frame allows you to add frames around elements. Font: Color, Height and Font define the font type, color, and height used in element texts individually for each element. Clicking Select... gives more font choices. Units: Units and Format allow you to set the unit and format for length elements. Unit settings can be modified only when a length element is selected. You can also use template attributes in the User-defined attribute element. In tags, you cannot use template attributes such as `MODEL_TOTAL` that refer to the whole model. Tags only check the information from the object in the drawing, and not from the whole model.
Include part count in the tag	Select the tag positions for which you want to include the part count in the tag.
Exclude parts according to filter	Select a drawing view filter that removes desired content from the tag.
Curved Dimension Tag Type	Select a tag type for a curved reinforcing bar dimension line. The tag type controls how the tags are aligned to the dimension.