You can modify the properties of the dimensions in an open drawing.

1. Click a dimension, which can be either automatically or manually added.

   If the drawing property pane is not open, double-click the dimension.

   If you want to modify several dimensions, hold down Ctrl and click the dimensions.

   If you have selected several dimensions, the properties that have different values have the text Varies. You can select another value from the list.

2. Modify the dimension line properties, such as type, color, and arrow.
3. Modify the dimension value properties, such as font, place on line, background, frame, units, format, and precision.
   You can group the digits, combine equal dimensions, and define if you want to show the numeric value of the dimensions.
4. Modify the exaggeration settings as required.
5. Select if you want to show plate side marks, and modify the plate side mark settings.
6. Add dimension tags as required by using the tag editor, modify font and frame properties, and set the dimension tag rotation. Here you can set the dimension prefix and postfix.

   Here you can include part count to dimension tags and select a filter that removes the desired default content from the tag. You can also select the curved dimension tag type to control how the tags are aligned to the dimension.

7. Modify the dimension placing settings.

   For example, here you can set the dimension to be free or fixed. Free lets Tekla Structures to decide the location and direction of the dimension. Fixed allows you to place the dimension at any point.

8. Click Modify.
   The selected dimensions are modified.

In dual dimensions, you can show dimensions in different units and format, above and below the dimension line.

1. On the File menu, click Settings > Options, and go to the Drawing dimensions settings.
2. Set the unit, formats and precision, and activate the dual dimensions for the necessart drawing types in Dimensions in tags.
3. Click OK.
4. Click a dimension in your drawing.
   If the drawing property pane is not open, double-click the dimension.
5. Go to the Tags section, open the Content of tag area, click the middle tag box, and select the Dual dimension check box. Add the desired elements in the middle dimension tag.

   

6. Click Modify.
7. If you do not want to show dual dimensions in all dimensions, you can remove the contents of the middle tag by clicking the red cross in the tag corner or by clearing the selection from the Dual dimension check box.

1. Open a drawing.
2. Double-click the view frame to open the View Properties dialog box.
3. To create a filter, click Filter in the options tree.
4. Click Add row and create a filter according to the example below.

   

5. Enter the name of the filter in the box next to the Save button and click the button to save the filter.
   In this example, enter concrete.
6. To close the dialog box, click Cancel.
7. In the drawing, click the dimension that contains the content that you want to remove.
   If the property pane is not open, double-click the dimension.
8. Go to the Excluded tags section in the property pane, select the filter you just created.
   Here, select the concrete filter.
9. Click Modify.

   Tekla Structures removes the text "CORBEL" from the dimension tag. The material type of corbel is concrete, and the concrete filter removes all concrete parts from the tag.

   

1. In an open drawing, right-click a dimension whose tags you want to modify.
2. In the context menu, select Show dimension associativity rules, and then select the objects that you want to show in the dimension tag.

   The objects that are not selected from the associativity rule list are immediately filtered out from the tag.

   Example:

   The properties that correspond to all dimensioned objects are shown in the tag:

   

   After selecting the appropriate objects from the associativity rule list, the objects that are not selected are immediately filtered out from the tag.

   

You can exaggerate narrow dimensions to make them easier to read. When exaggerated, a dimension that is narrower than the limit defined in the Options dialog box is enlarged using the defined scale. If there are many exaggerated dimensions, Tekla Structures arranges them automatically.

1. On the File menu, click Settings > Options and go to the Drawing dimensions page.
2. Set the Exaggeration limit and Exaggeration scaling.

   Exaggeration scaling defines whether you are using Paper or Model as the exaggeration scaling method.

   • If you select Paper, the exaggeration limit is multiplied by the view scale.

   • If you select Model, and the scale is 1:10, all the dimensions smaller than 10 mm are exaggerated regardless of the drawing scale.

3. Click OK to save the settings and close the Options dialog box.
4. In an open drawing, click the dimension that you want to exaggerate.
5. In dimension properties, go to the Exaggeration section, and do the following:
   • In Exaggerate short dimensions, select Specified.
   • Select the Direction of the exaggeration: Left / Down, Right / Up or Both.
   • Set the Origin:

     : The origin is near the dimension line.

     : The origin near the measured object.

   • Set the desired exaggeration width, and the position and height for the exaggerated dimension.
6. Click Modify.

   The selected dimensions are exaggerated.

   

You can show plate side marks on dimension leader lines. The plate side marks indicate whether the dimension point is to the face or center of the part, such as a plate, web, or flange.

1. In an open drawing, click the dimension where you want to show plate side marks.
2. To control the plate side mark symbol and insert the symbols, in the dimension properties, go to the Plate side marks section and set the Side mark type to Specified .

   The option Automatic is available only in intelligent drawings, which is the case when the advanced option XS_INTELLIGENT_DRAWING_ALLOWED is set to TRUE.

3. Modify the other properties of the plate side marks as required:
   • Select the left and right plate side mark.

     

   • Set the mark size.
   • Set an offset for the mark from the dimension line.
   • Adjust the mark color.
4. Click Modify.
   The plate side marks are created.

   

   Also check the following topics:

   XS_DIMENSION_PLATE_SIDE_MARK_SYMBOL_LEFT

   XS_DIMENSION_PLATE_SIDE_MARK_SYMBOL_CENTER

   XS_DIMENSION_PLATE_SIDE_MARK_SYMBOL_RIGHT

   XS_INTELLIGENT_DRAWING_ALLOWED

You can select to place the texts of short dimensions outside the dimensions. In the dimension properties, set the Short dimensions setting to Outside. You can also select on which side of the extension line the dimension text is placed.

1. On the Dimensioning tab, click Flip outside dimension.
2. Click the dimension whose location you want to change.

You can adjust the length of the dimension extension lines in the dimension properties in an open drawing. You can also adjust the extension line length using advanced options.

1. Open a drawing and click a dimension.
2. Select an option from the Short extension line list:

   Options	Description
   No	Use the short extension line only if the dimension line falls on a grid line: If you want to exaggerate dimensions, you need to set this option to No.
   Yes	Create extension lines all of the same length:
   On grid lines only	Use the short extension line automatically if a dimension line falls on a grid line. Elsewhere the extension line will be as usual.

3. Click Modify.