Dimensions > Types of Dimension

Standard Dimensions

Standard dimensions display the distance between two node components/symbol datums/dimension nodes with a dimension line joining the two.

This video shows how you can use standard dimensions.

In this example, the standard dimension shows that the two clips are 100 units apart, despite the presence of the splice between them. See Adding a Standard Style Dimension.

Figure 251: Standard Style Dimension Example

Standard dimensions on full scale diagrams display the sum of the shortest total bundle length between the two selected points.

Standard dimensions on non-full scale diagrams display either:

The sum of the shortest total bundle length between the two selected points. or
If one of the selected points is a symbol datum, you are prompted to specify the distance because dimensions to points on an object that are not associated with a node can not be calculated automatically. To display the dimension, you must enter the dimension value manually. See also “Dimension Length Calculation Methods”.

If you delete a standard dimension (on a full or non-full scale diagram) that points to a dimension node, the node is automatically deleted. The following are example actions that you could make which would result in an dimension being deleted:

Delete node component
Delete dimension or dimension node
Disconnect/delete bundle
Merge bundle
Move component
Update symbol
Straighten bundle

Symbol Datum

Note

This is applicable to non-full scale diagrams only. You cannot use symbol datums with standard dimensions on full scale diagrams.

You can display standard dimensions to/from the following types of symbol datum:

Front
Back
Tip.Term
Generic
Drill Point
Fixture Placement

The bundle axis, and not the symbol datum itself, is used by the system as the reference when the dimension is created or flipped. When the system creates the dimension, the offset distance is measured from the bundle, not from the datum.

Standard dimension creation is not valid between two datums or nodes that share the same owner node. For example, the following dimension creation is not valid:

Between a structure node where the connector is placed, and a datum on the same connector.
Between two datums on the same symbol at the same node.
Between two datums on different symbols at the same node.

Any datum that you choose has to be owned by a node. You can not select a loose symbol. For example, you can not create a dimension to/from a datum on a comment symbol that you have instantiated from the Symbol tab.

Parent Topic:

Types of Dimension