For some types of dimensioning, you may indicate the basis from which the dimensioning is measured. There are five options:
1. Parallel: Creates a parallel dimension (1) along an inclined plane.
2. Horizontal: Creates a horizontal dimension (2).
3. Vertical: Creates a vertical dimension (3).
4. Para to: Creates a dimension that is parallel to a reference line (4). You can select any line in the view as a reference line.
5. Perp to: Creates a dimension that is perpendicular to a reference line (5). You can select any line in the view as a reference line.
To change orientation options,
1. Click Annotation and then, in the Annotate group, click the arrow next to Properties.
2. Click Dimension.
3. Select a dimension in the viewport. The Dimension Properties dialog box opens.
4. Click the Value pane.
5. In the Orientation box, you can change the orientation of the dimension.
To change the orientation of the dimension text:
a. Click the Text Props pane on the Dimension Properties dialog box.
b. In the Orientation box, you can change the orientation of the dimension text.
These orientation options are available for the Single, Chain, Sym Single, Sym Long, Datum Long, Datum Short, Coordinates, and (except for Parallel) Tangential dimensioning types.
In addition, Single or Parallel and Sym Single or Parallel dimensions can be offset by a specific angle by entering :PARALLEL_ANGLE angle in the user input line before clicking the begin point; see the upper dimension in (1) for an example.
Properties.