The style, appearance, and format of dimensions are controlled by a collection of parameters which are set in the Dimension menus (click File > Settings > Dimension > Dim Global Settings). The settings are organized into the following groups:
• Dim Global Settings
You can set the standard on which dimensioning is based. Creo Elements/Direct Annotation provides the dimension standards DIN, ISO, JIS, ANSI, and Company, but you can also define your own dimension standards.
• Dim Text Settings
The Dim Text Settings contains all the settings determining the appearance and format of dimension text. The settings affect the main and second dimension values, all fix texts, and the tolerance values. Changes made to these settings affect subsequently created dimensioning.
• Dim Arrow and Line Settings (including extension lines)
The Arrow & Line menu contains all the settings determining the appearance of dimension arrows and lines. Changes made to these settings affect subsequently created dimensioning.
• Auto Placement parameters
An option is available to position dimension text automatically on the drawing. The automatic mode is relevant to:
◦ The datum dimensioning types.
◦ Box-selected dimensioning.
The style of the automatic placement is controlled by settings in the Auto Placement section, accessed by clicking File > Settings > Dimension > Dim Auto Place Settings. The Default Settings browser (table) opens with the Auto Placement settings.
• Dim Thread Settings
Creo Elements/Direct Annotation allows you to customize thread dimension fix texts, based on existing thread profiles.
• Projected Ref Point Settings
When creating dimensions on a view, it is occasionally necessary to specify a dimension reference point that does not physically lie on the view. For example, a blend in a 3D model will appear as a fillet in the Creo Elements/Direct Annotation view, but you may want to dimension from the original vertex of the pre-blended geometry.
In these cases, it is necessary to project the two lines that define the vertex to their point of intersection. In Creo Elements/Direct Annotation you can create a special projected reference point marker at the projected intersection point of two straight lines. The lines of projection are also shown in the geometrical marker.
In the Default Settings browser, you also set the defaults for:
The current settings can be adjusted to suit particular requirements, and then be declared as a new dimensioning standard. Any number of standards can be defined, and then recalled when needed.
You can save a set of dimension settings to disk for future sessions.