🧾 Dimension Defaults Overview

The Dimension Defaults command opens a dialog box that allows you to set default settings for all subsequently inserted dimensions. This ensures consistency across your drawings by establishing standard appearance and behaviour for new dimension entities.

🔧 Page 1 Settings

Field	Description
Colour	Sets the colour for subsequent dimension entities. Opens the Default Colour dialog box.
Layer	Sets the layer for subsequent dimension entities. Opens the Default Layer dialog box.
Style	Sets the style for subsequent dimension entities. Opens the Default Style dialog box.
Weight	Sets the weight for subsequent dimension entities. Opens the Default Weight dialog box.
Value	Choose Yes/No to display the measured length, angle or area value on dimensions.
Terminator	Select terminator symbol for dimension line ends: None, Arrow, Solid-Arrow, Dot, Solid-Dot, Slash, or O-Arrow.
Prefix	Text appearing before dimension values: None, Radius (R), Diameter (Φ), or User-defined text.
Suffix	Text appearing after dimension values: None, Radius (R), Diameter (Φ), or User-defined text.
Tolerance	Tolerancing method for dimension values: None, Dual, Upper-Lower, or Plus-Minus.
Extension	Length of projection lines extending beyond dimension line intersection (in millimetres).
Projection Line	Display method: Gap (sets gap distance) or Length (sets projection line length).
Gap (Length)	Numeric value for gap distance or projection line length, depending on Projection Line setting.
Placement	Arrowhead position: Inner (inside projection lines) or Outer (outside projection lines).
Unit Scale	Multiplication factor applied to dimension values (e.g., 0.5 for scaled drawings).
Terminator Length	Length of terminator along dimension line (affects arrows, dots, slashes).
Terminator Height	Height of terminator perpendicular to dimension line (affects arrow height only).
Precision	Number of decimal places for dimension values (0-10). For angular D-M-S: 0=degrees only, 1=degrees+minutes, 2+=degrees+minutes+seconds.
Angle Display	Angular notation: Decimal (decimal degrees) or D-M-S (degrees-minutes-seconds).
Text Height	Height of dimension text characters (in millimetres). Always plots at specified height regardless of plot scale.
Text Box	Automatic text enclosure: None, Box, Circle, Fix-Circle, or Oval.
Tolerance Entry	Tolerance method: Manual (user-specified) or Aust-Std (Australian Standards for fits).
First Line	Yes/No to display first projection line.
Second Line	Yes/No to display second projection line.
Fractions	Yes/No to display values as fractions instead of decimals (halves, quarters, eighths, sixteenths, thirty-seconds, sixty-fourths).
Copy	Copy default settings from an existing dimension entity.

💡 Fractions Tips

Set Precision to at least three decimal places for accurate fraction calculations
Values that don't equal a sixty-fourth will revert to decimal display
Use Precision setting to round off fractional values

🔧 Page 2 Settings

Field	Description
Text Colour	Default or Alternate colour for dimension text and user-defined prefix/suffix.
Alternate Colour	Colour selection when Text Colour is set to Alternate.
Text Layer	Default or Alternate layer for dimension text and user-defined prefix/suffix.
Alternate Layer	Layer selection when Text Layer is set to Alternate.
Text Style	Default or User style for dimension text and user-defined prefix/suffix.
Alternate Style	Style selection when Text Style is set to User.
Text Weight	Default or Alternate weight for dimension text and user-defined prefix/suffix.
Alternate Weight	Weight selection when Text Weight is set to Alternate.
Terminator Weight	Default or Alternate weight for dimension terminators.
Alt Term Weight	Weight selection when Terminator Weight is set to Alternate.
Text Font	Default (ISO) or Alternate font for dimension text and user-defined prefix/suffix.
Alternate Font	Font selection when Text Font is set to Alternate.
Text Angle	Angle of text width component relative to dimension line (degrees, 0° = parallel).
Text Slant	Height component slant angle from vertical (-89° to 89°). Positive = forward slant, negative = backward slant.
Underline Text	Yes/No to automatically underline dimension text.
Overline Text	Yes/No to automatically place lines above dimension text.
Drawing Text	Yes (text parallel to screen) or No (text oriented to active CPL).
Break Lines	Yes (break dimension line for text placement) or No (text above continuous line).
Sort Points	Yes (sort points sequentially) or No (dimension points in selection order).
Feet and Inches	Yes/No to display dimensions in feet and inches format regardless of input units.
Hor Justification	Horizontal text justification for dimension leaders: Normal, Left, Right, Centre.
Ver Justification	Vertical text justification for dimension leaders: Top, Bottom, Centre.
Trailing Zeros	Yes/No to display trailing zeros after decimal point for whole numbers.
Line Extension	Extension value for dimension lines to extend past leader lines at both ends.
Fixed Circle Diameter	Diameter for Fix-Circle text box option (creates circle of fixed diameter around text).
Space Value	Australian Standard spacing - separates groups of three numbers with spaces.
Copy	Copy default settings from an existing dimension entity.