Measuring and Dimensioning

The Measure tool provides a convenient way to measure distances, perimeters and areas from a technical PDF document. The Dimension tool creates dimensions becoming a part of document.

Measuring or Dimensioning?

PDF Annotator provides two separate tools: A Measure tool, and a Dimension tool.

The Measure tool helps to measure sizes in a technical drawing or another document. The measure result gets displayed only temporarily and will not become part of the document. You can measure distances, perimeters, areas, and angles.

The Dimension tool helps to create permanent dimensions in technical drawings or documents. You can measure distances and areas. A distance dimension consists of extension lines, a dimension line, and the dimension text. An area dimension consists of a highlighted area and a dimension text.

Dimensioning Distances

To dimension the distance between two points in a PDF, select Tool Dimension, then Tool Tool Styles Distance. Select a Scale (see below for more information).

First, click the start and end point of the distance you need to measure. A third click positions the dimension line.

You can change the Dimension Text by double clicking the dimension. Alternatively, you can select and right click the dimension, then select Edit Style. Keep in mind that any change to the dimension text will be discarded once the dimension size changes.

The Display Unit property defines if the dimension text will include the unit (e.g. in for inches or m for meters).

Would you like to draw a set of exactly connected dimensions? Activate the Tool Tool Styles Connect Lines setting, and start and end point of the new dimension will automatically be snapped to other start or end points nearby.

Dimensioning Areas

To dimension an area in a PDF, select Tool Dimension, then Tool Tool Styles Area. Select a Scale (see below for more information).

Click at least three points to dimension an area. Right click and select Accept to finalize the dimension, or Discard (or press Esc) to cancel.

The Display Unit property defines if the dimension text will include the unit (e.g. ft2 for square feet or m2 for square meters).

Measuring Distances

To measure the distance between two points in a PDF, select Tool Measure, then Tool Tool Styles Distance. Select a Scale (see below for more information).

Click the first point, then click the second point to measure the distance between those two points. Alternatively, click the first point, keep the mouse button down and move the mouse to the second point, then release the mouse button.

The distance between both points, as well as the angle of the line connecting both points, will display while moving the mouse, and will still be displayed after releasing it. Press Esc, click once more into the document, or perform any other action to make the display of the measurement disappear.

Measuring Perimeters

To measure a perimeter, or a chain of distances between points, select Tool Measure, then Tool Tool Styles Perimeter. Select a Scale (see below for more information).

Click the first point, then click the second point to measure the distance between those two points. Click a third point to add the distance between this one and the second point. Continue with as many points as required. Right click or press Esc to end measuring. Clicking the first point again will also end measuring.

The perimeter will display while moving the mouse, and will still be displayed after ending measuring. Press Esc, click once more into the document, or perform any other action to make the display of the measurement disappear.

Measuring Areas

To measure an area, select Tool Measure, then Tool Tool Styles Area. Select a Scale (see below for more information).

Click at least three points to measure an area. Right click or press Esc to end measuring.

The area will display while moving the mouse, and will still be displayed after ending measuring. Press Esc, click once more into the document, or perform any other action to make the display of the measurement disappear.

Measuring Angles

To measure an angle, select Tool Measure, then Tool Tool Styles Angle.

Click three points to measure an angle, starting from the vertex.

The measured angle will display while moving the mouse to define the third point, and will still be displayed after ending measuring. Press Esc, click once more into the document, or perform any other action to make the display of the measurement disappear.

Snap to 15°

The Snap function is especially useful to measure or dimension vertical and horizontal lines. You enable this function by choosing Tool Tool Styles Snap to 15°.

Snap can also be activated temporarily by keeping the Shift key pressed while measuring/dimensioning.

Selecting a Scale or Defining a Custom Scale

If the scale of your drawing is known, select Tool Tool Styles Scale and select the scale. If your scale is not on the list of predefined scales, you can either set a custom scale, or add your scale to the list.

To set a custom scale, select Custom... from the list (the last item). Define Scale and Units. For example, if 1 inch in your drawing equals 5 feet in reality, enter the scale like this: 1 in : 5 ft. The resulting scale in this example is 1:60 [ft], because 5 feet equal 60 inches. The measure tool will automatically apply the scale, and display all measurements in feet. If you want this scale to appear on the list permanently, check the Save to list option and amend the list entry Title if required. Then, press OK and start measuring.

Measuring a Custom Scale

If you do not know the exact scale, or if the scale has been distorted (for example in a scanned document), you can measure a known distance, and define a custom scale based on that.

Select Custom... from the Scale list (the last item). Click the Measure on document button.

In your current document, measure a known distance (for example, an existing dimensioning or a scale bar).

After measuring the known distance, a Scale dialog will pop up. Enter the known distance and press OK. For example, if you know that the distance you measured is 1 mile, enter 1 mile.

Amend Scale, Unit and Title if required. If you want this scale to appear on the list permanently, check the Save to list option and amend the list entry Title if required. Then, press OK and start measuring.

Managing Scales

To customize the list of predefined scales available on the Scale list box, select Tool Tool Styles Manage Scales. Selecting Extras Settings Tools Measure will take you to the same dialog.

Select a Scale from the list and click Edit to edit the scale, Delete to remove the scale, or Up and Down to reorder the list.

To reset the list to factory defaults, press Reset. This will reset the scales based on the Units of measurement setting defined under Extras Settings Preferences Units. Resetting the list will delete all custom scales you added to the list.