- Formatting Dimensions in Drawings
The dimension palette appears when you insert or select a dimension so you can easily change the dimension's properties and formatting. You can change the tolerance, precision, style, text, and other formatting options in the palette without going to the PropertyManager.
- Dimensions Display Options
Right-click a dimension and select Display Options. The choices available depend on the type of dimension and other factors and can include the following:
- Hide/Show Annotations
Hide/Show Annotations allows you to toggle the visibility of individual annotations or tables in a drawing.
- Highlighting Changed Dimensions
- Inserting Dimensions into Drawings
Dimensions in a SolidWorks drawing are associated with the model, and changes in the model are reflected in the drawing.
- Dimension Type
- Document Properties - Dimensions
You can specify document-level drafting settings for all dimensions. Available for all document types.
- Dimension Other PropertyManager
In the Dimension Other PropertyManager, you can specify the display of dimensions.
- Dimension Value PropertyManager
In the Dimension Value PropertyManager, you can specify the display of dimensions. If you select multiple dimensions, only the properties that apply to all the selected dimensions are available.
- Dimension Precision
- Aligning Dimensions and Notes
You can align dimensions and notes in several ways by using inferencing lines, grids, and align tools.
- Scan Equal
Scan Equal 
(Dimensions/Relations toolbar) scans in drawings for sketch lines of equal length or sketch arcs of equal radii. It does not examine model entities.
- Rapid Dimension
You can use the rapid dimension manipulator to place dimensions so they are evenly spaced and easier to read.
- Autodimension a Drawing
You can use the Autodimension tool to insert reference dimensions into drawing views as baseline, chain, and ordinate dimensions. The Autodimension tool works similarly in sketches.
- DimXpert
DimXpert speeds the process of adding reference dimensions by applying dimensions in drawings so that manufacturing features, such as patterns, slots, and pockets, are fully-defined.
- Dimension PropertyManager
Allows you to dimension a drawing with smart or DimXpert dimensioning.
- Adding Parallel Dimensions to Drawings
- Reference Dimensions
Reference dimensions show measurements of the model, but they do not drive the model and you cannot change their values. However, when you change the model, the reference dimensions update accordingly.
- Reference Center of Mass in Drawings
Center of mass is a selectable entity in drawings, and you can reference it to create dimensions.
- Using Parentheses on Particular Dimensions
- Baseline Dimensions
Baseline dimensions are reference dimensions used in drawings. You cannot change their values or use the values to drive the model.
- Ordinate Dimensions
Ordinate dimensions are a set of dimensions measured from a zero ordinate in a drawing or sketch. In drawings, they are reference dimensions and you cannot change their values or use the values to drive the model.
- Angular Running Dimensions
Angular running dimensions are a set of dimensions measured from a zero-degree dimension in a drawing or sketch.
- Chamfer Dimensions
You can dimension chamfers in drawings. In addition to the usual dimension display properties, chamfer dimensions have their own options for leader display, text display, and X display.
- Tolerance and Precision
- Moving and Copying Dimensions
Once dimensions are displayed in a drawing, you can move them within a view or to another view. When you drag a dimension from one place to another, the dimension reattaches to the model, as appropriate. You can only move or copy dimensions to a view where the orientation is appropriate for that dimension.
- Modify Dimension
You can change a dimension in a part, sketch, assembly, or drawing in the Modify dialog box.
- Deleting Dimensions
- Dimension Palette
The dimension palette appears when you insert or select a dimension so you can easily change the dimension's properties and formatting. You can change the tolerance, precision, style, text, and other formatting options in the palette without going to the PropertyManager.
- Dimension Extension Lines
You can change the default attachment point of dimension extension lines , slant the extension lines, flip the direction of a leader, and drag extension lines between the center, minimum, and maximum attachment points of arcs and circles.
- Dimension Leaders
- Example: Dimension Scheme Types
- Dimensioning to Midpoints
- Automatically Finding Virtual Sharps for Dimensions
While in the dimension tool, you can define virtual sharps between two entities and use the virtual sharps for dimensioning.