Using the Measure Tool

To use the measure tool:

  1. Click Measure (Tools toolbar) or Tools > Evaluate > Measure.
    While the Measure dialog box is open, you can switch among different documents without closing the dialog box. If you activate a document that has items already selected, the measurement information updates automatically. You can use the tool even while other tools are running.
  2. Optional: Set the options to define the unit of measure (Units/Precision ), show XYZ measurements (Show XYZ Measurements ), define the coordinate system (XYZ Relative To ), or project the measurement onto another entity (Projected On ).
    Click to expand the dialog box so you can view the selection list and measurement results.
  3. Do one of the following:
    Option Description
    To measure a single entity: Select the entity in the graphics area.

    To measure the distance between two arcs or circles: Select two arcs or circles and click Arc/Circle to set the options.
    To use the arc/circle options, point-to-point mode must be disabled.
    To measure the smallest distance between two entities: Select each entity on the model.
    To measure the distance between two points: Click Point-to-Point and select two points on the model.
    To copy values in the Measure dialog box:
    1. Click Quick Copy Setting.
    2. In the Quick copy setting dialog box, specify options and click OK.

      The next time you measure an entity, you can select Click to copy when you hover over a value in the Measure dialog box.
    To measure the angular rotation between two coordinate systems:

    Select the two coordinate systems. The results appear in the output section as roll (Phi Φ - X-axes), pitch (Theta Θ - Y-axes), and yaw (Psi Ψ - Z-axes).

    For more information, see Measuring the Angular Rotation between Coordinate Systems.
    To measure the projected surface area of bodies:
    1. Select solid or surface bodies, faces, or components of the model.
    2. In the dialog box, in Projected On , click Select Face/Plane, and select the planar face onto which to project the bodies, faces, or components.

    In the dialog box, Projected Area shows the value for the projected surface area of the bodies, faces, and components.

    For more information, see Measuring the Projected Surface Area of Bodies.
    Callouts appear in the graphics area and new measurements appear in the Measure dialog box.
  4. Optional: Click Measurement History to view all measurements made during the current session of SOLIDWORKS.
  • To clear an item from the current selections, click the item again in the graphics area.
  • To clear all selections, click a blank area in the graphics area.
  • To temporarily turn off the measure function, right-click in the graphics area, and choose Select.
  • To turn the measure function back on, click inside the Measure dialog box.