Measurements

You can add measurement annotations to your drawings so you can estimate actual sizes.

Measurements in ProjectSight are only approximations.

  1. Turn on snapping to help you draw measurement annotations.
  2. Calibrate the drawing to set your default scale for measurement annotations.
  3. Draw the measurement annotation on the drawing.
  4. Edit the scale for the measurement annotation.
  5. Link an item to the measurement annotation.

If snapping is on while you draw a measurement annotation, the lines are moved automatically to the nearest point or line in the drawing. If you move or resize that annotation, snapping is no longer applied.

Snapping example

Drawing a measurement annotation when snapping is on

To temporarily turn off snapping, you can press the Shift key as you draw the measurement annotation. You can only draw lines at a 0, 45, or 90 degree angle, but you can adjust the annotation afterward.

Annotation example with the Shift key

Pressing the Shift key while drawing a measurement annotation

Snapping isn't supported in raster drawings.

Before you add your first measurement annotation, you must calibrate the drawing to set the default scale. The calibration is personal to each user and unique to each drawing version.

When you calibrate or recalibrate the drawing, existing annotations and previous revisions aren't affected by the new default scale. You can change the scale of an annotation in the drawing, and that doesn't change the calibration of the drawing.

If you select feet or inches as the unit of measurement, you can also turn on fractional measurements and set the precision. Then you can create a measurement annotation that uses fractions rather than decimals.

Calibration example

Calibrating the drawing for the first time

  1. On the Annotation toolbar, select Measurement annotation (Measurement) > Calibration tool (Calibrate).
  2. Select the drawing and draw a line.
  3. Adjust the length and position of the line.
  4. In the Calibrate dialog, enter the value, and select the unit of measurement.

    5. The value must be greater than zero.

  5. If you select ft or in as the unit of measurement, turn on the Fractional units toggle, and then select an option from the Precision list.
  6. Select Set.

    7. The calibration is set, and the calibration line is removed.

You can add annotations to measure distances, perimeters, and areas.

Snapping can affect how the annotations are drawn.

  1. If your calibration isn't set yet, calibrate the drawing.

    2. If your calibration is already set, the measurement tools are available in the Annotation toolbar.

    Measurement tools

    You can also recalibrate the drawing at any time.

  2. Select Measurement annontation (Measurement), and then select a tool.
  3. To draw the annotation, do one of the following:
    • Distance tool (Distance): Select the drawing and draw the line.
    • Perimeter tool (Perimeter): ClosedDraw the first line and then add the connected lines.
      1. To draw the first line, select the drawing, draw the line, and then select again for the endpoint.
      2. For each connected line, select for the endpoint.
      3. To finish the annotation, double-click for the endpoint.
    • Area tool (Area): ClosedDraw the first side and then add the other sides.
      1. For the first side, select the drawing, draw the side, and then select again for the endpoint.
      2. For each additional side, draw the side, and then select for the endpoint.
      3. To finish the annotation, double-click for the endpoint.
  4. Edit the annotation.
  5. Link an item to the annotation.
  1. Select the measurement annotation.
  2. On the Annotation menu, select Style.
  3. In the Scale section, edit the values.
  4. From the Precision list, select a value.
    5. Scale and precision