Calculate > Area (Annotate Menu)

This command can be used to measure the surface area of a chosen object and insert the value as a dimension. The dimension stays linked to the chosen and adapts to all direct changes. The result is saved in a scale-independent form. The dimension displayed adapts to the scale in use.

The object whose surfaces shall be calculated has to be chosen. Click on an object to choose it.

After identifying the object, its surface area is calculated. Complex objects with Bézier curves and ellipse parts must first be converted to polylines. The precision of the conversion can be set using the command Drawing Settings > Precision, in the entry "Transform".

The surface area of objects of type "Surface" can only be calculated correctly if the outlines of the surface do not overlap each other!

The position of the dimension text must be specified. To do this, one or two points (depending on the dimension parameters) must be entered.

By choosing Change Parameters (+ESC) this command's parameters can be specified.

The position of the dimension text can be entered using the mouse, by clicking anywhere in the drawing.

If "Rotate Dimension Text" is set:

The dimension text direction can be entered using the mouse, by clicking anywhere in the drawing. The location of this position relative to the dimension text position determines the dimension text's rotation angle.

After entering all the parameters, the measurement is made. If the "Tolerances" check box was enabled in the dimension parameters, then the "Dimension Number and Tolerances" dialog appears, in which the tolerances and supplementary dimension text can be specified. The surface symbol appears in front of the text.

The dimension is not automatically assigned to the current layer. Instead, the command Layers > Defaults is used to decide whether they should be assigned to the current layer, or another specified layer. The same goes for pens, which can be assigned using the command Pens > Defaults.

You can use Advanced Text Capabilities (consisting of Formatting, Attributes, Variables, Statements, Mathematical Terms) in all texts, dimensions, variables, and attributes!