Dimension Display defines how the software displays dimensions. This selection affects dimension display everywhere, including dimensioning on line drawings. There are five choices.
Although you must select one format for display, you are free to use any format to enter dimensions. You must use the proper syntax including the foot (‘), inch (“) and millimeter (mm) symbols when entering dimensions. If you don’t use symbols, the system will assume inches (“) if you have selected any of the English formats for display or millimeters (mm) if you have specified Metric.
If you think about it, this can be quite helpful. If you are working in inches and have to enter a dimension in millimeters, you don’t have to do any conversion. Simply enter the number with an mm after it and the system will understand.
You should note that when working with fractions, for both input and display, the system only accepts and displays fractions down to 1/32 inch. Displays are in 1/32 inch or higher fractions and all measurements are rounded to the nearest 1/32 inch. If you need tighter dimensions than this, use the Inches and Decimal display.
Also note that when working in certain areas such as doors or drawer boxes, vendors only offer product in specific fraction increments, 1/32, 1/16. etc. In these cases, the software automatically rounds the number so that it matches the product that is actually available.
There is one more feature that is not well documented within the software itself for dimension input but is quite useful and that is math operators. Let’s say you don’t know the exact dimension you need to enter but know it is the sum of three numbers. Instead of adding the numbers together and then entering the sum, just enter the three numbers with a plus sign (+) between them and the system will do the math for you. This also works with minus (-), divide (/) and multiply (*). The system also understands the use of parenthesis.