Add Text Below a Dimension Line

Posted February 7, 2011 * Comments(6)

Cadalyst sent out a tip today on adding text below a dimension line. This is a great tip! I thought I would add some clarification.

The tip says:

“One of my all-time favorite techniques that I still use today is placing text below a dimension line so that it is part of the dimension object itself. Enter either the DDEdit or TEdit command and select the dimension object. While in the text editor, place your cursor at the end of the dimension value and enter the code switch X followed by the desired text string. For example, if you want the word TYPICAL to appear below the dimension line, the code should read: XTYPICAL (note: the letter X must be uppercase).

The trick to make this work is that you must add a back slash (\) before the uppercase X.

6 Comments so far

  1. Tom Holder on February 8th, 2011

    Also, to correct the distance between the dimension and the added text, \XTYPICAL, you can select the dimension, hover over the grip, and right click and select from the right click menu “Dim Text Position” then select “Move text alone”. Or selecting any option other than “above dim line and Centered” will do the job. You will not that the space between the upper dim and lower text has adjusted to a more friendly appearance.

  2. Josh Jones on February 8th, 2011

    Great tip! Thank you for adding this.

  3. tony on February 15th, 2011

    great post. I will definitely have to try this out.

  4. Fozibehr on March 9th, 2011

    Don’t forget about the \P option as well (in case you need multiple lines of text)

  5. David on December 29th, 2011

    If you’ve got a number of different dimensions and require (TYP) or whatever underneath, highlight them all and place the \Xtext on the DimSuffix line of the properties.
    How about some clever person listing all these text codes and their uses?

  6. Brandon on February 8th, 2012

    Great tip, can be frustrating when you can’t remember the command for this! thanks

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