topic Re: Measuring Tool Visibility in Fusion Design, Validate & Document Forum

Measuring Tool Visibility

pmcnicoll — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 18:38:07 GMT

I have a fair bit of experience in Fusion, but I've always had a problem to which I haven't found a solution on the forums. When I use the measure tool while in a sketch, the results are not visible because the window is tiny. I would like a full size window like when I measure outside of a sketch, because inside a sketch I have to go into the measure window and scroll. This interrupts workflow. Additionally, more often than not I will have to orbit my view to see what the black measuring vector has spelled out. In the example I attached, the arrow doesn't even have a readout! You can scroll the view any which way but it's just a useless plain black line.

Firstly, is there a way to make the measure window bigger? Secondly, why can I often not see my dimensions in the workspace?

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

whittakerdw — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 18:55:46 GMT

You should just be able to hover of the dialog box without clicking and be able to scroll down to the measurement you want to see. You can also just click D on the keyboard and measure distance and angles that way as well.

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

pmcnicoll — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 19:02:50 GMT

Hi whittaker, thanks for the reply.

I did mention that I can scroll in the measure window, but that's actually my point. The movement interrupts workflow. There's no reason to have to navigate a window to see what I just measured, when it should simply be displayed.

\When I'm not in a sketch, the measure window is large and I can see my results without moving the mouse. I don't see why sketch measurements have to be cumbersome by comparison and use a small window. Somebody somewhere made the decision that the sketch measure window should be small and not display all information at once, and this baffles me. If I want to check measurements of a few different elements, I'm again scrolling back and forth. It's a headache.

Additionally, this still doesn't explain why the measurements are not visible along the vectors that the measuring tool draws. When they are visible, they are often perpendicular to the viewing plane and therefore useless.

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

whittakerdw — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 19:12:50 GMT

I understand. The measure tool can be quite a nuisance, for me at least, that's why I mainly use the dimension tool instead. You would think you would be able to drag the edges of the display box in order to make it larger or smaller. Or at least have it the same size within a sketch as it is when outside of a sketch.

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

jeff_strater — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 19:18:41 GMT

you can see a larger area by "undocking" the measure dialog from the Sketch Palette. If you want later to dock it back, drag until you see the vertical bar.

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

pmcnicoll — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 20:14:18 GMT

By using the dimension tool, I assume you mean that you leave driven dimensions hanging around in your sketch to monitor. That sounds like a great idea, thanks.

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

pmcnicoll — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 20:14:47 GMT

This is brilliant, thanks. It seems like one workaround.

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

whittakerdw — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 20:18:27 GMT

The dimension tool will only create driven dimensions when a line has been fully constrained. It will create driving dimensions up until the line has been fully constrained

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

pmcnicoll — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 20:20:21 GMT

It is a bit of a quirky workaround, but I could think of a few situations in which that would be a nice setup.

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

kiloseven — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 21:39:21 GMT

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

I have a similar issue, in that the measure dialog box is not sizable and is not wide enough to display Secondary units.

I suppose this is because of my settings for font size on the system. I need a little larger font. This issue is not system dependent . Mac Fusion 360 or Windows is the same issue . When measuring ,(not in sketch mode) .

Sizable dialog's are the most simple fundamental of items on the programmers flow sheet. Can we implement how many characters in the boxes and placement in order to fit 6.25mm (0.246..., the missing Secondary unit?

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

jhackney1972 — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 22:00:07 GMT

See if my short video will help you solve the Measure Dialog size issue. Please, if it solves your issue, select the Accept Solution icon. If not, ask for further help.

(view in My Videos)

Re: Measuring Tool Visibility

kiloseven — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 23:10:59 GMT

Didn't find the accept icon but the help is spot on. Thank you

Best regards

Kevin H