What is the difference between MEASURE and DISTANCE command?

[Anonymous]

I'm fairly new to AutoCAD, and have only ever been shown MEASURE command.

Tonight, I learnt about the DISTANCE command.

From what I can tell so far, it seems to me they're the same thing.

Can someone confirm or provide an explanation of the difference?

Thanks!

[jayhar · Accepted solution]

Hi,

MEASURE

Creates point objects or blocks at measured intervals along the length or perimeter of an object Click here

Distance (DIST)

In general, the DIST command reports 3D distances in model space and 2D distances on a layout in paper space Click here

Thanks

Jayhar.M.J

[pendean]

Are you just using the dictionary for the two words? there they are similar of course.

In AutoCAD, they are not even related: look each up in HELP in AutoCAD, come back after you tried each. Let us know how exactly you find them to be the same exact function.

Post back if you get stuck somewhere.

[Kent1Cooper · Accepted solution]

To add just a little to what's already been said....

DISTANCE is not a command, but a System Variable.  The command name is just DIST.  [If you have used the DIST command in the current editing session, the DISTANCE System Variable holds the last value it reported.]

DIST is in the category of "inquiry" commands [along with ID, LIST, etc.], since it reports information  that you ask for.  MEASURE, on the other hand, is in the category of "drawing" commands, since it adds objects to the drawing.

[GrantsPirate]

Perhaps you meant to ask about MEASURE and DIVIDE?  Look them both up in the help file in AutoCAD.

[ВeekeeCZ]

I can see that there is the Measure Tool on Ribbon... 

In this case  it's nothing more than a name for a set of tools inside the Fly-out menu. There are tools as Distance, Radius, Angle, Area... inside the menu... all of these are just links to the MEASUREGEOM command with its tools: 

Command: MEASUREGEOM Enter an option [Distance/Radius/Angle/ARea/Volume] <Distance>:

...which is the command-line listing given by MEASUREGEOM command.

And yes, there is also the DIST command in autocad, which I would say is the same as the Distance option within MEASUREGEOM command.

Similarly Area command vs Area option of MEASUREGEOM command.

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

You have gotten some good answers to your question.  The one I like the most tells you to use HELP.  This is a process that is hard to instill in staff for self-help (not just AutoCAD either).  I am glad that you have decided to participate in the Community as well and hope that you have received an explanation that helps.

If a post or posts resolved your question, please reward the post with a LIKE and also mark a post(s) as Accepted Solution so others can find the answer easily.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@ВeekeeCZ wrote:

I can see that there is the Measure Tool on Ribbon... 

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It is understandable that someone could be confused, when they use a heading in a ribbon pull-down that is the same as the name of a command, when that command does something completely different  from what the items in the pull-down do.  Not ideally designed....  The MEASURE command  has been around a whole lot longer than the "Measure" pull-down in the ribbon, so the former is where my mind went, but now it's clearer to me why there's a question.