User defined coordinate systems can be created in the model using the Coordinate System command. Coordinate dimensions can reference a user defined coordinate system or the base coordinate system.
Perform the following steps before you place the dimensions.
Right-click the drawing view and choose Properties.
On the General tab (Drawing View Properties dialog box):
From the View Coordinate System list, select a coordinate system.
From the Axis list, choose a dimension axis.
When placed, the coordinate dimension lines are displayed perpendicular to this axis. Refer to the examples, below.
Choose the Coordinate Dimension command 
.
On the Dimension command bar, from the Orientation list, select Use Coordinate System.
Click an element that you want to be the dimension origin.
Click to place the common origin.
In the examples below, this is the 0 origin label, which is displayed on the dimension axis selected in step 1.
Click an element that you want to measure.
Click to place the dimension.
Example:
The following examples show the difference between coordinate dimension lines displayed perpendicular to the X axis and the Y axis for a selected coordinate system.
|
Coordinate system axis |
Dimension line orientation |
|
Y axis |
Dimension lines are perpendicular to the Y axis.
|
|
X axis |
Dimension lines are perpendicular to the X axis.
|
A selected coordinate system can be displayed in the drawing view by doing the following on the Display tab (Drawing View Properties dialog box):
Select the Parts List Options button, and then select List Coordinate Systems.
From the Parts list, select the coordinate system you want to show.
Select the Show check box under Selected Part(s) Display.
From the Visible edge style list, select the line style for displaying the coordinate system.
Click Apply.
Tip:
You can define a unique style for displaying coordinate systems using the Styles command. Select the Line style type, and then select an existing style to modify and name. To learn how to do this, see Change the formats of a style.
