Creating a dimension feature with the Dimension Edge tool

This topic applies to ArcGIS for Desktop Standard and ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced only.

Steps:

1. Click a dimension feature template in the Create Features window.
2. Click the Dimension Edge tool on the Create Features window.
3. Click the line or polygon edge you want to use as the baseline for your dimension feature.

As you move the mouse pointer, the new dimension dynamically draws itself with the start and end dimension points fixed at the ends of the edge you clicked; the height of the dimension line changes. If you move the mouse pointer to the left or right of the baseline, a vertical linear dimension feature is shown. If you move your mouse pointer above or below the baseline, a horizontal linear dimension feature is shown.

The Dimension Edge tool only creates linear dimension features by automatically using vertices on existing features for their start and end dimension points.

4. Click the map where you want the dimension line to be.
5. To create another dimension edge feature, click a line or polygon feature, and click and drag the dimension.