Tape Cursor Tool

The "Measuring Tape Tool" has the same behavior as the Arrow Tool with the addition of a live on-screen readout of the exact cursor position, key graphic parametrics, or various distances.

Graphics that are NOT selected are not specifically reported by the Tape Measure cursor. Select graphics of interest to obtain relevant measurements. This helps to avoid "point and curve clutter" which often interferes with obtaining measurements for specific graphics.

Activate the Measuring Tape cursor by clicking the Tape tool. This will enable the live coordinate readout for all drawing windows.

Detailed measurements specific to a graphic are obtained by selecting the graphic while the Measuring Tape cursor is active. In this situation various coordinates and dimensions of the selected graphic are shown according to the position of the cursor. For example, the precise coordinate an editing handle is shown when the cursor is positioned close to the handle.

In some cases different metrics are shown depending on the actual position of the cursor relative to the Bezier path of a graphic. For example, the length and angle of a line is shown when the cursor is just to the right (when facing from start to end) of the line, but the precise coordinates of the line are shown when the cursor is just to the left of the path of the line. Different types of graphics provide on screen read-out of various defining parametric metrics.

The Option Key is used provide an actual on-screen measuring tape. Option-Click-Drag will drag out a measuring tape that may be used to interactively measure distances on the drawing. If the cursor is "snapped" to a particular point on a selected graphic, the Option drag will anchor the tape precisely at the snapped point on the graphic. In this snapped state exact distances to other snap points on the same or different graphics may be obtained. For measuring exact distances between graphics, both graphics need to be selected before initiating the measuring tape action.

In many situations the command keys will provide different measurement formats. For example, the tape measure tool will show the length and angle between two points on the drawing, if the Ctrl key is held down the distance is represented as delta-X and delta-Y values.

The live cursor readout is de-activated by clicking the primary Arrow Tool. Using other tools does not clear the live cursor read-out, this must be performed explicitly.

In many situations, the live cursor will "follow" along a path or curve. The readings provided in these instances are the precise coordinates of the associated Bezier path. Precise distances from the curve are measured with an option-click-drag from the curve. Alternatively, the distance from any point to a curve is measured with option-click-drag from the point to the curve where the cursor will snap to the curve providing the desired precise measurement to points on the curve.

When following along a curve or path, the cursor may "snap-to" Bezier vertices of the curve, or editing handles found along the curve. If this snapping is not desired, hold down the Apple Command key which will prevent the undesired point snapping.

The live readout coordinates are shown in the drawing units (mm, inches, etc) and Scale for the active layer of the corresponding drawing.

The coordinate labels of "X" and "Y" correspond to the Across and Down distances respectively. These are measured from the Origin of the drawing as defined by the position of the rulers or on the Scale palette.