Dimension styles

A dimension style describes how a dimension feature is displayed, including its symbology, label font, and label text. Each dimension feature class has at least one style. Dimension features within the dimension feature class are associated with a particular style. All dimension features of a particular style have certain characteristics that are the same and other characteristics that can be overridden on a feature-by-feature basis.

Caution:
Dimension styles are specific to dimension features, not to be confused with project styles. However, dimension styles optionally can be saved as style items into project styles for reuse.

ArcGIS Pro provides tools that allow you to store dimensions in your geodatabase. You can also create dimension styles to apply to your dimension features so they are consistent with your application standards. ArcGIS Pro supports a number of dimension types and methods for creating dimensions.

Once a style is created in a dimension class, it cannot be modified. If you want to modify the properties of an existing dimension style, you must create a new dimension style with the new properties. You can create styles based on the properties of an existing style, or you can select a style from a style file.

The dimension styles' properties are defined on the Dimension Style Properties view. This view has three sections: Lines and Point Symbols, Text, and Fit. The Lines and Point Symbols section allows you to set the properties for the dimension lines, line arrows, and extension lines. The Text section allows you to control the content of the dimension text as well as its symbology. The Fit section allows you to define how the dimension and dimension text adjust when the dimension's length is too short to display the point symbols and text between the extension lines.

The following are the properties of a dimension feature that can be assigned based on a style:

Dimension Properties

Starting point symbol

The symbol used for the arrow at the end of the begin dimension line.

Ending point symbol

The symbol used for the arrow at the end of the end dimension line.

Point symbol display

Indicates which begin and end point symbols should be displayed: both, start, end, or none.

Dimension line symbol

The symbol used for the dimension line.

Dimension line display

Indicates which dimension lines should be displayed: both, start, end, or none.

Extension line symbol

The symbol used for the extension line.

Extension line display

Indicates which of the extension lines should be displayed: both, start, end, or none.

Overshoot

The distance the extension line reaches beyond the dimension line.

Offset

The distance between the dimension point and the beginning of the dimension line.

Expression

The actual string that is displayed for the dimension text. This can be the value of the dimension only (the length of the feature or a user-specified value); the value with a prefix, suffix, or both; or a custom expression.

Point symbol fit and text fit

The adjustment in the display of the point symbols and text when the dimension's length is too short to show the point symbols and text between the extension lines.

When creating dimension features and assigning them a style, some properties can be overridden on a feature-by-feature basis. The properties that you can override for each feature are:

  • Dimension line display
  • Point symbol display
  • Expression
  • Extension line display

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