LEADER

Purpose:

This function calculates the distance from an arbitrary point to a principal plane, that means, a plane perpendicular to any of the cardinal axis. Special cases of such principal plane are the base line, center line or aft perpendicular plane, where the 'depth' of the plane is implicitly predefined.

Instructions:

1. In Dimension menu, click 3D, then Distance to plane and Leader.

2. First, the user selects the Principal Plane from a simple dialog with the following alternatives:

   • YZ plane through a given x-coordinate

   • XZ plane through a given y-coordinate

   • XY plane through a given z-coordinate

   • Base line plane - BL

   • Center line plane - CL

   • Aft perpendicular plane - APP

3. In the general case, the coordinate defining the depth of the plane is required. The depth is then supplied from keyboard. Clicking Options here, the depth can be indicated in the drawing.

4. Next, the point to measure the distance from is given, in a view perpendicular to the principle plane. This means that it is enough to define a 2D point in such a view. During the definition of the 2D point, a dialog showing current dimension controls and parameters is displayed, see below. Changes here can be done before the 2D point is given.

5. Finally, the resulting dimensioning is located in the view. Here, it is possible to change the dimensioning parameters (text height etc) by clicking Options and thus entering the Advanced function, see below.

6. The dimensioning consists of the measured distance along a dimension line denoting the direction of the measure (parallel to the normal of the principle plane) plus a reference line denoting the 2D point. The user is now requested to create another dimensioning or quit the function. To select another principal plane, click Cancel. To remove the last created dimensioning, click Edit, then Delete Last Entity.

Dimension Text

This field controls the format of the resulting dimension text. It is built up by intelligent markers and optionally string constants. By clicking the Reset button, the contents of the field is reset to system default (only the measured distance is presented).

Intelligent markers available:

• #DIM()
  The measured distance

• #/
  New-line separator

  Note: The fields are normally not edited by the user. However, arbitrary text may be inserted at any position in between the intelligent markers.

Plane Reference Text

Optionally, a string denoting the principal plane may be included in the resulting dimension text, appended to the measured distance. The Include check button controls this. For BL, CL and APP these Plane Reference Texts are part of the Drafting Default Keywords.

Parameters

By selecting the Advanced button the user can view and optionally change any of the remaining parameters controlling the layout of the dimensioning. The parameters are:

• Number of decimal positions in the measured distance.

• Type and size of arrowhead at the end of the dimension line.

• Height of dimension text.

• Various tolerances controlling the layout of resulting dimensioning, like

  • Distance text-line

  • Reference line gap

  • Reference line excess

Options:

None.

Result:

The distance to chosen principal plane is presented in the model view as is defined by the user.