Use the 3D Measurement Tool in Adobe Acrobat 9 to measure 3D models. You can create measurements between combinations of points or edges, by moving the pointer over the 3D model, or by highlighting specific points and edges. The 3D Measurement Tool supports four types of measurements:
- Perpendicular distance between two straight edges
- Linear distance between two points
- Radius of circular edges
- Angle between two edges (or three points)
You can associate 3D measurements with specific views. If the default view is active when a measurement is added, a new measurement view is created. This view is added to the view hierarchy in the Model Tree. The measurement is associated with that view only, and is displayed as a child of the view.
You can also display comments while taking measurements. These comments (also called measurement markups) are preserved after the document is closed.
Follow these steps to measure and annotate an object in your 3D model:
- Click the model on the page to activate it and display the 3D toolbar.
- Click the 3D Measurement Tool on the toolbar. Another palette of tools opens in the document pane, offering a variety of snap and measurement options
- Add measurements to the model as desired. To measure distance, click to establish a starting point, move the pointer to an edge or other area of the model, and click again to measure the distance.
TIP
You can add a text label to the default measurement. With the measurement still selected, right-click anywhere on the model background and choose Change Markup Label. In the pop-up field that appears, type the text you want to display, and then click OK. The field closes, and your label includes the text and the measurement.
- After you’ve set the endpoint for the measurement, click again and drag to set the location for the measurement’s label.
- To stop a measuring process, right-click and choose Cancel Measurement, or press Esc. If you finish a markup and want to remove it, click it with the 3D Measurement Tool and press Delete.
NOTE
If you want to check on some feature’s dimensions, disable the measurement markup. That way, the measurement is visible only as long as it’s active. If you change to another tool or start another measurement, the temporary markup disappears.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Moving and Measuring
You’ll often need to move around a model as you’re measuring. Keep these keyboard shortcuts in mind:
- Press Alt to rotate the view.
- Press Shift to pan the view.
- Press Alt-Shift to zoom the view.
- Press Ctrl to disable the snap feature.
Converting 3D Measurements to Comments
Unlike with the other forms of commenting, you convert measurements to comments in the Model Tree pane. Right-click the plus sign (+) for the measurement view you want; its list of measurements opens. Right-click the measurement to display the shortcut menu, and choose Convert to Comment.
If you decide to convert the measurement to a comment as you’re measuring your drawing, select the Hand tool, right-click the measurement, and choose Convert to Comment from the shortcut menu.