Quick links to procedures on this page:

•
 
To draw a connector line between two or more objects
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To change the direction of a connection line
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To add an anchor point to an object
•
 
To move or delete an anchor point
•
 
To set a connector line to flow around objects
•
 
To add a text label to a connector line
•
 
To draw a callout
•
 
To draw a vertical, horizontal, or parallel dimension line
•
 
To draw an angular dimension line
•
 
To draw a segment dimension line
•
 
To set the display of dimension units
•
 
To set default properties for new dimension lines
•
 
To customize extension lines

Drawing connector, callout, and dimension lines

You can draw connector lines between objects. Objects stay connected by these lines even when you move one or both objects. Connector lines, which are also known as “flow lines”, are used in technical drawings such as diagrams, flowcharts, and schematics. For information about drawing flowchart shapes, see Drawing predefined shapes.

There are three types of connector lines that you can draw. You can draw a straight connector line. You can also draw right-angle connector lines with a sharp corner or a rounded corner. You can edit connector lines by moving, adding, or deleting segments.

Using the controls on the property bar, you can modify the width and style of a connector line as well as apply arrowheads. For more information, see Formatting lines and outlines. You can also change the color of connector lines.

When you move objects, their connector lines remain attached.

You can draw callout lines that label and draw attention to objects.

Examples of callouts

You can also draw dimension lines to indicate the distance between two points in a drawing or the size of objects. By default, dimension lines and the measurements shown on the lines change when you change an object’s size.

You can set how dimension lines are displayed. For example, you can specify dimension units, style, and precision as well as add a prefix or suffix to the dimension text. You can also set default values for all new dimension lines that you create.

By default, dimension text is dynamic. If you resize the object to which a dimension line is attached, the dimension text is updated automatically to display the new size. You can make the dimension text static, however, if necessary.

Examples of dimension lines

To be able to use connector, callout, and dimension lines with precision, you need to snap them to specific nodes in objects. For more information about snapping and snapping modes, see Snapping objects.

To draw a connector line between two or more objects Back to Top
1
 
In the toolbox, click the Straight-line connector tool button, and then click one of the following:
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Straight-line connector tool — to create a straight connector line at any angle
•
Right-angle connector tool — to create a connector line containing vertical and horizontal segments at right angles.
•
Right-angle round connector tool — to create a connector line containing vertical and horizontal elements at rounded right angles.
2
 
Drag from a node on one object to a node on another object.

You can also
 
Move a horizontal segment in an angled connector line
Using the Shape tool , select a connector line, and drag the middle node on the segment that you want to move.
Move an end point of an angled connector line
Using the Shape tool , drag an end node along the edge of the object.
Add a segment in an angled connector line
Using the Shape tool , drag a corner node.
Delete a segment in an angled connector line
Using the Shape tool , drag a corner node over the closest corner node.

To change the direction of a connection line Back to Top
1
 
In the toolbox, click the Connector tool button, and click the Edit anchor tool .
2
 
Click the anchor point from which you want to change the connector line direction.
3
 
On the property bar, click the Anchor direction button .
4
 
In the Anchor direction box, type one of the following values:
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0 — directs the connector line to the right
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90 — directs the connector line straight up
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180 — directs the connector line to the left
•
270 — directs the connector line straight down
You can change the direction of only right-angle connector lines.
To add an anchor point to an object Back to Top
1
 
In the toolbox, click the Connector tool button, and click the Edit anchor tool .
2
 
Double-click anywhere on an object to add the anchor point.
By default, anchor points that you add to an object are not available as snap points for a connector line when the object is moved around in the drawing. To make an anchor point available as a snap point, select it with the Edit anchor tool, and click the Auto anchor button on the property bar.
By default, the position of the anchor point is calculated relative to its position on the page. You can set the anchor point position relative to the object that it is attached to, which is useful if you want to set anchor points in the same relative position in multiple objects. To set the anchor point position relative to the object, select the anchor point with the Edit anchor tool . On the property bar, click the Relative to object button , and type the coordinates in the Anchor position box.
To move or delete an anchor point Back to Top

To
Do the following
Move the anchor anywhere along the perimeter of an object
Drag the anchor point to another point on the perimeter.
Move the anchor to the middle of an object
Drag the anchor point to any point inside the object.
Delete an anchor
On the property bar, click the Delete anchor button .

To set a connector line to flow around objects Back to Top
1
 
Using the Pick tool , select the object to which the connector line is attached.
2
 
Click Window Dockers Properties.
3
 
In the Object properties docker, click the General tab.
4
 
Enable the Wrap connector line check box.
To flow around an object, a connector line must be attached to the object by at least one end.
To add a text label to a connector line Back to Top
1
 
In the toolbox, click the Connector tool button.
2
 
Double-click the connector line.
A text cursor appears.
3
 
Type the text.
As you move the connector line, the text label remains attached to it.
To draw a callout Back to Top
1
 
In the toolbox, click the arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Parallel dimension tool button to open the Dimension tools flyout, and click the 3- Point callout tool .
2
 
Click where you want the first callout segment to start, and drag to where you want the first segment to end.
3
 
Click where you want the second segment to end.
A text cursor is displayed at the end of the callout line, indicating where to type a label for the object.
4
 
Type the callout text.

You can also
 
Change the callout style
Choose a style from the Callout symbol box.
Change the distance between the leader line and the callout text
Type a value in the Callout gap box.

If you want to edit the callout line and callout text independently of each other, you first need to separate the callout line from the callout text by clicking Arrange Break callout apart.
To draw a vertical, horizontal, or parallel dimension line Back to Top
1
 
Do one of the following:
•
To draw a parallel dimension line, click the Parallel dimension tool in the toolbox.
•
To draw a vertical or horizontal dimension line, open the Dimension tools flyout by clicking the arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Parallel dimension tool button in the toolbox, and click the Horizontal or vertical dimension tool button.
2
 
Click to place the starting point, and drag to where you want to place the endpoint of the dimension line.
3
 
Move the pointer to position the dimension line, and click to place the dimension text.
By default, dimension text is centered on the dimension line.
To draw an angular dimension line Back to Top
1
 
In the toolbox, click the arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Parallel dimension tool button to open the Dimension tools flyout, and click the Angular dimension tool .
2
 
Click where you want the two lines that measure the angle to intersect, and drag to where you want the first line to end.
3
 
Click where you want the second line to end.
4
 
Click where you want the angle label to appear.
To draw a segment dimension line Back to Top
1
 
In the toolbox, click the arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Parallel dimension tool button to open the Dimension tools flyout, and click the Segment dimension tool .
2
 
Click the segment that you want to measure.
3
 
Move the pointer to where you want to position the dimension line, and click where you want to place the dimension text.

You can also
 
Measure the distance between the two most distant nodes in multiple segments
Using the Segment dimension tool , marquee select the segments, drag to position the dimension line, and click where you want to place the dimension text.
Measure successive segments automatically
Click the Automatic successive dimensioning button on the property bar, and marquee select the segments that you want to measure. Drag to position the dimension line, and click where you want to place the dimension text.

Segment dimension lines can be applied automatically to selected successive segments.

To set the display of dimension units Back to Top
1
 
Select a dimension line.
2
 
On the property bar, choose options from the following list boxes:
•
Dimension style — lets you choose fractional, decimal or standard dimension units
•
Dimension precision — lets you choose a level of precision for the measurements
•
Dimension units — lets you choose the unit of measurement

You can also
 
Hide dimension units
Click the Display units button .
Specify the position of dimension units
Click the Text position button on the property bar, and click a text position.
Change the point size and font of dimension units
Select the dimension text by using the Pick tool . On the property bar, choose a font style from the Font list box, and type a value in the Font size box.
Specify a prefix or suffix for dimension text
Type a prefix or suffix in the Prefix or Suffix box on the property bar.
Hide or show a leading zero with a dimension value
Click the Leading zero button on the property bar. (The leading zero appears in dimension lines by default.)
Make dimension text static
Click the Dynamic dimensioning button .
Most dimension line controls on the property bar become unavailable. If you change the size of the object to which the dimension line is attached, the dimension line text is not updated.

To set default properties for new dimension lines Back to Top
1
 
From the toolbox, double-click the Parallel dimension tool button.
The Dimension tool page of the Options dialog box appears.
2
 
Specify the dimension style, precision, and units, prefix, and suffix.
To customize extension lines Back to Top
1
 
Select a dimension line.
2
 
On the property bar, click the Extension lines options button .
3
 
To specify the distance between the extension lines and the object, enable the Distance from object check box, and type a value in the Distance box.
4
 
To specify the length of the extension overhang, enable the Extension overhang check box, and type a value in the Distance box.
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