MEASURE (Command)¶

Measures the distance and angle between two specified points. Results are displayed in the Command Panel. This is an inquiry command -- it does not create or modify any entities.

Quick start

Toolbar > Tools > Measure, or type MEASURE in the Command Panel

Prompts¶

Prompt	Description
Specify start point	Pick or type the first measurement point
Specify end point	Pick or type the second measurement point

How to Use¶

Start the Measure command
Click or type coordinates for the start point
Click or type coordinates for the end point
The distance and angle are displayed in the Command Panel

Command: MEASURE
Specify start point: [snap to first point]
Specify end point: [snap to second point]
--> Distance: 75.00   Angle: 33.69°

Output Values¶

Value	Description
Distance	Straight-line distance between the two points (in current drawing units)
Angle	Angle of the line from start to end, measured from the positive X-axis (counter-clockwise)

Note

The measurement uses the current UCS. If the UCS is rotated, the angle is relative to the rotated X-axis.

Input Methods¶

Both points accept:

Method	Example	Result
Mouse click	Click on the sheet	Measure from/to cursor position
Absolute coordinates	`50,100`	Measure from/to X=50, Y=100
Relative coordinates	`@30,40`	Offset from the start point
Snap to geometry	Click with Osnap enabled	Precise measurement between exact geometry points

Precision Aids¶

Aid	Effect
Entity Snap	Measure between exact Endpoints, Midpoints, Centers, Intersections
Grid Snap	Snap to grid positions

Always use snaps for accurate measurements

Enable Entity Snap before measuring to ensure you pick exact geometry points. Without snaps, measurements may be slightly off due to cursor imprecision.

Examples¶

Measure a Wall Length¶

Enable Endpoint snap in the Status Bar
Start MEASURE
Click one end of the wall line
Click the other end -- the exact wall length is displayed

Measure Between Two Circles¶

Enable Center snap
Start MEASURE
Click the first circle (snaps to center)
Click the second circle (snaps to center) -- distance and angle between centers displayed

Verify a Diagonal Distance¶

Command: MEASURE
Specify start point: 0,0
Specify end point: 30,40
--> Distance: 50.00   Angle: 53.13°

Measure vs Dimensions¶

Feature	Measure	Dimensions
Purpose	Quick inquiry -- check a distance/angle	Permanent annotation on the drawing
Creates entities	No	Yes (dimension entity)
Output location	Command Panel (temporary)	On the drawing sheet
Use case	Verify geometry during drafting	Annotate for documentation and prints

Best Practices¶

Practice	Benefit
Enable Entity Snap before measuring	Accurate results from exact geometry points
Use Center snap for circles/arcs	Measure true center-to-center distances
Use Endpoint snap for lines/polylines	Measure exact segment lengths
Verify before adding dimensions	Catch errors early in the drafting process
Note results for manual calculations	Use measured values as input for other commands

Quick Reference¶

Task	Input
Start measure command	`MEASURE` or Toolbar > Tools > Measure
Pick start point	Click or type coordinates
Pick end point	Click or type coordinates
Read results	Distance and angle shown in Command Panel
Measure between snapped points	Enable Osnap, click on entities