Annotation Toolbar

Select Measurement or Annotation

To select a measurement or annotation, press this button then click on the desired measurement or annotation. The selected measurement or annotation will display yellow circular selection symbols for all points. This button will look like it is "down" whenever you are in select mode.

Select Multiple Measurements and/or Annotations

To select multiple measurements and/or annotations, press this button then click on the desired measurements or annotations. If you click on a measurement that is already selected, it will be de-selected.
You can also select by dragging a rectangle around the desired measurements and/or annotations. Press the left mouse button down on one corner of the selection rectangle, drag the mouse to the opposite corner then release the left mouse button. Any measurements or annotations that fall entirely inside the rectangle that were not previously selected will be selected. If everything inside the rectangle was already selected, they will be de-selected.
The selected measurements and/or annotations will display yellow circular selection symbols for all points. This button will look like it is "down" whenever you are in multiple-select mode.
This feature is available with Pro-Plus, Advanced, Premier and the Drawing Compare Add-on.

Add Text Annotation

To create a new text annotation, press this button then click on the desired upper-left corner of where you want the text to appear. After you click, the Text Edit Window will appear. Type in the desired text then press the Enter key. If you want to start a new line in the text, hold the Shift key down while pressing the Enter key.

Add Line Annotation

To create a new line annotation, press this button then click the line points. You can hold down the "Ctrl" key while clicking to force the line from the previous point to the new point to be horizontal or vertical.

Add Rectangle Annotation

To create a new rectangle annotation, press this button then click on two opposite corners on the desired rectangle (upper-left and lower-right or lower-left and upper-right). As you click the second point, you can hold the mouse button down and see the exact position of the rectangle.

Add Oval Annotation

To create a new oval annotation, press this button then click on two opposite corners on the desired oval (upper-left and lower-right or lower-left and upper-right). As you click the second point, you can hold the mouse button down and see the exact position of the oval.

Add Hyper-link Annotation

A hyper-link annotation is used to quickly jump from your current view to another view in the same on a different drawing. To create a new hyper-link annotation, press this button then click on the desired upper-left corner of where you want the link indicator to appear. After you click, the Hyper-link Hint Window will appear. Navigate to the desired drawing (using the Drawing List in the Project Toolbar), zoom and scroll to the desired view then press "Set Destination" button in the Hyper-link Hint Window.

Add Freehand Annotation

To create a new Freehand annotation, press this button then hold the left mouse button down to draw. You can release the mouse button, move to another point and continue drawing.

Add Cloud Annotation

To create a new Cloud annotation, press this button then click to add points to the annotation. Note: Be sure to click the points in a clockwise direction. You can hold down the "Ctrl" key while clicking to force the line from the previous point to the new point to be horizontal or vertical. A "cloud" will be drawn from the first point to each successive point and back to the first.

Add Highlight Annotation

To create a new Highlight annotation, press this button then hold the left mouse button down to draw. You can release the mouse button, move to another point and continue drawing.

Add Dimension Annotation

A dimension annotation is a two point line that displays the distance between the two points. To create a new Dimension annotation, press this button then click on the two points. You can add arrows to the end of the annotation and change the color, text font and text rotation.

Add Polygon Annotation

A polygon annotation is a series of points that are connected together by lines. A line is also drawn from the last point to the first. To create a new Polygon annotation, press this button then click on the polygon points. You can change the ploygon line color and fill color.

Move Annotation Points

To move an annotation point (or the entire annotation), select the annotation then press this button. This button will look like it is "down" whenever you are in move mode. To move one of the annotation points, click down on the point, drag it to the desired position and release the mouse button. Individual points can't be moved on freehand annotations. To move the entire annotation, click down inside the annotation (but away from any point) and drag the entire annotation to the desired position. To terminate move mode, press the Select Measurement or Annotation Button

Move or Copy Annotations and/or Measurements

To move annotations and measurements, first select the annotations and measurements you wish to move. Then press this button. This button will look like it is "down" whenever you are in move mode. Click down on one of the selected objects, then drag it to the desired position. To COPY, hold the Ctrl key down while you click down with the mouse button. When copying, Quantity Worksheet assignments will NOT be copied. But if Auto-assign is on in the Item Assignment Toolbar, new assignments will be created. To terminate move mode, press the Select Measurement or Annotation Button

Undo Last Change

To undo the last change made to an annotation, simply press this button. You can press the button multiple times to undo multiple changes. Undo works on the following changes:

• Setting points (when adding an annotation)
• Moving points or annotations
• Changing the text/foreground color
• Changing the background color
• Selecting a font
• Turning dynamic font sizing on/off
• Selecting a layer
• Selecting line thickness
• Changing the arrow settings
• Changing the transparency

Cancel Changes to Annotation

Press this button to cancel all changes to the annotation you're working on. If you are adding a new annotation, it will be deleted. If you are making changes to an existing annotation, all changes made since you selected it will be reversed.

Change Text/Foreground Color

Press this button change the text/foreground color of the annotation you're working on. The standard Windows Color Selection Dialog will be displayed. Select the desired color and press OK. If you need help using the color selection dialog, press the "?" button in the dialog's caption then click on the control you want to know more about.

Change Background Color

Press this button change the background color of the annotation you're working on. All annotations except lines and freehand have a background color. The standard Windows Color Selection Dialog will be displayed. Select the desired color and press OK. If you need help using the color selection dialog, press the "?" button in the dialog's caption then click on the control you want to know more about.

Edit Annotation Description

You can add descriptive text to annotations. This text will appear in the "tool tips" displayed when the mouse is paused over the annotations. To add or edit the description for the annotation you're working on, press this button. The Description Edit Window will appear. Type in the desired text, then press the Enter key. If you want to start a new line in the text, hold the Shift key down while pressing the Enter key. Press the Escape key to cancel description editing
This button will be disabled in the Basic Viewer.

Dynamic Font Sizing On/Off

Press this button to toggle dynamic font sizing between on and off. Only text annotation use font sizing.
When sizing is off, the text is always displayed in the selected font size, no matter how much the drawing is zoomed in or out.
When sizing is on, the font size changes as you zoom. When the drawing is displayed in its original size, the text will be displayed in the selected font size. As you zoom in or out, the font is proportionally larger or smaller.

Select Layer

The layer for the current annotation shows with a down-arrow button to its right. The picture shown here doesn't show the full width. To change the layer for the annotation you're working on, press the down-arrow button and click on the desired layer in the displayed list.
Warning: If you select a layer this isn't visible, the annotation you're working on will disappear (be hidden) when you select or add another annotation.
To edit layers and set their visibility, Choose "Options/Edit Layers" from the Main Menu to display the Edit Layers Window.

Select Line Thickness

The Line thickness shows a number in an edit box with a down-arrow button to its right. The picture shown here doesn't show the full width. To change the line thickness for the annotation you're working on, press the down-arrow button and click on the desired line thickness in the displayed list. Only line, rectangle, oval, freehand and cloud annotations use line thickness.

Set Arrow Appearance

Line and Dimension annotations can display an arrow at the start and/or the end of the annotation. When creating or editing a line or dimension annotation, you can press this button to display the Arrow Setting Dialog to edit the arrow settings for the annotation.

Set Annotation Transparency

Transparency controls how much of the drawing can be seen through the annotation. Move this slider to the left to make the annotation more transparent. Move it to the right to make the annotation more opaque.