Autodesk Design Review 2007 Measurement Capabilities

Happy Cinco de Mayo! The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but some say it should be. Mexico declared its independence from Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. It took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated because 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeated the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City, on the morning of May 5, 1862. So when did Mexico become independent? I guess it's all in how you measure it.

Unlike the free Autodesk DWF Viewer, Autodesk Design Review (formerly known as Autodesk DWF Composer) provides capabilities for combining sheets from assorted DWF files, markup, and 2D and 3D measurement:

For 2D measurement, Autodesk Design Review provides a length tool, a polyline tool, and an area tool.

1. The length tool measures the distance between two points. Because DWF files retain the intelligence of the original design, measurements can be taken by snapping to appropriate shapes.
2. The polyline tool measures the cumulative length of multiple polyline segments, including rectangles.
3. The area tool measures the area of a polygon or rectangle.

For 3D, Autodesk Design Review can measure:

1. distances between points, edges, center points, or any combination of these,
2. angles between edges, and
3. radii of circles and arcs.

Autodesk Design Review does not measure arc lengths at this time. This is an item that has been added to our wish list. Autodesk Design Review can measure the radii of circles and arcs. Autodesk Design Review does not yet allow for perpendicular snap. Although Autodesk recognizes the usefulness of such a feature, the current version of Autodesk Design Review does not offer this functionality. This item is also on the wish list. Autodesk Design Review allows snapping for:

1. Line and polyline: The endpoint nearest the cursor.
2. Rectangle and square: The corner nearest the cursor.
3. Ellipse and circle: The center of the ellipse or circle.
4. Freehand: No snap point.
5. Intersections: At any point where two or more shapes intersect.

The ability to electronically measure in both 2D and 3D allows DWF to go beyond the paper. Viva la DWF!!