I work for a very large Grocery co-op, and I manage the branding and decor for the stores. I deal with a lot of different media, materials and vendors ranging from interior sign design, digital content, exterior signs, displays and promotional material.
When spec'ing, bidding or manufacturing/fabricating, it is EXTREMELY important to supply measurements and dimensions. I also work in CAD. Which as we all know, you can click on 2 points and a dimension line shows up, showing the distance or length between 2 points or object. It is a simple tool and a simple function. YES, there are multiple plugins. I use a script called SPECIFY. BUT if there is a plug in, there is a way to create a function within the program.......Right?
Today's world is much faster pace and more digitally functional than the days of old, When PROOFS were gold....Today, I need to send a file and it needs to be produced within hours. It would be very helpful to be incorporate a dimensioning tool. AS EVERY ONE else in this thread has asked, and I have seen this request for YEARS!!!!!!!
Much the same as 'leaders' that would be equally as helpful in specifying colors, and material callouts, for
various purposes during the design phase. ADOBE DEVELOPERS.....PLEASE TAKE THIS REQUEST SERIOUSLY....IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS GREATLY NEEDED.

THIS INITIAL THREAD WAS FROM 2017........and we are still asking.......3 years later......so the need is obviously not going away!

I work for a very large Grocery co-op, and I manage the branding and decor for the stores. I deal with a lot of different media, materials and vendors ranging from interior sign design, digital content, exterior signs, displays and promotional material.
When spec'ing, bidding or manufacturing/fabricating, it is EXTREMELY important to supply measurements and dimensions. I also work in CAD. Which as we all know, you can click on 2 points and a dimension line shows up, showing the distance or length between 2 points or object. It is a simple tool and a simple function. YES, there are multiple plugins. I use a script called SPECIFY. BUT if there is a plug in, there is a way to create a function within the program.......Right?
Today's world is much faster pace and more digitally functional than the days of old, When PROOFS were gold....Today, I need to send a file and it needs to be produced within hours. It would be very helpful to be incorporate a dimensioning tool. AS EVERY ONE else in this thread has asked, and I have seen this request for YEARS!!!!!!!
Much the same as 'leaders' that would be equally as helpful in specifying colors, and material callouts, for
various purposes during the design phase. ADOBE DEVELOPERS.....PLEASE TAKE THIS REQUEST SERIOUSLY....IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS GREATLY NEEDED.

@dmg, we are all aware of how to use the measuring tools, etc. Obvious. You are missing the point of the tool we are requesting. This is kind of like how all geometry software works. You can click on an object and a measurement SHOWS on the page, this is for customers mainly for proofs, etc. I can think of many times this would be handy so that I didn't have to manually create this myself.

Really surprised the Adobe has not incorporate a dimensions tool by now in Illustrator.

I know that Adobe has the ability to show the user what something measures but I need to be able to have dimensions to print to show to a customer

Agree with the majority of feedback in this thread... we are paying a premium price for a premium product ? A dimensioning tool would seem to be a very easy thing for Adobe to include, and I'm sure would increase workflow for a lot of subscribers.... me included. Please listen to your customers Adobe !

I work for a print company and we have an external plugin but it is expensive and not always reliable, it has some issues. It makes more sense to have Adobe include this to make it hopefully better.

I completely agree with the last comment from Bruce, dimension tools should be BUILT INTO Illustrator as standard, we shouldn't have to pay for external plugins!!
When will Adobe wake up and take note, it cannot be that difficult to implement surely?

Sadly we are not getting anywhere with this.

I DONT WANT A PLUGIN.

This should be part of the programs tools.

Even freeware has dimension tools.

For us professionals who need to submit artwork lay-outs with dimensions it is crucial to have this tool.

I'm sure someone would have already mentioned it in the comments, but clicking on an object/closed path/compound path should should display the area of that shape in the status bar.

Also when selecting multiple anchor points one at a time with the with the white cursor, the transform pallette should show the dimensions as if there was a box drawn around the group of selected anchor points, rather than staying fixed to the size of the whole object.

Also with two anchor points selected it should show the distance between them in the status bar.

Thanks 🤙🏼

I need dimension plugin for adobe illustrator

Dimensioning tool!!!!

THIS. GET OFF YOUR *** ADOBE.

"Some people are limited by their employers purchasing policies that for various reasons will not permit the purchase of third-party plug-ins."

While I could theoretically make a case for specific plugins at my current employer, the process to get plugins (especially ones that are not free) to be installed in a corporate setting -- where you don't necessarily have admin rights to your own machine (with good reason from a network security standpoint), plugins and scripts aren't the answer. This is especially true if you have to go through a ticketing system to even get to talk with your IT department in the first place. I've definitely freelanced at places like that.

I shouldn't have to take work home to open up Illustrator files on my home machine in order to pull dimensions using CADTools. I've been using Illustrator for well over 20 years now. There's no reason that a feature available in CorelDraw in the 90s shouldn't be easily worked into the software in 2020.

This.

I've been using Illustrator for well over 20 years now. There's no reason that a feature available in CorelDraw in the 90s shouldn't be easily worked into the software in 2020.

This.

"Some people are limited by their employers purchasing policies that for various reasons will not permit the purchase of third-party plug-ins."

While I could theoretically make a case for specific plugins at my current employer, the process to get plugins (especially ones that are not free) to be installed in a corporate setting -- where you don't necessarily have admin rights to your own machine (with good reason from a network security standpoint), plugins and scripts aren't the answer. This is especially true if you have to go through a ticketing system to even get to talk with your IT department in the first place. I've definitely freelanced at places like that.

I shouldn't have to take work home to open up Illustrator files on my home machine in order to pull dimensions using CADTools. I've been using Illustrator for well over 20 years now. There's no reason that a feature available in CorelDraw in the 90s shouldn't be easily worked into the software in 2020.

Dimension72a
worker72a.com
$20 USD - Mac only

I am also looking for a replacement to CADtools plugin by Hot Door. I illustrate for label company and need to provide customers with a proof having dimensions per their blueprints. Is there any interest in Illustrator adding a feature that does more than vertical and horizontal. I need angles, radius corners, diameters, and dimensions to centers.

I would want the dimensioning to happen inside of Illustrator.

The ability to set scale would be extremely important. I design signs and the ability to output drawings in scale for our shops to manufacture is key for me. (I currently use the CADtools plugin by Hot Door)

I would need angled dimensions as well. The ability to measure angles as well (in degrees would also be useful)

On a side note, another very nice to have a labeling ability as well. CADtools allows you to create labels that are attached to objects. These are useful at the same point that dimensioning happens.

Awesome, can't wait. It would be great if we could also adjust scaling like in Corel. being that there is limited stage size and a lot of the signs we design are bigger than 227".

At minimum, it should have the features CorelDRAW has had for years. I assume you would have access to DRAW to check it out.

Also, while I hate to affect Hotdoor's product sales, check out the CADtools plugin. Lots of great features there.