Measuring 3D objects in PDFs

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Last updated on Sep 19, 2023 | Also applies to Adobe Acrobat 2017, Adobe Acrobat
2020

1. Acrobat User Guide

2. Print production tools (Acrobat Pro)
3. Preflight (Acrobat Pro)
4. Color management

Learn how to use the 3D Measurement Tool to measure 3D models in PDFs by creating
measurements between points or edges of the model.

Before you begin

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Measure 3D objects
The 3D Measurement Tool enables you to measure four types of measurements,
including the perpendicular distance between two straight edges, the linear distance
between two points, the radius of circular edges, and the angle between two edges (or
three points).

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 3D measurement display

1. To begin measuring a 3D model in a PDF, you need to select the 3D model to

render it for tools.

2. Access the 3D toolbar by right-clicking on the 3D object and selecting Show

Toolbar. If the 3D toolbar view is set for consolidated tools, select the 3D
Measurement Tool from the pop-up menu next to the Navigation Tool.

3. Select the 3D Measurement Tool icon that appears on the 3D toolbar. This will
enable Snap Enables and Measurement Types.

4. Select the options you want in the Snap Enables and Measurement Types toolbar.

5. Right-click the model background, and change the options as needed. Keep the 3D
Measurement Tool palette open.

6. Measure the 3D model:

To measure the distance between two positions on a 3D model, select the

start point, and then move the pointer to either another location or an edge.
To measure the circumference of a round shape, position the pointer over the
shape's edge until a circle appears, then click once.
To create and apply an annotation to the measurement, right-click on the
object background and select Change Markup Label. Enter a markup label,
then measure the 3D model as described previously. Click once to set the
endpoint, then click again to set the location of the measurement and label.
To save a measurement as a comment, select the Hand tool, right-click on the
measurement, and then select Convert To Comment.
To stop a measurement, right-click the 3D model and select Cancel
Measurement.
To delete a measurement markup, select it with the 3D Measurement Tool and
press Delete.
Note:
To learn how to rotate, pan, zoom, and snap while you measure, right-click the
model and select 3D Measurement Navigation Tips.

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Snap Enables options in the 3D Measurement Tool palette

3D Snap To Edge Snaps to the entire edge.

Endpoints

3D Snap To Linear Edges Snaps to a straight-line segment of an edge.

Snaps to a circumference.
3D Snap To Radial Edges

3D Snap to Silhouettes Snaps to the apparent edge of a part, such as the side of
a cylinder.

3D Snap To Planar Faces Snaps to the geometric plane making up a face of the
part.

Measurement Types options in the 3D Measurement Tool palette

3D Point To Measures the distance between two positions on the 3D model.

Point Click to set a start point, and then click another location to set an
Measurement end point or edge.

3D Measures the distance between two edges taken at a right angle to

Perpendicular the starting edge.
Dimension

3D Radial Measures the radius at the location clicked.

Dimension

3D Angle Measures the angle between two edges.

Measurement

Units and markup options

To use the Units and Markup measurement tools, select the 3D Measurement Tool, and
then right-click inside the 3D model. Then go to Preferences to find these:

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 Define Model Select to change the measurement units.
Units

Enable Displays or hides the coordinates of the mouse pointer location in

Coordinate the Measurement Info Window.
Display

Change Type the text that you want to appear with the measurement, both in
Markup Label the 3D model area and in the Comments panel. (Not available
if Measurement Markup is not selected.)

Disable Select when you want to take measurements in a model, but not add
Measurement them to the document. The measurements are only visible while the
Markup current measurement is active. If you start another measurement or
change tools, the markup disappears.

Don't Snap Disables the ability to snap the insertion point to a likely target. Select
To 3D this option to improve performance when you are working with a large
Content model. Return to Snap To 3D Content to ensure precise measurement
in 3D objects.

3D Opens a dialog box that lists the keyboard shortcuts for several
Measurement navigation shorts. You can use these shortcuts while you are
Navigation measuring.
Tips

Preferences Opens the Measuring (3D) Preferences dialog box.

Hide/Show The Measurement Info Window displays the Units And

Measurement Markup settings for the model. Select to remove the window from the
Info Window model window.

Hide/Show Removes/displays the 3D Measurement Tool palette.

Measurement
Toolbar

Measuring preferences
Change the 3D Measuring preferences to determine how 3D data is measured. To access
these options, press Command + K to open Preferences, and go to the Measuring (3D)
panel.

Note:
In Adobe Acrobat Reader, these preferences apply to PDFs that have commenting
enabled.

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Use Scales Displays measurements based on the model units, if present,
and Units from generated from the original 3D model. Deselect this option to specify
Model (when the units of measurements manually. This setting can be changed in
present) the 3D Measurement Tool palette.

Use default Uses units of measurement that you specify here rather than the
display unit measurement units in the 3D model.

Significant Specifies the maximum number of digits in the measurement number.

Digits to
Display

3D Measuring Specifies the color of the line that appears when you click or drag to
Line Color measure an object.

Measure Sets the text size for the measurement display.

Feedback Size

Angular Specifies units as either degrees or radians.

Measurements
Shown In

Circular Designates whether the diameter or radius is measured for circular

Measurements parts.
Shown As

Show Circle Displays the circumference associated with the radial measurement.
for Radial
Measurements

3D Snap Turns on snap and specifies whether points, arcs, edges, silhouette
Settings edges, or faces are snapped to. Sensitivity indicates how close the
pointer must be to the item being snapped to. For Snap Hint Color,
specify the color of the snap line that appears when you hold the
pointer over the 3D object.

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