Measure Distance Quickly With Tentative Point Snaps.

measuring tape 2 - point snaps

Did you know that you can use tentative point snaps to quickly measure distances between elements in your design files?

You’re probably thinking, “Why don’t you just use the ‘Measure Distance’ tool?” You certainly could, but that also means you couldn’t have another tool active. See, when you’re using tentative point snaps to measure, you can also have another tool active. For example: You can choose the “Place Line” tool, then immediately use your tentative point snaps to measure a distance, then place a line without having to select the “Place Line” tool again. Whereas if you were using the “Measure Distance” tool you would have to switch between each tool. The whole process would be less fluid.

Here’s an example of how you could do this:
1. Go to Utilities | Key-in.
2. In the Key-in box’s text entry field, enter “set tpmode distance” (without the quotation marks).

Key in Box 21 - point snaps

Figure 1. The Key-in box is a great way to make your life easier. Using it to set the Tentative Point Snap Mode is a snap. (See what I did there?)

3. Press {Enter} on your keyboard to execute the command.