In addition to using the Dimension tools under the New > Dimension menu, there is also the ability to get a summary of an element using the Distance command.
Select the command by going to the Tools menu and selecting Distance ( Tools > Distance) or by selecting the Distance icon 
from the Toolbar or by typing DISTANCE into the program.
A prompt will appear asking the user to select the first point of the element they wish to measure, the " From Point".
Select the first point on the element and the prompt will ask for the second point, the " To Point".
A new box will appear, in the top right of the screen, containing detailed information regarding the element.
The information contained in this box is:
From Point: This is the X,Y position of the first point selected on the element.
To Point: This is the X,Y position of the second point selected on the element.
Distance: This is the aligned length of the element.
Angle: This is the angle taken from the Horizontal, this is read in an anti-clockwise direction.
Along X: This is the Linear Dimension read along the X axis.
Along Y: This is the Linear Dimension read along the Y axis.
