Measure objects on a PCB or footprint

Use the Measure tool to find distance, angle, area, position, and height for objects on a 2D PCB or in the footprint editor. Measurements help you check spacing, clearances, and layout against your design rules.

1. Open a 2D PCB document or the footprint editor in the Electronics workspace.

2. On the toolbar, click Inspect > Measure .

   The Measure dialog opens.

3. (Optional) Set Precision to control decimal places for the session. This setting overrides the general precision in Preferences.

4. (Optional) Set Secondary units to show a second unit in parentheses next to each primary value.

5. In the Measure dialog, choose a selection mode:

   • Objects: Select whole objects such as components, signals, vias, and pads.
   • Primitives: Select pads, SMDs, wire segments, edges, and vertices.
   • Point to point: Place two points on the canvas instead of selecting objects.

6. Select an object, primitive, or point on the canvas.

   The dialog shows the object type and measurements for that selection, such as length, area, radius, or position.

   When you select a wire segment, the tool can treat the selection as the full Signal and show signal length.

7. (Optional) Select a second object, primitive, or point.

   The Results section expands. The canvas shows labels for the two selections and their relationship.

   When you select a third item, it replaces the earlier pair.

8. In Dimensions, choose how to display the relationship between two selections.

   Dimensions uses the same icon-button control as selection mode. The option you choose updates the Results list and the canvas overlay. Only options that apply to your selection are available.

   • Distance: Shortest distance between the two selections.
   • Angle: Angle between the selections, such as when two edges cross at right angles.
   • Center to center: Distance between the center points of the selections.
   • X/Y gap: Horizontal and vertical separation between the selections.

9. (Optional) In Primitives mode, turn on Show snap points to display snap points on hovered geometry. Snap points include area centers, line midpoints, and circle centers.

10. (Optional) Clear the canvas overlay for the current measurement by clearing its visibility check box in the dialog.

11. (Optional) Click Clear selection or press Esc to clear selections. When nothing is selected, Esc closes the command.

Measure height

When you select an object that has a Z value, such as a via, or two objects on different layers, the dialog shows the height or layer distance between them.

Footprint editor

In the footprint editor, Measure is on the Inspect toolbar. Primitives is the default selection mode. Whole-object selection is not available in this environment.

Tips

• Place the pointer over a result in the dialog to highlight that measurement on the canvas.
• Click a value in the dialog to copy it to the clipboard.
• Only objects on visible layers and enabled in the Selection Filter panel are selectable. Use single-layer mode, layer draw order, or Select item from the canvas context menu to reach objects under the cursor.
• Quick measurement hints can appear in the guidance bar when Measure is active.