Protractor Tool

Protractor Tool
The Protractor tool allows you to measure angles in the drawing. It also provides the ability to find an elliptical angle of a point relative to an ellipse, rotated ellipse or arc.

To measure an angle, you draw an arc with the mouse. Place the cursor in the drawing area at a location that will represent the apex of the arc angle. Press the mouse button.

Drag away from the starting point. As you move the mouse, a temporary line will follow the mouse. Release the mouse to complete the initial line from which the angle will be measured.

Move the mouse to another location in the drawing. As you do this, the angle will be displayed in the Edit Window. You may tab into the Edit Window to edit the angle. If you do this, the Protractor tool will place a reference point in the drawing at the angle (even if you don't edit the angle). Release the mouse button to end the angle-measuring operation.

To use the Protractor tool to measure an angle relative to an ellipse in the drawing, press and hold down the Option key. Place the cursor in the drawing area over an ellipse, rotated ellipse or arc. Press the mouse button.

Measure an angle relative to an ellipse

Drag in the direction that you want to measure. The elliptical angle relative to that ellipse will be displayed in the Edit Window. You may tab into the Edit Window to edit the angle. If you do this, the Protractor tool will place a reference point in the drawing at the angle (even if you don't edit the angle). Release the mouse button to end the angle-measuring operation.