Measurement
Numeric readout for the Measure tool: object metrics and segment metrics in mm or inches.
The Measurement panel shows the structured numeric output of the Measure tool. The canvas overlay shows you what you are pointing at; this panel shows the numbers.
It updates live as you hover or drag with the Measure tool active. When the tool is inactive or no measurement is in flight, the panel shows a hint and waits.
Opening it
- Default dock zone:
upper-right - Visible by default: no. Open from the Window menu, or float it.
- Hotkey: no default
What you see
The header has a title line (the object name when hovering an object, Temporary line while dragging, or No measurement otherwise), a one-line hint about what to do next, and a mm / in unit toggle on the right. The toggle writes to the global Display Unit setting; flipping it here flips it everywhere.
Below the header are two sections, each shown only when relevant data is available.
Object metrics
Visible when you hover an object with the Measure tool.
| Field | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Width | Bounding-box width. |
| Height | Bounding-box height. |
| Center | Center point of the bounding box. |
| Area | Geometric area. Shown only for closed paths; otherwise N/A. |
| Perimeter | Sum of all segment lengths. |
| Closed / Open | Whether the path is closed. |
| Nodes | Total node count on the path. |
| Lines | Number of line segments. |
| Curves | Number of curve segments. |
Segment metrics
Visible when you are dragging (the section is titled Line), or when you hover a specific segment of an object (titled Segment).
| Field | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Length | Length of the dragged line or the hovered segment. |
| Start | Start point coordinates. |
| End | End point coordinates. |
| Midpoint | Midpoint coordinates. |
| Difference | dx, dy from start to end. |
| Angle | Angle in degrees. |
What you can do
Read live dimensions while measuring
- Activate the Measure tool (
Ctrl+M). - Open the Measurement panel (Window menu) if not already open.
- Hover an object to read its size and statistics, or drag between two points to read a distance and angle.
Switch units without opening Settings
Click mm or in at the top right of the panel. The change applies app-wide (the Display Unit in Settings → Units & Grid flips with it).
Behavior worth knowing
- The panel reads from the Measure tool's state. With another tool active, you see the hint No measurement.
- Dragging always shows segment metrics; object metrics only appear during hover, not during drag.
- Area is only defined for closed paths. Open paths, text, and groups show N/A for area.
- The unit toggle and the Display Unit setting are the same value; changing one changes the other.
Related
- Measure tool: activate this to populate the panel
- Shape Properties panel: exact numeric dimensions for the current selection (separate path from the Measure tool)
- Settings, Units & Grid: app-wide display unit
- Coordinate systems: what the coordinates mean