Is it possible to change/control/override the dimension line angle?

StephenG

I have a section view where I want to set/control the angle of the dimension line to specify a measurement. 
 
How does one create the above red dimension?

The only way I know of to get a non-horizontal/vertical dimension, with respect to paper (drawing) orientation, is to use a 2 point dimension and to initially position the nominal between the 2 points selected, or select a line to create a dimension along its length were the dimension line is parallel to the selected line.

tim_hess427

The first thing that comes to mind would be adding a sketch to that view to give you a reference. Then, you could dimension from the line to a point.

Or, could the centerline tool give you a line perpendicular to the opening (parallel to your leader lines)?

StephenG

As you suggested, I ended up creating a sketch with a line perpendicular to the edge at the edge end point of interest. This amounts to a lot of extra work to get the desired dimension: create a plane, create a sketch feature, create the necessary lines, make the sketch visible in the drawing view.  Being a section view I needed to make sure the sketch plane was coincident with the section cut defined in the drawing.

Centerline tool is of no help. Line creation functionality in drawings is utterly lacking (and this is being kind to the product).  
  


I cannot think of a 2D CAD system I have used in the past that does not offer some option to orient the dimension line from the normal implied line-to-pt/horizontal/vertical/pt-to-pt orientations. I was also a little surprised (disappointed) that the notion of horizontal and vertical was not inherited from the parent view. It appears that horizontal and vertical are always with respect to the drawing template.

Note: Section D-D in this drawing is being used to document deviations in a loft feature being developed to produce a uniform chamfer.