Ruler Unit

Lets you choose the measurement units to be used in the rulers and grid. The grid appears as a pattern of dotted lines that corresponds to divisions in your ruler settings. You can use the grid as a guide for aligning objects or measuring distances. When you choose settings for the ruler units, all other measurements change as appropriate for your ruler measurements. If necessary, you can change each individual unit measurement to the units you prefer in the appropriate dialog box.

Snaps Per Unit

Lets you change the number of snaps per unit used for the ruler. This setting sets the number of divisions per unit, which affects the number of grid dots that appear when the grid is displayed and also affects how objects snap to the ruler if Snap to Rulers is selected.

To prevent the drawing area from becoming too cluttered, Designer limits the number of grid dots and ruler tick marks that appear at one time. For example, if you have a large number of snaps per unit, such as 100 per inch, Designer displays only about 16 per inch at full-page view.

Label Frequency

Specifies the number of units per division in the ruler, which controls how frequently a number appears to label the ruler's units. This option prevents overcrowding the ruler when it is set to small units. For example, when a ruler is set to inches, you might use a value of 1, but when a ruler is set to millimeters, you might prefer a value of 10.

Displayed Precision

Sets the decimal precision of the coordinates displayed in the status bar. To change a value, click the down arrow next to the box and choose the desired setting.

Origin

Type a value or values for the origin, or zero-points, of the rulers.

You can also use the mouse to drag the origin from the corner where the rulers intersect.

Same Ruler Settings

Forces the Vertical and Horizontal setting to match.

Show Rulers

Shows or hides the rulers

Show Ruler Position

Displays a red line in the rulers representing the current position of the mouse pointer

Show Grid

Displays a reference grid of horizontal and vertical lines on the drawing. The grid does not print.

Reverse X Direction

Reverses the direction of the X-axis on the horizontal ruler so that positive X lies to the left, and negative Y to the right, of the origin.

Reverse Y Direction

Reverses the direction of the Y-axis on the vertical ruler so that positive Y lies to the above, and negative Y below, the origin.