How far apart are two grid lines, how long is that pipe run, how far off the wall centre is a window? Adding a dimension for each question clutters the drawing when you only need to look once. To measure distance in AutoCAD, use DIST: pick two points and the answer appears on the command line, with nothing drawn.
This article walks through each case with real figures: one segment, a 3D segment, a running total over many segments, and a rounding trap that makes the number on screen differ from the real one. For the whole discipline of measuring and dimensioning, the Institute runs an AutoCAD course for construction.
The DI command in AutoCAD, and where each measuring command lives
Two commands measure distance. Reading the 2027 alias file acad.pgp and interface file acad.cuix gives these routes.
| Command | Alias | Ribbon | Classic menu | Toolbar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DIST | DI | No button of its own | None | None |
MEASUREGEOM | MEA | Home → Utilities → Measure → Distance | Tools → Inquiry → Distance | Measurement Tools → Distance |
So the DI command in AutoCAD is DIST, and it can only be typed. The Measure button on the ribbon runs MEASUREGEOM, which bundles several measurements: distance, radius, angle, area and volume. Both give the same distance; they differ in how the command ends, covered below.
The Autodesk documentation sums up the DIST command in AutoCAD in one line: "Measures the distance and angle between two points."
Step by step: the distance between two points
The simplest way to measure distance in AutoCAD takes two picks and nothing else: no dialog, no settings, no object left behind in the drawing. Example: from point 0,0 to point 800,600. The middle column quotes the 2027 prompts verbatim.
| Step | The prompt | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Command: | Type DI, Enter |
| 2 | Specify first point: | Pick the first point, here 0,0 |
| 3 | Specify second point or [Multiple points]: | Pick the second point, here 800,600 |
The command ends after the second point and prints two lines:
Distance = 1000.0000, Angle in XY Plane = 37, Angle from XY Plane = 0
Delta X = 800.0000, Delta Y = 600.0000, Delta Z = 0.0000Reading each item:
| Item | Meaning | In the example |
|---|---|---|
Distance | Straight-line AutoCAD distance between two points | 1000 |
Angle in XY Plane | Angle of the segment in the XY plane, from the X axis | 37° |
Angle from XY Plane | Angle rising out of the XY plane | 0° |
Delta X, Delta Y, Delta Z | Coordinate difference along each axis | 800, 600, 0 |
The Delta line is easy to ignore and very useful. To know how far a window sits off the wall centre horizontally, read Delta X and skip measuring a separate horizontal segment.
On real geometry, pick points with object snaps (Endpoint, Midpoint, Center and so on). A point picked by eye is off by a fraction, and so is the number. Object snaps are covered in our article on object snaps.
Distance in three dimensions
DIST measures in Z too. From 0,0,0 to 300,400,1200 it prints:
Distance = 1300.0000, Angle in XY Plane = 53, Angle from XY Plane = 67
Delta X = 300.0000, Delta Y = 400.0000, Delta Z = 1200.0000The 1300 is the true diagonal in space. Its plan projection is 500 long, and the segment rises 67° from the plan. This is a quick way to get the true length of a sloping pipe or brace in a 3D model.
Autodesk notes that if you omit the Z coordinate, DIST uses the current elevation for that point. On a 2D plan, Delta Z is therefore always 0.
A running total with the Multiple points option
To total a bent pipe run without adding by hand, use Multiple points. Example route: 0,0 → 1000,0 → 1000,500 → 0,500.
| Step | The prompt | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Specify first point: | Pick 0,0 |
| 2 | Specify second point or [Multiple points]: | Type M, Enter |
| 3 | Specify next point or [Arc/Length/Undo/Total] <Total>: | Pick 1000,0; AutoCAD reports Distance = 1000.0000 |
| 4 | Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Length/Undo/Total] <Total>: | Pick 1000,500; it reports Distance = 1500.0000 |
| 5 | Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Length/Undo/Total] <Total>: | Pick 0,500; it reports Distance = 2500.0000 |
| 6 | same prompt | Press Enter to finish; it prints the total Distance = 2500.0000 again |
Each figure is the running total, not the length of the segment just added. The Close option is missing from the first prompt; it appears once the route has at least one segment.
Remember to press Enter after the last point. Unlike the two-point case, the command does not end on its own; it keeps waiting for the next point.
If the route is already a polyline, there is no need to re-pick each vertex: its length is in the Properties palette. To total many objects at once, use our total length LISP. Arc length has its own article: measuring arcs.
The rounding trap: the number shown is not the real number
Measure the diagonal of a unit square, from 0,0 to 1,1. The true answer is √2 ≈ 1.41421. What AutoCAD shows depends on LUPREC, the number of decimal places used to display lengths.
LUPREC | AutoCAD prints |
|---|---|
| 0 | Distance = 1, Angle in XY Plane = 45 |
| 4 | Distance = 1.4142, Angle in XY Plane = 45 |
With LUPREC at 0, AutoCAD reports 1 for a segment 1.414 long. That is off by more than 40%, with no warning on the command line. If your drawing sets LUPREC to 0 for tidiness, every length with a fractional part is rounded when shown.
The real value survives. DIST stores its result in the DISTANCE system variable, which keeps full precision: after the measurement above, DISTANCE equals 1.4142135623730951. Any LISP routine or program that reads the variable gets the unrounded value. Setting LUPREC and drawing units is covered in our article on units in AutoCAD.
How the MEASUREGEOM command differs from DIST
Measuring the same 0,0 → 800,600 segment with MEASUREGEOM prints exactly what DIST prints: Distance = 1000.0000, 37°, and the same Delta line. The difference is in how the command runs.
| Step | The prompt | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Move cursor or [Distance/Radius/Angle/ARea/Volume/Quick/Mode/eXit] <eXit>: | Type D for distance |
| 2 | Specify first point: | Pick the first point |
| 3 | Specify second point or [Multiple points]: | Pick the second point; the result prints |
| 4 | Enter an option [Distance/Radius/Angle/ARea/Volume/Quick/Mode/eXit] <Distance>: | Enter to measure another segment, or X to exit |
DIST exits after one measurement. The MEASUREGEOM command stays open for the next one, and the default at step 4 has become <Distance>. For a dozen measurements in a row, MEASUREGEOM saves re-starting the command; for one, DI is quicker.
MEASUREGEOM also has an ARea option for area and perimeter, covered in our article on area in AutoCAD.
Measuring on a layout
On a layout sheet the number may be in paper units rather than real-world units. Autodesk says: "In paper space, distances are normally reported in 2D paper space units." The result is then smaller than the real distance by exactly the plot scale.
Autodesk also notes an exception: when you snap to model space objects shown through a viewport, the distance is reported in model units. To be sure, measure in model space, on the Model tab. Layout sheets are covered in our article on layouts.
Three things often repeated that are not true
| Often repeated | What holds on the 2027 release |
|---|---|
| DONUT and DIVIDE are measuring commands | DONUT draws a filled ring and DIVIDE divides an object; neither reports a distance |
| The number on the command line is exact | It is rounded to LUPREC; the full value is in DISTANCE |
| Measuring many points ends by itself | You must press Enter to finish the total, or the command keeps waiting |
The result lives only on the command line and is replaced by the next measurement: after measuring 1000 and then 1.414, the DISTANCE variable holds only the second value. Nothing about the first survives unless you wrote it down. A number worth keeping on the drawing needs a dimension; see our article on dimensions.
Frequently asked questions
Which command measures distance in AutoCAD?
DIST, alias DI. Pick two points and AutoCAD reports the distance, the angle and the X, Y and Z differences.
How do I total several segments?
After the first point, type M for Multiple points, pick each point and press Enter. AutoCAD reports the running total.
Why does it say 1 for a segment that is 1.414 long?
LUPREC is 0, so the display is rounded. Raise LUPREC to 4 and measure again to see the full value.
Does DIST measure 3D distances?
Yes. It reports the true distance in space, the angle out of the XY plane and Delta Z.
What command is the Measure button on the ribbon?
MEASUREGEOM, alias MEA. It stays open after each measurement; type X to exit.
Why is the distance on a layout smaller than the real one?
On a layout, distances are normally reported in paper units. Measure on the Model tab for real-world figures.