Distance Dimension showing Shortest check box
The Shortest check box in the Distance dialog box (Insert | Dimension | Distance), when selected, calculates the true shortest 3D distance between two lines. This check box becomes enabled for selection when you choose 3 Dimensional from the Distance Type area and the input features for the dimension are two lines.
By default, assuming you are working on a dimension created in version 4.3 and later, PC-DMIS automatically selects the check box when the above conditions are met. However, if you access the Distance dialog box for a distance dimension created prior to 4.3, the check box will not be selected by default.
If you select the Shortest check box, PC-DMIS calculates the distance between two lines as the minimum distance between any point on the first line and any point on the second line. The two lines are considered to be unbounded (infinite length).
If you do not select this check box, PC-DMIS behaves as it did prior to 4.3 and returns the shortest distance between the centroid of the first line to the second line.