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Drawing Features Using the Mouse and Keyboard

Updated July 08, 2021

This article applies to:
  • Terrain 3D
  • Terrain Forestry
  • RoadEng Civil
  • RoadEng Forestry
This Knowledge Base article is an excerpt from one of our tutorial files. The files referenced in the article, as well as the full tutorial document, are available in our Tutorial Installer.  

This example demonstrates an easier method to draw a new feature using the mouse.

  1. File | Open <Terrain>\CAD\park map.terx. Click on the Zoom Extents button in the windows toolbar.

The Plan Window now displays triangular symbols with index stations 1 to 54. These index stations are surveyed points along the boundary. The following steps demonstrate how to trace the park boundary by "connecting the dots".

Note: Turn on Snap to Point/line: Plan | Plan Options button |General tab | Check box Snap to point/line. When a new point is created or an existing point is edited, the nearest point on an adjacent feature is also selected if it is within a minimum distance (2 mm).

Figure 1: Boundary Starting Point

  1. On either the Plan tab or the Home tab, select Draw Feature.

  2. Position the cursor over the center of station 1 (indicated with the arrow in the figure above) and press the number 5-key on the number pad or if your computer does not have a number pad use the letter S. A new point should be created at the cursor position. If this does not happen, check that Num Lock on the keyboard is on.

  3. Move the cursor to Station 2 and press the 5-key on the number pad (or S Key). A new point will be created at the cursor position. Continue adding points around the boundary until it is closed. In case of a mistake use the edit function as described below to correct the problem.

Note: To change the location of an anchored point, move the entry cursor over the desired point until the cursor changes to the edit cursor and left-click. Once the point is captured press the <delete> key to delete the point. Pressing the <Esc> key will restore the point to its previous location provided that the new point has not already been anchored. If the point needs to restored even after anchoring, use the undo arrow button or <ctrl + Z>.

  1. If you have created a new feature with elevations (Feature Tools | Feature Properties button OR through the Feature Properties panel), it is possible to enter elevations using the following key definitions.

5 or S Same elevation as previous point. This may be overridden by Snap to Point including Z.
8 or U Up 1 contour interval. This may be overridden by Snap To Point including Z.
2 or D Down one contour interval. This may be overridden by Snap to Point including Z.
Ins or E Manually enter co-ordinates including elevation

  1. File | New. Do not save changes.

Basic Mapping and Drafting