Draw lines and paths

Not everything on a plan is an area. A path is a line for where you walk; a wall or an edging is a line with a width. This lesson draws both.

The polyline

1. Select the Paths tab in the sidebar so the line lands on the paths band.
2. Press Y or click Polyline on the rail.
3. Click each point along the route, and press Enter (or double-click the last point) to finish. The line stays open — no closing segment.

It draws as a slim line in the fill colour you set with the chips, and appears the same in 3D, laid on whatever the ground does beneath it.

A path with a width

For a path you can see the width of, draw it with the pencil in Strip mode instead: set the strip width in the top bar — 1.2 m for a garden path — then draw the centre line. Or draw a filled area with the polygon tool where the path widens into a landing.

Editing a line

Select it and press G: drag its points, click a segment to add one, ⌥-click to remove. Click an end point to continue the line from there.

Lines and areas convert

With a line selected, Close into area on the rail joins its two ends into a filled outline. With an area selected, Open into line does the reverse. Select two lines together and Join (⌘J) closes them into one area, nearest ends together.

Lines on other bands

The polyline is also offered on Terrain (a low wall or an edge you want in the ground survey) and Structures (a run of blocks). Which bands offer which tools is the point of the next lesson.

Next

Trace over a site plan or photo — start from something real instead of a blank canvas.