Read a cross-section

The 3D view shows the ground; a section measures it. This lesson cuts a profile through the plan and turns on the contour map.

Cut a section

1. With nothing selected, click Terrain section in the toolbar at the plan's top-right (or press S).
2. Drag a line across the plan — from the house to the bottom fence, say.
3. A Terrain section panel opens with the ground profile under the line: every level, bank and pit in true proportion, with the length of the cut and the lowest and highest ground along it.
4. Tap the line on the plan to mark a spot; the panel shows the altitude there.

Drag a new line to replace it, or close the panel. A section reads the plan and never changes it.

The contour map

The contour button in the plan's corner redraws the plan as a topographic map: contour lines of the terrain altitudes, objects hidden.

• Minor lines mark each small drop; major lines every larger step, in their own colours.
• Label lines with their altitude writes the level on each.
• Slope arrows point downhill, with the altitude and angle.
• Water level draws every line below a chosen altitude in a water colour — the quickest way to see where a pond would sit.

Its settings are under the same button. Only the terrain surface is mapped: structures, plants and paths are left off.

Outline view

Beside it, the outline-only button draws the plan as edges with no fills — easier to print and to read over a photo. A third toggle chooses whether objects, pins and paint show in that view.

Save the drawing

Save the current view as a PNG image in the same corner captures the plan as you see it — contours, outlines, grid and all.

Next

Slice and reshape areas — changing an outline that is already drawn.