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Line Tool—Draw a Straight Line, Connected Lines, Flight Line or Dimension Line

Note: To draw a flight line or a straight line including the distance measurement, you must be logged in to a Pro account. To learn how to upgrade, visit this link: How to upgrade to a Pro account

Contents

 

Configure the line

  1. In the Map View, move and zoom the map so you can see both the:
    • Start location.
      AND
    • End location.
    To move the map:
    1. Select the Hand Tool in the top toolbar.
      Quick Key: Or you can hold the "Shift" button on your keyboard.
       
    2. In the center of the Map View, you will see the crosshair reticle.
       
    3. In the Map View, click-and-drag the map so the chosen location is at the reticle.
      When you later zoom, you will see the map zooms to/from the location at the reticle.
    To zoom in/out, there are 2 options:
    Option 1
    In the top-right corner of the Map View, click the:
    • Zoom-in button, "+".
    • Zoom-out button, "-".
    Option 2
    Use the scroll wheel on your mouse.
    For Windows
    • Scroll forward to zoom in.
    • Scroll backward to zoom out.
     
    For Mac
    • Scroll backward to zoom in.
    • Scroll forward to zoom out.
     
     
  2. (Optional) Choose the colour of the line.
    To choose the colour:
    1. Select the Line Colour Picker in the top toolbar.
      The Line Colour Picker is the Pencil Icon displaying the tooltip: "Changes line/border colour".
       
    2. There are 2 options for this step:
       
       
       
      Option 1
      Type the Hex Colour Code into the field.
       
       
       
      Option 2
      1. Click on the "White+Colour" field to choose how much white is mixed with colour.
         
      2. (Optional) Click on the Shade Bar to choose how much gray or black is mixed with the "White+Colour".
         
    3. (Optional) In the "Opacity" field, type in the non-transparency percentage of the final colour.
      The opacity value:
      • 0% is invisible.
      • 50% is see-through.
      • 100% is the solid colour.
    Note: You can save colours to use later. To learn how, visit this link: Save a colour swatch, then apply it to a new line, shape, or label
     
  3. (Optional) Choose the line thickness.
    To the right of the Line Colour Picker:
    • Click on the up/down arrows.
      OR
    • Type the number into the field.
     
     
  4. (Optional) Choose the line style
    To the right of the line thickness selector:
    1. Click on the current line style.
       
    2. On the drop-down list, click to select the new line style.
     
     
  5. (Optional) Choose the line’s end cap style.
    Click on the current cap style to the right of the line style selector. You can change the style to either round or square.

 

Create the line

 
 

Select the Line Type

  1. Select the Line Tool in the top toolbar.
    Quick Key: Or you can press the "Z" button on your keyboard.
     
  2. Select one of the four line tools:
     

Configure Path Snap

  1. Enter how Smooth the Path Snap will be by:
    • Typing in the number.
      OR
    • Clicking the up/down arrows.
  2. Select the Mode.
    • Accurate
    • Instant
  3. Click to select the type of path to highlight.
    There are 4 different options to choose from:
    mceclip0.png
    • All
    • Roads
    • Walking Trails
    • Bike Paths
     
  4. (Optional) To automatically add all the selected paths to the map, click Add Paths To Map.

When you drag and draw the line along the highlighted roads, you will see the line snap to the road.

(Optional) Show Angles

The "Show Angles" feature will automatically calculate and display the angle in degrees between two connected lines. This is particularly useful for understanding the precise angular relationships between various points or segments on your map.

  1. Click the checkbox to enable the feature.
    Once activated, angles will be displayed at the intersection points of connected lines.

Dimension Line—Definitions & Measurement

The line includes:
  • Straight line - The main line the dimension line measures. You draw a straight line.
     
  • Dimension line - The parallel line measuring the straight line.
     
  • Dimension text - The distance measurement displayed at the dimension line's center. The dimension text displays the distance the straight line represents on the map. You select the units.
     
  • Arrowheads - The 2 ends of the dimension line. Each arrowhead points at an extension line.
     
  • Extension lines - The 2 lines extending from the straight line's endpoints to the dimension line's arrowhead tips. You draw the length of the extension lines.
From the dropdown menu, the measurements include:
  • Feet
  • Feet Inches
  • Yard
  • Mile
  • Nautical Mile
  • Metre
  • Kilometre

Draw the line

  1. In the Map View, click and drag from the beginning to the end of the line.

 

(Optional) View the line’s row in the Layers Panel

Note: To view the Layers Panel, you must be logged in to a Pro account. To learn how to upgrade, visit this link: How to upgrade to a Pro account
  1. Select the Edit/Measure Tool in the top toolbar.
    Quick Key: Or you can press the "Q" button on your keyboard.
     
  2. (Optional) If the "LAYERS" panel isn't open on the right side of the browser window, click the vertical bar
     
  3. In the Map View, hover over the line.
    In the Layers Panel, the line's row is highlighted.
 

See also

Add an overlay to a group/folder

View the length/bearing of a straight line or freeform line segment

Move an entire straight line, freeform line, precise curved line, or flight line

Move an end-point of a straight line, freeform line, precise curved line, or flight line

Delete a straight line, freeform line, precise curved line, or flight line

Snap and merge two straight lines

Snap a line’s end-point to a corner vertex of a rectangle/polygon

Snap a straight line to the perpendicular (90°) point on another straight line

Rotate a straight line, freeform line, precise curved line, or flight line

Type in the length of a straight line or freeform line segment

Type in the bearing of a straight line or freeform line segment

Delete an internal section of a straight line, freeform line, or precise curved line

Add and move a vertex on a straight line, freeform line, or precise curved line

Change the colour of a straight line, freeform line, precise curved line, or flight line

Change the style of a straight line, freeform line, precise curved line, or flight line

Change the thickness of a straight line, freeform line, precise curved line, or flight line

Change the end cap style of a straight line, freeform line, precise curved line, or flight line

Copy the colour/style/thickness/cap style from one line to another

Split a shape along a line (straight line, freeform line, or precise curved line)

Create a clickable overlay for linking to a web page

 
 

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