Drawing Areas
Master area measurements for parking lots, drive lanes, and all paved surfaces.
Understanding Area Measurements
Area measurements are polygon shapes that calculate square footage. Use them to measure:
- Parking lots
- Drive lanes and aisles
- Sidewalks and walkways
- Loading docks
- Any paved surface
Each area measurement provides both square footage and perimeter length.
How to Draw an Area
Activate the Area Tool
Click the square icon in the toolbar, or press P on your keyboard. The cursor will change to indicate drawing mode.
Place Your First Point
Click on a corner of the area you want to measure. A marker will appear. This is your starting point.
Continue Around the Perimeter
Click to add more points, tracing around the edge of the paved area. Place points at corners and along curves for accuracy.
Close the Shape
When you've traced the full perimeter, close the polygon:
- Click on your first point, or
- Press Enter, or
- Click the "Finish" button in the toolbar
Your measurement is now saved! The area and perimeter appear in the Measurements Panel.
While You're Drawing
Helpful Features
A dashed line shows where the next edge will go as you move your cursor.
The toolbar shows how many points you've placed and whether you can finish.
Right-click to remove the last point if you made a mistake.
Press Escape to cancel and discard the current shape entirely.
Tips for Accurate Measurements
Zoom In
Zoom to level 19-20 for precise point placement. You can see individual parking stall lines at this zoom.
Use Corners
Always place points at corners where the boundary changes direction. This ensures accurate outlines.
Trace Curves
For curved edges, place multiple points along the arc. More points = smoother curve approximation.
Follow Edges
Trace along the actual pavement edge, not the curb face. This gives the most accurate surface measurement.
Editing After Creation
Made a mistake? You can always edit your measurements:
Vertex Editing
- Select the measurement by clicking on it
- Drag any vertex (corner point) to move it
- Click on an edge midpoint to add a new vertex
- Right-click a vertex to delete it
Other Edits
- Rename: Click the name in the Measurements Panel
- Change color: Click the color indicator
- Duplicate: Press Ctrl+D
- Delete: Press Delete
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Self-Intersecting Shapes
Lines that cross each other create invalid polygons. Keep your boundary simple and non-crossing.
Too Few Points
Using only 3-4 points for a complex shape loses accuracy. Take time to trace properly.
Drawing at Low Zoom
Zoomed-out views make precise placement difficult. Zoom in for better accuracy.
Best Practices
- Start at a clear corner where you can easily identify the boundary.
- Work clockwise or counter-clockwise consistently around the perimeter.
- Use cutouts for islands and medians instead of drawing multiple areas.
- Name your measurements immediately so you remember what each area represents.
- Use different colors to distinguish lot areas, drive lanes, and sidewalks.