WMS:Drawing Tools

The following drawing object tools are in the dynamic portion of the Tool Palette when the Map , Terrain, or Drainage modules are activated. Only one tool is active at any given time.

Contour Labels

The Contour Label tool manually places numerical contour elevation labels at points clicked on with the mouse. These labels remain on the screen until the contouring options are changed, until they are deleted using the Contour Label Options dialog, or until the Graphics Window is refreshed. Contour labels can also be deleted with this tool by holding down the SHIFT key while clicking on the labels. This tool can only be used when the TIN is in plan view.

Select Drainage Unit or Basin

The Select Drainage Unit or Basin tool is used to select basins which can then be either merged together or split. In addition to selecting basins, this tool can be used to select one of the basin icons.

Move Basin Labels

Computed drainage data may be displayed for each basin. However, when there are many basins, the screen can become cluttered with data. The Move Basin Labels tool allows basin data to be placed at a position other than the centroid, which is the default location. When moving a label, click in the desired basin and while holding down the mouse button, drag the cursor to the desired position on the screen and then release the button. An arrow will be drawn from the final position to the point first clicked in the basin.

Flow Path

The Flow Path tool allows the flow paths for specified points to be drawn. When this tool is active, clicking in the graphics window at a location on a TIN, or a DEM after TOPAZ data are computed will cause a flow path to be initiated from that point and followed "downstream" until a pit or local minima is reached, or until the path leaves the TIN/DEM. This tool can be very useful in checking portions of an edited TIN before stream and basin definition is completed.

The length and slope of overland and stream flow is displayed in the help window each time a new path is drawn. This can be helpful in obtaining parameters used to compute lag times with some empirical formulas. Stream distances are shown only after a stream has been created. In other words, channel flow is not counted in the stream distance unless a "stream" has been created along the channel.

Flow paths initiated from the centroid of each triangle or DEM cell can be displayed using the Draw Flow Patterns command in the TIN or DEM menu within the drainage module.

Create Text

The Create Text tool is used to create a single line text string. The location clicked on defines where the text string will be placed. After clicking on a location, the Text Attributes dialog appears allowing the user to enter the text string and choose the font, color, etc.

Create Rectangle

The Create Rectangle tool is used to create wire frame or filled rectangles. Rectangles can be used to represent buildings, frame a series of text strings, etc.. Rectangles are created with this tool by dragging a rectangle with the mouse at the location on the screen where the user wishes to place the rectangle. A square can be created by holding down the control key while dragging.

Create Oval

The Create Oval tool can be used to create wire frame or filled ovals. Ovals are created by dragging a rectangle with the mouse at the location on the screen where the user wishes to place the oval. The rectangle width and height determine the major and minor axes of the oval. A circle can be created by holding down the control key while dragging.

Create Line

The Create Line tool can be used to create single line segments or polylines (a series of connected segments). An arrowhead can be placed on either end of the line. Lines are typically used in conjunction with text strings to highlight key features in a plot. A line is created by clicking on a series of points on the screen with the mouse and double-clicking to end to end the line. The color, line style, and arrowhead options of a line are edited with the Attributes dialog described below.

Select Drawing Objects

The Select Drawing Objects tool is used to select previously created text, rectangles, ovals, and lines. Once selected, a drawing object can be moved to another location by clicking on the object and dragging it to a new location. Lines, rectangles, and ovals can be resized by dragging the handles that appear on the corners or ends of the object when the object is selected. The Select Drawing Objects tool is also used to edit the graphical attributes.

Related Topics

• Tool Palettes
• Drawing Objects