Layers

Layers Menu:

Add New Layer:
Use this menu to create a new layer. You will be presented with a form allowing you to name the new layer. The new layer will become the drawings current layer.

Checking the "Set Layer's Offset to Last Layer's Offset" checkbox will cause the new layer to have the same offset as the last layer in the layer list.

Add New Custom Layer:

Section Layer
This option is a quick way to create a 1 to 5 mile square section. If you pick a size larger than 1 mile, you'll be given the option to include tick marks at the mile marks. You can also choose which quadrant to create the section in. This allows you to choose if the section is drawn north/south and east/west of the drawing's origin. Creating a Section Layer requires that the drawing's origin be set to something other than Auto-Center. The recommended origin setting is Center of Screen.

Return to Call
Creating a Return to Call layer will create a new layer that starts at the endpoint of the layer and call that is chosen. It will automatically create a series of invisible calls, from the drawing's origin, to the chosen call's endpoint. This makes it easy to return to a common point when multiple tracts start at the same reference point. Creating a Return to Call layer requires that the drawing's origin be set to something other than Auto-Center. The recommended origin setting is Center of Screen. This method is the recommended way to return to a call, however, in some cases the "Return to Call" call option my also be viable.

Rotated Layer
This option will create a new layer by rotating or flipping the selected layer. This will create a new set of calls for the new layer. The recommended origin setting is Center of Screen.

Compass Rule Layer
This option will create a new layer by applying the Compass Rule to the selected layer. The default colors for this layer will be set to the selected color. The recommended origin setting is Center of Screen.

 

Delete Current Layer:
This menu will prompt you to delete the current layer.

Rename Current Layer:
This menu will bring up a form that will let you rename the current layer. Enter a new name and press the Rename button.

Duplicate Current Layer:
This menu will duplicate the current layer. The new layer will be placed in the center of the drawing window. The new layer will become the current layer.

Set Current Layer Origin X,Y Coordinates:
Choosing this option will bring up the following form. It can be used to set the X,Y coordinates for the layer's origin. This has no visual effect on the drawing, but will be used when showing/saving the point coordinates, exporting the current layer as a DXF file and when viewing the endpoint x,y. This setting also has no effect on the Offset or Origin functions.

Enter the X and Y coordinates and press the Set button.

You can also view origin X,Y for all layers at once by selecting View All Layers from the Options menu. Doing so will bring up the following form:

The X, Y values can be edited on this form by clicking in any X, Y cell and entering a new value.

Set Current Layer POB Lat/Long Coordinates:
Choosing this option will bring up the following form. It can be used to set the latitude and longitude coordinates for the POB. This has no visual effect on the drawing, but will be used by the various other Lat/Long functions as a starting point offset.

Enter the latitude and longitude coordinates and press the Set button.

You can also set the POB's lat/long based on another endpoint's lat/long. To do so, click on the menu popup triangle and choose Find POB Lat/Long From Endpoint Lat/Long from the popup menu. This will bring up the Endpoint Lat/Long to POB Lat/Long from.

Choose the endpoint that you know the lat/long for from the endpoint menu and enter its lat/long. Press the Find POB Lat/Long button. This will close the current form and populate the POB Lat/Long form with the POB's lat/long values.

You can also choose a lat/long coordinate from any endpoint from any layer using this form:

You can also view origin Lat/Long for all layers at once by selecting View All Layers from the Options menu. Doing so will bring up the following form:

Offset Current Layer:
*  Each layer can be moved around by using the mouse.
*  Holding down the shift key while dragging a layer allows you to drag all of the unlocked layers at once. 
*  Holding down the shift and control keys will bring up scrollbars that can be used to move all layers, including locked layers, at the same time. This allows you to move all of the layers even if there is no layer visible to grab. This can be useful for "scrolling" around the drawing while the scale setting is zoomed in.

The Offset window can be used to nudge a layer 1 pixel at a time or it can set a layers offset to the same offset as another layer. It can also return a layer to its point of origin. The origin setting can be set in the Drawing Options.

Set All Layers to Origin:
This menu option will return all of the unlocked layers offsets back to zero.

Align Layers by Endpoints:
This form will allow you to align layers via their endpoints. Note: This option is not available for drawing's with their origin set to Auto-Center.

Select a base layer. This layer will not move. When you select a layer, it's endpoints will be numbered on the main drawing. Select a base endpoint. This is the endpoint that the 'move layer' will move to. Select a move layer. This is the layer that will move to the selected base endpoint. Select the move endpoint that you want to line up with the base endpoint. Press the Align Layers button.

Convert Current Layer Offset to Call:
The option will convert the current layer's offset into an invisible metes and bounds call.

Current Layer Closure Tools:

Convert Auto Completion to Call
This command is similar to the Auto Complete layer option. But instead of just drawing the closing line, this option will create a new call that will close the plot and append it to the call list.

Auto Complete Two Calls

This form allows you to enter in bearings for the last two lines, even if the lengths of the last two lines are unknown. This can be useful when dividing up a plot.

Adjust Closing Error

This form allows you to minimize a closure error by adjust the length of a line until the closure gap is at its smallest.

Select the line that you want to adjust. Select an interval. The interval is how large or small of increments the software will use to close the gap. Then press the Adjust Line button.

Split Current Layer:
You can use this feature to turn a single layer into two plots.
First, choose the call where you want to start the split.

Next, move the slider to the desired point in the line where you would like the split to occur. A red bull's-eye will appear on the main drawing to show you where the line will be split. You can also use the popup menu arrow to set the line lengths to the desired values. Press the Next button to choose the ending marker for the split.

Now choose the call for the other end of the split.

Move the slider to choose the second split point. Or, if you select the Find Nearest Half checkbox, the program will find the point on the 2nd line where the two new plots are closest to having the same area. You can also use the popup menu arrow to enter in precise values.

You can view the new plots area either in square feet or in acres.

Press the Split button to create your two new plots. The two new layers will be added to your drawing if you have the Pro version, or two new windows will be created if you have the Basic version.

If you press the 3rd Point button instead of pressing the Split button, the software will create a 3rd point at the center point of the new cut line. You can then create 2 lines for the cut line instead of just one line.

Use the large arrows to move the 3rd point in 1 foot increments and the small arrows to move the point in 1 inch increments. The 3rd point will not be allowed to move outside of the plot's boundary.

Set Non-Current Layers Invisible will uncheck each layer's visibility checkbox accept for the current layer. This will cause all of the layers, other than the current layer to become invisible.

Set All Layers Visible will check each layer's visibility checkbox. This will cause all of the layers to become visible.

Manage Layer Visibility. Choosing this menu will bring up the Layer Visibility form where you can set all of the layers visibility in one place.

Check or clear each checkbox to set that layer's visibility.

Press the Check All button to make all layers visible.

Press the Clear All button to make all layers invisible.

Lock Non-Current Layers. Choosing this option will mark all of the layers, other than the current layer, as locked.

Unlock All Layers. Choosing this option will mark all of the layers, including the current layer, as unlocked.

Hide Non-Current Layers. When this menu option is checked, selecting a layer from the layer popup menu will cause all of the other layers to be hidden. This makes it so that only one layer is visible at a time. The other layer's visibility setting is not effected.

Hide Non-Current Layer Endpoints. When this menu option is checked, only the current layer's endpoint data is shown. This checkbox does not affect the other layer's endpoint settings.

Highlight Current Layer:
This option will cause the current layer to be drawn with a yellow highlight around it.

You can also temporarily enable layer highlighting by holding down the 'H' key.

Selecting the Current Layer:
To select a layer, choose it from the layer selection menu on the main window.

When you select a new layer, it will become the current layer. All of the layer's calls will be shown in the call list and all of the layer's options will be set in the layer options area.

You can also select a current layer by right-clicking on the layer itself or the layers floating call list (if visible) in the drawing and choosing the Make Current Layer option.

Edit Menu Layer Options:

Layer Order:
You can change the order of the layers in the layer popup menu by right-clicking on the layer popup menu and choosing Change Layer Order. Changing the order will change the order in which the layers are rendered on the screen. The first layer in the list will be drawn first and the last layer in the list will be drawn last.

To change a layer's order, select the layer in the list and press either the Up button or the Down button.

Press the Save and Close button to commit any changes and to close the form.