Defining your site using the shape tool

The shape tool allows you to define your site, taking an accurate measurement of its area in the process. A pre-existing site shape can be more quickly defined using Snap to point.

Drawing a shape

1.	Click the shape button on the Define site panel.

2.	Position the mouse cursor at the exact snapping point on the map where you want to start drawing the shape.

3.	Click once with the left mouse button.

4.	Move the mouse cursor to the next point and click the left mouse button once more. You will notice that as you move the mouse cursor, a red line is drawn between the current mouse location and the previous point.

Repeat steps 2., 3. and 4. for each point of the shape until the whole of the shape has been drawn except for the last line. The last segment (the line which makes a shape a closed shape) can be drawn by clicking on the first point of the shape or by double left-clicking your mouse. The time taken to trace around a shape is proportional to the size and complexity of the shape, so large fields, lakes and some large buildings may take slightly longer to outline.

6.	Once you have outlined the site, it can be refined using the add point or remove point tools (see below).

7.	If you have made a mistake, you can delete the shape by selecting it, then pressing the Delete key on your keyboard. Alternatively, click the shape tool button again. This will bring up the following warning:

Click the OK button, the previous shape will be deleted, and the shape tool is active and ready for you to use.

8.	When you have defined you site, buffers will automatically appear on the map around your site. The buffers are for display purposes only and won’t be printed in your reports. For more information on buffers please refer to Buffers.

9.	Click the next button to select your reports for this site. See Ordering your environmental reports for further information.

Tips

Defining large sites

Switch on Snap to point. For help with doing this please see Snap to point. By holding down the space bar, the points in-between the two that you click will be picked up automatically. The line ‘snaps’ to the nearest map feature or digital data point automatically. However, if there is an orange point in-between, you will not be able to snap to the line, as there is a change in the map feature. In this case you must click to the nearest orange point and click from the orange point to wherever you want the end of the line.

Navigating while using a tool

Use the arrows provided on the frame surrounding the map to move around the map while using the tools.

Adding points

Click the add point button on the Refine shape or line panel:

Now when you move the cursor over the map, you will notice that it has changed shape: The point of the cursor tells Envirocheck where to add the new point. Place the cursor on to the map where you would like to add the point and left-click once with your mouse. The new point will appear on the map as part of the shape or line.

Removing points

Click the remove point button on the Refine shape or line panel:

Now when you move the cursor over the map, you will notice that it has changed shape: The position of the cursor tells Envirocheck where to remove the point. Place the cursor over the point you have defined and wish to remove and left-click once with your mouse. The point will be removed from the map. You can use this tool to remove points that were already on the map and ones that you have added.

Correcting mistakes

At any point while drawing your line you can press the backspace button on your keyboard to erase the most recently drawn line segment. You can use the backspace key to erase multiple line segments if you wish by pressing it repeatedly.

Next: Defining your site using the autofill tool