This article covers three methods for drawing wall perimeter lines when viewed in plan or top view. After drawing the wall perimeter lines, you must project them to create actual walls.
🔧 Track Wall (Outline) Perimeter
This is the basic command for drawing wall perimeter lines using direction and length values. Use this when you know the exact measurements and directions of your wall lines.
When you select Track-Walls, you first select a starting point, then the Track Lines dialog box is displayed:
The dialog box lets you enter directions by:
Clicking accelerator buttons (up, down, left, right)
Clicking half angle directions (\ or /)
Entering direction directly into the Direction field
Direction is defined as 0 up the screen, then positive clockwise (like a compass bearing - Up=0; R=90; D=180; L=270)
Enter the distance directly into the distance field.
To insert a new wall line, click Insert or hit Enter. You'll see dotted wall lines drawn on screen, annotated with wall number and length. The shape automatically zooms to fit the screen.
Button | Function |
Close | Automatically closes the shape |
Hor-Vert | Use when you have horizontal and vertical distances rather than direction and distance |
Stepback | Corrects input mistakes |
Stepforward | Re-enters values you stepped back over |
Finish | Completes wall line entry and draws the walls |
💡 Quick Entry Tip: Use coded input for faster direction entry. Type "u50" in the distance field and press Enter to input "Up 50". Use u, d, l, r for up, down, left, right.
🔧 Digitise Wall Perimeter
Use this command to digitise wall perimeters from an underlay image or when you know wall corner coordinates.
When you select Digitise, enter the constrain angle and constrain length. These values round your input to "nice" values.
For maximum accuracy, set both to zero (0).
Click OK and enter the required storey. As you digitise each corner, you'll see dotted wall lines drawn with length annotations.
🔧 Closing Options
When you close the outline by snapping to the last point, the last leg adjusts to maintain your constrain angle. If you right-click without snapping to the first point, the Close dialog displays these options:
Option | Description |
Close Straight | Joins the last point to the first point |
Close Square | Creates another corner |
Close Extend | Extends the last direction to intersect the first wall |
Close 2 Lengths | Prompts to close to a pre-defined line length |
Don't Close | Same as Close Straight if there's a gap between last and first points |
Step Back | Allows backtracking for incorrect lines |
Change Snap Axes | Changes Construction Plane direction for different orientation angles |
Align Axes with Last Line | Rotates construction plane axes with last digitised line |
Reset Snap Axes | Resets snap axes to original settings |
Check Close Distances | Checks final two distances before closing outline |
Continue Digitising | Returns to digitise process |
🛠 Coordinate Entry Examples
To enter exact coordinates while digitising, use these formats at the "Locate next point LOC>" in the prompt area:
Absolute coordinates:
10, 0 (10 units in x, zero in y)
-10, 0 (-10 units in x, zero in y)
10'6", 0 (10 foot 6 inches in x, zero in y)
10.5, 0 (10.5 feet in x, zero in y)
Incremental coordinates (relative to previous point):
For a building 20 foot long and 50 foot wide:
Locate first point LOC> 0, 0 (Starting point)
Locate next point LOC> i 50, 0 (Move 50 feet in x)
Locate next point LOC> i 0, 20 (Move 20 feet in y)
Locate next point LOC> i -50, 0 (Move -50 feet in x)
Locate next point LOC> i 0, -20 (Move -20 feet in y, returning to 0,0)
Typing i indicates incrementally from the last point, in the axis specified.
🔧 Draw Walls
Use Walls > Draw Single Wall to digitise wall perimeters one or multiple walls at a time from top or plan view. Default constraints are typically multiples of 45° and 10mm (1/2"), forcing wall lines to be square and rounded to improve digitising accuracy.
How to use:
Select the wall corner on the underlay plan and left click at each end
Use middle mouse scroll to zoom closer to corners for precise selection
Zoom out and back in to capture the other end of the wall line
Continue in new directions for additional wall lines
Right click to finish current line and start a new one
Continue digitising until all wall lines are captured
💡 Precision Tip: Type the actual length using direction prefixes U, D, L, R (up, down, left, right) in the prompt area. For example, "R2750" draws a line precisely 2750mm instead of ±10mm of the digitised location.
⚠️ Important: If a wall edge changes thickness along the same direction, split the line at the material change. The line must stop and start again for different materials.
The command snaps line end points to intersecting lines within the cursor pick box, ensuring neat and tidy lines of the required length. The prompt area confirms when a line has been "snapped to".
Wall lines are drawn on the CPL (Construction Plane), usually the floor level. They define wall base line locations and are ready to be projected to the roof plane or to a specified height.
⚠️ Remember: These commands only draw wall perimeter lines or outlines. You must project the wall lines to form actual walls after completion.