The Create Commands

Creating a feature using the create commands involves assigning an acronym and attribute values then creating the spatial representation. The procedure is basically the same for each feature type.

The create commands are:

General procedure

The general procedure for creating features is:

1. Select one of the create commands.

The Select Object Acronym dialog box is displayed.

This displays acronyms that are appropriate for the type of feature being created.

2. Select an acronym.

3. Click OK.

You can define necessary attribute values now or define them later using Edit Mode. See Attributes window.

To digitize a point or a sounding:

1. Click at the position of the feature.

The line or area digitizing method defaults to point-to-point line. To use another method:

1. Right-click in the Display window and select Line Digitizer > <method> from the pop-up menu.

To digitize a line:

1. Click at the position of the nodes.

2. End or close the line.

To digitize an area:

1. Click at the position of the nodes.

2. End the area.

Tips

These tips can make digitizing simpler and more accurate:

• Learn the various digitizing cursors.

• Learn the keyboard shortcuts.

• Save your changes frequently.

• While digitizing:

• Press <Backspace> or select Line Digitizer > Remove Last from the pop-up menu to erase the most recently added vertex from a line or area.

• Use <Esc> to remove the entire new feature without cancelling the digitize command.

• Press <End> or select Line Digitizer > End Line from the pop-up menu when the new feature is complete.

• Accurately digitize features by snapping to existing vertices or nodes.

• Enter specific coordinates for vertices, distances, and so on.

• Use Undo to remove the last feature added.

Mouse Pointers

When you select a digitizing tool, the mouse pointer changes.

Symbols

These symbols are displayed on the feature when you are digitizing a line or area:

• A large yellow marker to indicate the starting node.

• Small yellow markers to indicate vertices.

• A red square to indicate the vertex currently being added.

• Any of several snap or intersect markers around the current vertex if you snap the new line to or intersect it with an existing feature.

Shortcuts

These keyboard shortcuts can help in digitizing:

Line Types

By default, most line create commands use the point-to-point line, but you can change to any of the other available line types using the pop-up menu:

You change line types while digitizing by selecting a different type from the pop-up menu or toolbar. When you change line types, digitizing continues from the most recent end point.

Related commands