Documentation by phase

Survey / Background

The Survey phase is where you set up your drawing base: upload a survey PDF or aerial image, calibrate scale so everything is in real feet, and optionally add property line and compass. The background lives on its own layer and can be locked so it doesn’t move when you pan.

What this phase does

In the designer, select Survey / Background from the phase dropdown (top of the right panel). You get:

Upload — PDF survey or PNG/JPG/WEBP image (aerial, screenshot, or scan)
Set scale — Calibrate with two points and a known distance so the canvas uses feet
Background controls — Fit, opacity, lock/unlock, remove
Property line & compass — Optional property boundary and North arrow for site plans

Uploading a survey or image

Use the setup panel in this phase (or the initial setup flow) to upload a PDF or image. The first page of a PDF is used. Once loaded, the image is placed on the Survey / Background layer. Use Fit to Background in the View section of the toolbar to frame the whole image. See Upload & Calibrate Scale for details.

Calibrating scale

After uploading, use Calibrate scale: click two points on the image (e.g. ends of a known distance), enter the real distance in feet, and confirm. The app then uses that ratio for all drawing and measurements. Pick a long, clearly visible distance for best accuracy.

Locking the background

The Survey layer is locked by default so the background image doesn’t move when you pan. To reposition or scale the background (e.g. to align with a grid), switch to the Survey layer in the Layers panel, unlock it, then drag on the canvas. Lock it again when done.

Working without an image

You don’t have to upload anything. Use Set area size to define a work area in feet (e.g. 50×50). You draw on an empty, scaled canvas. See Edge Cases.