Engineering Drawing Export

Purpose: Add clear feature drawings and coordinate schedules to a map report.

Before you start: PDF export access and a small, checked set of visible features.

Expected result: A PDF whose shapes, measurements and coordinate tables match the intended records.

Use engineering pages to explain a site boundary, route or set of asset locations. They are schematics derived from stored geometry; they do not replace a checked survey or certify the source coordinates.

1. What Is an Engineering Drawing?

An engineering drawing is an additional schematic page in a Map PDF. Each eligible feature has a drawing with a measurement summary, followed by its coordinate schedule. Tables can continue onto extra pages.

Element	What it shows
Outline or points	The feature fitted to the drawing area
Dimensions	Edge lengths in metres for eligible line and polygon shapes
Vertex labels	Numbers that help relate the shape to the coordinate table
Angle labels	Corner angles on eligible outer polygon rings
Summary	Point count, line length or polygon area and boundary length
Coordinate schedule	All vertices, their part/ring, latitude and longitude; source Z values where present

2. How to Enable Engineering Drawings

1. Open Map and show the intended features.
2. Open Export Map PDF.
3. Choose Data scope. For a small report, use Selected features in current view and tick the required records in the dialog.
4. Enable Engineering Drawing under Map Elements. It is off by default.
5. Choose paper size, orientation, title and any data fields for the chosen document layout.
6. Choose Preview and inspect every drawing and coordinate page.
7. Choose Generate PDF, save or share it, then open the final file.

See Map PDF Export for the full report workflow.

3. What Gets Drawn

Feature Selection

The drawings use the report's chosen visible records in the current map view, with current map filters applied. A feature intersecting the view can be included even if part of it is off screen; its full stored shape is used for the schematic.

Supported geometries are Point, MultiPoint, LineString, MultiLineString, Polygon and MultiPolygon. Point drawings show positions and coordinates rather than edge lengths or areas.

The limit is 10 features per PDF. If the scope exceeds it, reduce the selection or zoom in and try again. The app does not silently choose the first ten. Grouped points must be displayed individually before they can be used as record-based drawing inputs.

One Page Per Feature

Each feature gets a schematic page. Its full coordinate schedule follows, with additional pages as needed. The final PDF can therefore have more pages than the number of selected features plus the map page.

4. Reading the Drawing

Shape Outline

All supported parts are drawn. Polygon holes use dashed outlines; multipart lines and polygons retain their separate parts. The schematic fits the page using a local approximation, so read the printed measurements and coordinate table rather than measuring a distance with a ruler on the page.

Dimension Lines (Red)

Line and polygon edge dimensions are shown when the feature has 30 or fewer vertices across its parts. More complex features keep their outlines, summaries and full coordinate schedules. Do not simplify source geometry merely to fit a report; use the coordinate table or export the data for detailed review.

Vertex Labels (Green)

Vertex numbers are shown for features with up to 100 vertices, continuing across parts. More complex features retain their coordinate schedule even when labels would overcrowd the drawing.

Interior Angles (Red)

Angle arcs are shown on outer polygon rings within the 30-vertex dimension limit. Hole rings do not receive angle arcs. Treat the schematic angles as drawing aids and verify critical geometry independently.

Summary Card

• Polygons: area, boundary length including hole boundaries, and vertex count. Holes reduce the reported area.
• Lines: total length across their parts, vertices and segment count.
• Points: point count.

Lengths are in metres and areas in square metres, with additional kilometre or hectare values for larger features. These measurements come from the stored geographic geometry, not a new field observation.

Coordinate Reference

The coordinate schedule contains the complete vertex list, identifying each part and ring. Latitude and Longitude are labelled in decimal degrees using WGS 84 (EPSG:4326). A Z (source units) value is included when present; do not assume it represents a verified height in metres. Closed rings do not repeat the closing vertex in the schedule.

5. Page Header

The page identifies the feature and its layer. Use readable names so recipients can match the drawing to the source record. Check the coordinate information and report page numbering before handover.

6. Complete PDF Structure

A typical two-feature report contains:

1. The map page.
2. Summary, notes, legend or data pages for the chosen layout.
3. The first feature's schematic and coordinate schedule.
4. The second feature's schematic and coordinate schedule.

Use Preview to check the actual page count; it depends on the selected layout, text, records and number of vertices.

7. Tips for Best Results

• Choose a few features whose names and source coordinates you have checked.
• Use Portrait or Landscape to suit the shape; A3 gives a larger page when needed.
• Inspect holes and separate parts as well as the outer boundary.
• Compare the coordinate table with the receiving team's requirements.
• Use CAD Manager for editable DXF delivery, or Project package for supported linked project data.

8. Limitations

Limit	What to do
More than 10 features	Select fewer records; the export stops rather than omitting the excess
More than 30 vertices	Use the outline, summary and coordinate schedule; dimensions and angle arcs are omitted
More than 100 vertices	Use the coordinate schedule when on-shape vertex labels are omitted
Report exceeds 80 pages	Reduce the selected records or fields
Incorrect imported coordinates	Correct the import coordinate system before making a drawing
Survey or design handover	Have the responsible specialist verify coordinates, measurements and the required delivery format

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