During the creation of a new object we can go back and make corrections, additions and deletions to coordinates already marked. In this example we start creating a new line, and then notice we have skipped over some locations we wanted to click. We go back to add those vertices (coordinates), and then we continue with creating the line (Manifold uses vertices and coordinates as synonyms when editing). See the Editing Drawings topic for background, and the Example: Draw Lines, Areas and Points topic for an example of creating a line.
Using the Create Line tool we click four times to mark coordinates that will define the new line. Launching the Create Line tool automatically chooses Insert Coordinates mode, where every click marks a new vertex.
We notice that we failed to click some spots along the long vertical segment. We can repair that by switching from Insert Coordinates mode to Move Coordinates mode.
We right-click on a blank spot in the drawing and choose Move Coordinates from the context menu. An experienced Manifold user might simply press the M key, a keyboard shortcut to switch into Move Coordinates mode.
We click on the vertex that starts the segment where we would like to add more coordinates. Clicking that vertex makes it the active vertex.
We again right-click on a blank part of the drawing and then in the context menu we choose Insert Coordinates. An experienced Manifold user might simply press the I key, a keyboard shortcut to switch into Insert Coordinates mode.
The cursor switches back into Insert Coordinates mode, with the cursor positioned within the segment desired, allowing us to insert coordinates into that segment. The blue preview lines will rubber-band to the cursor position as we move the cursor. We click where we want to mark a vertex.
We click again for the next coordinate.
We click again to mark a third coordinate.
When we are done adding coordinates, we right-click anywhere to call up the context menu again. The preview lines will continue to follow the cursor as we move it, but when we right-click to launch the context menu that does not matter.
A new top choice in the context menu, Continue Last Branch, appears. The system knows we have been inserting coordinates in the middle of an object we have been creating, and it offers us a chance to pick up at the end of the object if that is what we want. We choose Continue Last Branch. Note that we are still in Insert Coordinates mode.
The cursor jumps to the end of the object. We are still in Insert Coordinates mode, and we can continue clicking to add more coordinates to the line.
At any time, we can switch into Move Coordinates mode (either by pressing the M key or by right-clicking and choosing Move Coordinates from the context menu), and go back and make changes to the line being created. For example, we could select some of the coordinates already marked and delete them, or we could move them to different locations to adjust the shape of the line.
We can go back and forth between Move Coordinates mode and Insert Coordinates mode as we like. When we are happy with the line as we have created it, we can right-click and choose Save Changes to create it.
Blue color used in editing - Objects that are picked for editing, as well as paths drawn by the measurement tool and in editing, have their coordinate edit handles and boundaries shown using the same blue color used for previews and for provisional edits in other settings. If desired, we can change the preview and provisional color used by Manifold in the Tools - Options dialog. This allows us to use a color different than blue color in cases where a visual display already uses very much blue color or to provide a more discernible color in case of color blindness.
Example: Draw Lines, Areas and Points - Simple example of using basic mouse moves to add points, lines and areas to a drawing.
Example: Trace an Area in a Map over an Image Background - In a map with a drawing layer above an image layer, create an area object in the drawing by tracing over the outlines of something seen in the image layer below.
Example: Edit Coordinates While Creating an Object - When creating an object in a map using a tool such as Create Area, right in the middle of the process we can edit coordinates in the Info pane Coordinates tab. This example shows the step by step process.
Example: Edit Attributes and Move a Point - We look at the attributes for a point in a drawing layer and edit one of the attributes using a more expanded
Example: Change the Shape of Areas - Step-by-step editing of an existing area in a drawing: changing the shape by moving a vertex, by moving several vertices together, by moving the entire object, by deleting a vertex and by adding a vertex.
Example: Edit Areas in a Layer to Align with Another Layer - Editing areas in one layer so their boundaries align, either all or in part, with boundaries of areas in a different layer is a common task in GIS and CAD. For example, we might want area boundaries in a layer with different zoning areas for tax or regulatory purposes to be guided by the boundaries of administrative jurisdictions, such as the boundaries of cities, in a different layer. This example shows how, using fast and simple techniques.