Command reference

Every command, its alias, and what it does: the list to keep open while you learn.

5 min read

How the command line works

Type a letter anywhere on the canvas and the command line takes focus.
Enter runs it. Enter on an empty line repeats your last command.
Esc cancels whatever is in progress.
Every command answers in words, what it did, or why it would not.
Everything is undoable with Ctrl+Z.

Drawing

Alias	Command	What it does
L	Line	A single segment
PL	Polyline	Connected segments
LB	Line by length and bearing	Typed distance and azimuth or quadrant bearing
C	Circle	Dragged out from a centre
CR	Circle by radius	Typed centre and radius or diameter
REC	Rectangle	Typed corner, width and height
A	Arc	Fits a curve through a three-vertex line
PO	Point	A survey point
I / DDINSERT	Insert block	Place a symbol at real ground size
B	Make block	Turn drawn geometry into a symbol

Modifying

Alias	Command	What it does
O	Offset	Parallel copy at a typed distance
CO	Copy	Duplicate by distance and bearing
M	Move	By distance and bearing
RO	Rotate	About a vertex, the extent centre, or a typed point
SC	Scale	About a base point
MI	Mirror	Across a picked line
TR	Trim	Cut at a crossing, keep the picked side
EX	Extend	To a picked boundary
F	Fillet	Round the nearest corner
AR	Array	Rows and columns on a bearing, or around a centre
J	Join	Two lines that meet, made one
BR	Break	Split at a picked point
X	Explode	A line into segments, a block into geometry
S	Stretch	Move the vertices inside a window
MA	Match properties	Copy layer, colour, text height and point style
E / Del	Erase	Undoable, and says how many are left

Measuring and asking

Alias	Command	What it answers
DI	Distance	Distance, bearing, and the grade where a surface covers it
AA	Area	Square metres, hectares and acres, with the perimeter
ANG	Angle	The angle at the middle of three picked points
ID	ID point	Coordinates, and the surface elevation there
LI	List	Length, area, bearing, radius, coordinates
DIV	Divide	Points at N equal divisions, labelled with the station
ME	Measure	Points every X metres, labelled with the station

Getting around

Key	Does
Z	Zoom
U / Ctrl+Z	Undo
REDO / Ctrl+Y	Redo
QSAVE / Ctrl+S	Save
Esc	Cancel, or clear the selection
Shift+click	Add to or remove from the selection
Shift+drag	Selection box
Ctrl+drag	Freehand lasso
Wheel drag	Pan

If a command is not there

Anything not built is shown disabled with the reason on hover, and refuses by name on the command line, including a pointer to what does the job instead where something does. You will never click a button that silently does nothing.