Measure a distance

Want to know how far it is from the driveway to the barn, or the length of a fence line? The distance tool lets you click points and reads out the length instantly. It works the same way on the flat 2D map and inside every 3D view (3D model, point cloud, and the other 3D modes).

On the 2D map

1. Open your project and go to the 2D Map tab.
2. In the toolbar along the top, click the ruler icon (tooltip: Measure distance between points).
3. Click once on the map where you want to start.
4. Click again at your end point. The line and its length appear right away, along with a compass bearing (the direction the line runs).
5. To measure a path with several segments, keep clicking to add more points. The total length updates as you go.
6. When you're done, double-click to finish the line.

In a 3D view

1. Open a 3D tab (for example 3D Model or Point Cloud).
2. Click the ruler icon in the toolbar (Measure distance between points). A hint appears at the bottom: Click to start measuring.
3. Click your first point directly on the model surface, then click the end point. The measurement is drawn in 3D and follows the shape of the ground and structures.
4. Add more points for a multi-segment path if you like. The hint shows your point count.
5. Double-click to finish.

Tips

• Made a mistake? Click the undo (curved arrow) icon to remove the last point, or the last whole measurement if you've already finished one.
• Switch feet and meters: open Settings (the gear / sliders icon) and choose Imperial (feet) or Metric (meters). Every measurement re-labels instantly.
• See everything in a list: your measurements collect in the results panel on the left. Open it to see each distance, its bearing, and to show/hide individual lines.
• Touch devices: a single tap places a point; double-tap finishes. Pinch to zoom without placing points.
• Measurements you take in a 3D view are automatically placed on the map (and vice-versa) so the same point of interest lines up across every view.

Need the enclosed area of a shape instead of a straight length? See Measure an area.