Path Booleans
Boolean operations combine two selected paths into a single shape — union, subtract, or intersect.
Path BooleansBoolean operations let you combine two drawn shapes into one using three modes: Union merges both outlines into a single boundary, Subtract cuts the second shape out of the first, and Intersect keeps only the area where they overlap. Each operation removes both source shapes and replaces them with a new polygon that inherits the style of the first shape you selected. The result is fully undoable in a single step. Boolean operations are ideal for shaping irregular garden beds, carving openings in hardscape areas, or trimming overlapping fills to a clean boundary.
Union
Merges the two shapes into a single combined shape. The resulting outline is the outer boundary of both shapes combined.
Subtract
Removes the area of the second shape from the first shape. The first selected shape is the base; the second is the cutter.
Intersect
Keeps only the area where both shapes overlap. Everything outside the intersection is removed.
Open the context menu
Right-click anywhere on the canvas to open the context menu. With two shapes selected, the Union, Subtract, and Intersect entries appear grouped together near the bottom of the menu. If you do not see them, check that exactly two shapes are selected.
Choose Union to merge outlines
Click Union to combine both shapes into one. The result is a single polygon whose boundary follows the full outer outline of both shapes. Overlapping interior lines are removed. The new shape inherits the name (appended with "(union)"), color, and fill style of the first shape you selected.
Choose Subtract to cut a hole
Click Subtract to remove shape B from shape A. The result keeps whatever area of shape A was not covered by shape B. This is useful for cutting doorway openings in deck shapes, carving planting pockets out of a lawn, or trimming an area to an irregular boundary. If you subtracted in the wrong direction, press Ctrl+Z to undo, swap your selection order, and run Subtract again.
Choose Intersect to keep only the overlap
Click Intersect to discard everything except the area where both shapes overlap. If the shapes do not overlap at all, the operation produces no result and the drawing is left unchanged. Intersect is useful for clipping a planting area to a specific zone or extracting a shared boundary region.
The result shape is always a polygon and always inherits the style — color, fill, surface class, and layer — of the first shape you selected (shape A). If you need the result to match shape B's style instead, select shape B first.
To combine more than two shapes, apply Union in rounds: union the first pair, then Shift+click the next shape and union again. Each union reduces the count by one and you can keep chaining until all shapes are merged.
Boolean operations are destructive — both source shapes are permanently removed and replaced by the result. Always use Ctrl+Z to undo if the result is not what you expected before making further edits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Union, Subtract, and Intersect missing from the right-click menu?
The boolean options only appear when exactly two shapes are selected. If you see them missing, check your selection: click one shape, hold Shift and click the second, then right-click again. Also confirm both shapes are closed paths — open polylines or single lines cannot participate in a boolean operation.
Subtract cut the wrong shape out of the other. How do I reverse it?
Subtract always cuts shape B out of shape A, where A is the shape you selected first. Press Ctrl+Z to undo, then reselect with the shape you want to keep as the first click, and run Subtract again.
Intersect produced no result. What went wrong?
Intersect only succeeds when the two shapes have an overlapping area. If they are adjacent but not overlapping, or if they only share a boundary edge, there is no area to keep and the drawing is left unchanged. Move or resize one shape so they genuinely overlap, then try again.
Can I undo a boolean operation?
Yes — each boolean operation is a single undo step. Press Ctrl+Z and both original shapes are restored exactly as they were before the operation.
What happens to properties like cost rates or irrigation data on the source shapes?
The result polygon inherits all entity properties from the first selected shape (shape A), including its layer, surface class, fill, and any cost or annotation data. Properties from shape B are discarded. If the data from shape B matters, copy it to shape A in the inspector before running the boolean.