Create Area
Click inside any enclosed space to automatically trace its boundary as a new closed shape.
Create AreaThe Create Area tool detects the contour surrounding your click point and instantly builds a new closed shape from it. Use it to fill a lawn enclosed by a path, define a planting zone inside a wall, or capture any gap between existing geometry. An optional Boundary Offset lets you expand or shrink the traced shape in one step. Surrounding shapes must already be in place — the tool traces them rather than drawing on an empty canvas.
Activate the Create Area tool
Select Create Area from the drawing tools panel on the left toolbar. The tool panel opens on the right, showing read-only Area and Perimeter fields that will populate after a successful trace. You can optionally set a Boundary Offset before clicking.
Set a Boundary Offset (optional)
In the tool panel, enter a value in the Boundary Offset field. A positive value expands the traced area outward beyond the detected boundary; a negative value shrinks it inward. Leave it at zero to trace the boundary exactly. The offset is clamped to a maximum of 10 m (or the imperial equivalent) in either direction.
Click inside an enclosed space
Move your cursor over the drawing canvas and click anywhere inside a fully enclosed region. The tool scans the surrounding shapes — polygons, bezier curves, freehand lines, walls, patios, pond liners, and parametric object borders all count. A new closed shape is created that traces the detected boundary, and the Area and Perimeter fields update to show the computed values.
Name the new area
Once the area is created, type a descriptive name in the Name field at the top of the tool panel — for example 'Front Lawn' or 'Gravel Bed'. A clear name makes it easier to identify the shape in the Layers panel and in cost reports.
Apply a surface style
With the new area selected, open the Style accordion in the inspector to assign a fill — grass, gravel, paving, or any custom material. The closed shape is a standard entity, so all fill, contour, and material options available to drawn shapes are available here too.
Re-run if the boundary changes
The traced area is an independent closed shape and is not linked to the surrounding geometry. If you later edit or move the surrounding shapes, the area will not update automatically. Delete the old area and run Create Area again to pick up the new boundary.
Use a negative Boundary Offset to generate a planting zone set safely inside a patio or a lawn area that sits within a retaining wall — no manual offset step needed afterward.
Wall inner edges, patio borders, pond liners, and all other contours generated by parametric wizards are detected automatically. You do not need to convert them to plain shapes before clicking inside them.
If the surrounding shapes have even a tiny gap the trace will fail silently and no area will be created. Zoom in and check that every boundary segment meets or slightly overlaps before clicking.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Escape | Cancel |
Frequently Asked Questions
I clicked but nothing happened — why wasn't an area created?
The space under your click is most likely not fully enclosed. Even a small gap between two shapes prevents the trace from completing. Zoom in to the boundary, close any gaps, then click again. Also check that your click landed inside the region rather than on the boundary line itself.
Can I use this on a single open line or polyline?
No. The tool needs a region that is closed on all sides. A single open path leaves the space open, so there is nothing to trace. Close the path with an endpoint or add more surrounding geometry to form a complete boundary.
Does the traced area stay linked to the surrounding shapes?
No. The resulting shape is a fully independent closed entity. Moving, editing, or deleting the surrounding shapes afterward will not update it. If the boundary changes, delete the old area and run Create Area again.
What does the Boundary Offset do, and how large can it be?
Boundary Offset expands (positive) or shrinks (negative) the traced outline by the distance you enter. It is applied at the moment of creation — you cannot change it after the area is placed. The maximum offset is 10 m (or roughly 32 ft 10 in) in either direction; values outside this range are clamped automatically.
Can I trace an area inside a parametric wizard object, like a pool or pond?
Yes. Parametric object contours — pool walls, pond liners, patio edges, fence lines — are all detected by the tool. Just click inside the inner boundary of the object and a new area will be traced from it.