Lock and Unlock
Lock objects to make them unselectable and immovable. Locked objects remain fully visible but pass all pointer events through to objects behind them.
Locking is useful for reference geometry, imported underlays, or any object you want to keep in place while working around it. You can lock individual objects or entire layers.
Locking an object
Select one or more objects and press Ctrl+L, or right-click and choose Lock. The objects become locked — a lock icon appears on their bounding box. They are no longer selectable by clicking or dragging a selection rectangle.
Unlocking an object
To unlock an object you must use the Layers panel. Expand the layer that contains the object, find the object in the object list, and click its lock icon. Alternatively, unlock the entire layer by clicking the layer's lock icon in the Layers panel.
Locking a layer
In the Layers panel, click the lock icon on a layer row. All objects on that layer become locked simultaneously. Unlock the layer to restore interactivity for all objects on it.
Lock or unlock an entire layer
In the Layers panel, each layer row has a padlock icon to the right of the layer name. Click it to lock every object on that layer simultaneously — useful when you want to protect a finished base plan while working on planting or irrigation on top. Click the same icon again to unlock the whole layer and restore full interactivity for all its objects.
Unlock immediately after locking
If you just locked an object and want to reverse the action right away — before clicking elsewhere — the objects are still in your selection. Press Ctrl+L (Mac: Cmd+L) again to toggle them back to unlocked. The shortcut only works while the objects remain selected, so act before you click away.
Locking works at two levels independently: an object can be locked directly, and its layer can also be locked. If either the object or its layer is locked, the object will not receive any pointer events. Unlocking just the object while its layer remains locked will not restore interactivity — you must unlock both.
A common workflow is to import a site survey image or PDF underlay, lock it immediately, and then trace over it with drawing tools. The locked underlay stays perfectly still no matter how many times you click near it, and you never need to worry about moving it by accident.
Once an object is locked, clicks on it fall through to the next object underneath. If you cannot select something you expect to be there, check whether a locked object is sitting on top of it in the layer stack — the locked object may be intercepting the visual area without being selectable itself.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+L / Cmd+L | Lock / Unlock selected objects |
Frequently Asked Questions
I locked an object and now I can't click it to unlock it. How do I unlock it?
This is by design — locked objects do not receive pointer events, so you cannot select them directly on the canvas. Open the Layers panel, expand the layer that contains the object, find it in the list, and click the padlock icon next to its name. You can also unlock the entire layer in one click from the layer row's padlock icon.
Why does clicking a locked object select something else instead?
Locked objects pass all pointer events through to whatever is directly behind them in the layer stack. This is intentional — it means locked reference geometry or imported underlays never interrupt your work. The click simply reaches the next unlocked object underneath.
Can I lock multiple objects at once?
Yes. Select as many objects as you need using click, Shift+click, or rubber-band selection, then press Ctrl+L (Cmd+L on Mac) or right-click and choose Lock. You can also lock an entire layer at once by clicking its padlock icon in the Layers panel, which locks every object on that layer simultaneously.
Does locking an object prevent it from being deleted?
Yes. Locked objects cannot be selected on the canvas, so the Delete key and the Edit menu delete commands will not affect them. To delete a locked object you must first unlock it via the Layers panel, then select and delete it normally.
If a layer is locked, do individual objects on it inherit that lock?
Yes. Both the layer-level lock and the object-level lock must be off for an object to be interactive. If the layer is locked, all objects on it are effectively locked regardless of their individual lock state. Unlock the layer first, then each object becomes interactive based on its own lock state.