Interface Overview
Scapiera has four main areas: the top bar, the canvas, side panels, and the status bar at the bottom.
When you open a drawing, you see the 2D canvas in the center. The top bar runs across the top of the screen. Side panels open on the right when you select an object or activate a tool. The status bar runs along the bottom edge and shows coordinates, snap settings, zoom level, and other live information.
Canvas
The large central area is the canvas. In 2D mode it shows a flat orthographic view of your garden. In 3D mode the same objects appear in a perspective scene. In Presentation mode the canvas shows photorealistic, sketch, or watercolor rendering.
Side panels
When you select an object, the Inspector panel opens on the right. When you activate a tool from the toolbar, a tool options panel may open on the right. The Add Object panel, Plant Browser, Automation panel, and Design Rules panel each open as their own side panel.
Status bar
The status bar at the bottom shows: the current cursor position in world coordinates, snap settings, the zoom level dropdown, and live information about the selected object (area, perimeter, or length depending on the entity type).
Inspector panel — properties and side panels
The right edge of the editor hosts the Inspector. When nothing is selected it shows contextual tabs for Guide, Layers, Classes, Pages, and Saved Views (plus a Terrain tab in 3D). Select any object and the Inspector immediately switches to that object's properties — style, dimensions, materials, and tool-specific options. Several features (Plant Browser, Material Browser) open as separate panels that stack alongside the Inspector without closing it.
Status bar — coordinates, measurements, and save state
The status bar at the bottom of the screen shows your cursor world coordinates (X, Y in the current unit system), the zoom level, and live measurements for the current selection — area and perimeter for closed shapes, length for lines and paths. On the far right a save indicator dot shows sync state: solid green means all changes are saved to the cloud, pulsing yellow means a save is in progress, and orange means the connection is offline or an error occurred.
Workspaces — specialized layouts in the same window
Some sections replace the main editor layout with a dedicated workspace in the same window: the Terrain workspace (for elevation and sculpting), the Survey workspace, the Mesh Edit workspace, the Smart Trace wizard, and import workflows for models and underlays. Each workspace has its own toolbar and panel layout. Use the Sections menu (or a back control in the workspace) to return to the Design section.
The Command Search button in the top bar (or the keyboard shortcut shown next to it) opens a palette where you can type any action name — tool, menu item, or setting — and jump to it instantly without navigating menus.
The save dot in the status bar is the fastest way to confirm your work is safe. Scapiera saves every change automatically to the cloud — there is no manual Save button and no risk of losing work when you close the tab.
If the save dot turns orange, your changes are queued locally but have not yet reached the cloud. Do not close the browser tab until the dot turns green again, otherwise unsaved changes may be lost.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Inspector on the right is empty — is something wrong?
No. When nothing is selected the Inspector shows its default tabs: Guide, Layers, Classes, Pages, and Saved Views. Select any object on the canvas and the Inspector switches to that object's properties automatically.
Where do I change project settings? I don't see a gear icon.
Open the Sections menu (the hamburger button at the far left of the top bar) and choose Settings. Under the Project scope you can change the unit system (metric or imperial), site and location details, canvas and drawing options, and more.
The left toolbar has disappeared. How do I get it back?
The left toolbar only appears in the Design section. If you switched to the Terrain, Survey, or Presentation section, the toolbar is replaced by that workspace's own controls. Return to the Design section from the Sections menu to restore the left toolbar.
Can I hide panels to get more canvas space?
Yes. The Inspector panel collapses when you deselect everything and click elsewhere. Individual side panels (Plant Browser, Material Browser, Guide drawer) each have a close button. The left toolbar cannot be hidden, but it takes up minimal space.
How do I know which mode I'm currently in?
The top bar's controls reflect the current section, and the active 2D/3D view button is highlighted in coral. The canvas view also makes it obvious: 2D shows a flat top-down plan, 3D shows a perspective orbit view, Terrain shows the elevation workspace, and Presentation shows the rendering preview.