Drawing Linear Takeoff

You use Linear Takeoff Items to draw measurements for construction objects typically measured by linear foot, inch, meter, or millimeter. Even if you select a surface area or cubic area Result, if you draw the measurement linearly, you use a Linear Takeoff Item. See Related Articles for details.

Linear Takeoff Tools Toolbar

When you select a Linear Takeoff Item from the Takeoff Items Pane, the Linear Takeoff Tools toolbar displays. There are several tools and techniques for drawing Linear takeoff.

There are seven Linear-specific Takeoff Tools available, and your cursor changes shape to match the Takeoff tool you select.

Button	Tool Description	What it does/How it is used...
	Select	Always visible - allows you to select or grab objects in the Takeoff Window to edit or adjust them.
	Normal Mode	To draw a linear segment, you click, hold, drag, release. Useful for plan segments that do not connect or that occur randomly on the plan.
	Continuous Mode	To draw linear segments that are connected end-to-end, click, drag, click, drag, and then double-click to 'end' the takeoff. Useful for drawing many connected segments, even if you decide to go back and move or delete some of those segments later. Once drawn the segments can be adjusted independently, they are all individual segments.
	Right-Angle Segments	Draws two segments connected at a right angle (also known as the "Two-click, Two Segments" tool).
	Rectangle tool	Draws a rectangle in two clicks (or a click-drag-release).
	Curved Line tool	Draws a curved segment that is a section of a circular shape.
	Three-point arc tool	Draws an arc with three independent points - can be any curved shape, not defined by a circle.
	Elliptical tool	Draws a circular object based on two clicks - can be circular or oval.

To begin drawing Linear takeoff, you need to choose the appropriate tool - we cover how to use each tool in the articles that follow.

Drawing Takeoff

Using Normal or Continuous Mode to Draw Linear Takeoff