Freehand Tool
Freehand tool works like a painting tool. Unlike the other Mapwel tools, which are based on the precise manual placement of the nodes, curves and lines, Freehand tool allows to draw many of the Mapwel objects with a free hand. Strokes are automatically converted to a chosen style. After conversion, strokes can be edited as other vector objects (node by node). The Freehand tool can be combined with any other tools in the Mapwel. Like other creation tools in Mapwel, Freehand tool can be used with various display modes (User, Grayscale, Color).
Freehand tool can work with any Microsoft Windows compatible mouse or digitizing tablet. Its use is not restricted to any specific brand of tablet.
Before you start actual drawing with the Freehand tool, you should choose the style you want to use. Click with right mouse button or corresponding tablet pen button depressed on the Freehand icon (in the Tool Bar). Panel with freehand styles will appear (picture below). This panel can be invoked also by holding the left mouse button or tablet pen tip depressed about 1 second on the Freehand icon. Each style is represented by its icon. Hover the cursor over the icon to display the style name. Select desired freehand style to activate the tool. Mapwel software will switch to creation/editing mode.
Freehand Styles
- Area (Polygon)
- Opening of Area or Marine Area
- Line/Road (Polyline)
- Routable Road (Polyline)
- Marine Area * (Polygon)
- Marine Line * (Polyline)
* Styles available only in the Mapwel version that supports marine charts (not available yet).
Click left mouse button or tablet pen on the Freehand tool to start drawing. When the Freehand tool is active, parameters of respective style are displayed on panel at the right side of the Mapwel window. After Stroke options allow to configure the Freehand tool. For example, it is possible to define whether to finish freehand mode after a single stroke or reactivate the tool.
Freehand Options
Meaning of the After Stroke options is as follows:
- Finish Object - converts stroke into nodes and finishes creation/editing immediately
- Edit - converts stroke into nodes and switches to normal nodes editing mode
- Another stroke - converts stroke into nodes and allows to add another strokes. When finished, single vector object contains several strokes.
Only one of above options can be active at once. If Reactivate tool is checked, Mapwel automatically reactivates Freehand tool after each stroke. This feature works only with Finish object option. To end strokes creation, hit ESC or ENTER (RETURN) key on the keyboard, or click the STOP button above the freehand options.