Negative Areas
  • 23 Apr 2024
  • 2 Minutes to read
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Negative Areas

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Article summary

Negative Areas is a feature of the Area Tool used to generate a list of Negative Areas in a Measurement, commonly used for windows or island bench removals.

Related Articles: Area Tool | Area Cut-Out Tool

💡Using an iPad or Tablet?

Creating a Negative Area

  1. Within a Stage click the Area Measurement
  2. Click Settings then click Negative
  3. Select a Drawing Mode
    Freeform, Square or Curved Modes

create-negative-area.png

  1. Create the Negative Area
  2. Click Done
    *Negative Area Total will show the Measurement list

create-negative-area-2.png

Negative Areas V1

Convert an existing Area Measurement to a Negative Area

Turn an already created Area into a Negative, subtracting from the Area Measurement Total.

  1. Press ESC
    Zoom in on the Area to select
  2. Select an Area on the Plan
  3. Click Settings then click Negative
  4. Click Save

create-negative-area-3.png

Negative Area vs Area Cut-out

The Negative Area method will not remove the section of Area being subtracted from the Plan. It places another Area onto the Plan with a Negative Area Total.

The Negative Area Tool is the optimal choice to generate a list of Negative Areas in a Measurement.

If the requirement is to remove the Area drawn from the Plan and also from the Area Total, please refer to the Area Cut-out Tool Article.


Using an iPad or Tablet?

Click for alternate terminology.

Things to note when following the above steps:

  • Tap instead of click
  • Unless there is a keyboard attached to the device, there are no shortcut keys on an iPad or Tablet
  • Tap Done instead of pressing ESC

Navigation hints:

  • Pinch zoom
  • Tap hold and drag to pan around a Plan

Images within this article are taken from a desktop computer. Interface appearance on an iPad / Tablet devices may vary based on screen size, potentially hiding or shortening buttons to icons. For accuracy, consider using a stylus, Apple pencil or mouse.




Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a Curve?

Yes. Below are the types of Curves that can be created.

Curve Drawing Mode
After an Area has been created, choose Curve Drawing Mode to remove Curves.

  1. Click Curve
  2. Click once to begin
  3. Click once along the Curve
    Close to the apex / highest point for best results
  4. Click at the end of the Curve
  5. Click the Curve button again to return to Freeform or click the last point to complete

When Curved Mode is enabled, it will not dis-engage until the button is clicked again.

area-curve-mode.png

To create Curves and straight lines in the same Area

  1. In Freeform Mode, click at the beginning of the Curve
  2. Press Q
  3. Click once along the Curve
    Close to the apex / highest point for best results
  4. Continue on or click the last point to complete

When the Curve is complete, Freeform Mode will automatically engage.

Area_Path with Q Key

To transform the last straight segment into a Curve

  1. In Freeform Mode, click the point at the beginning of the Curve
  2. Click at the end of the Curve
  3. Press W and moving the cursor back to the apex / highest point of the Curve and click once
  4. Continue on or click the last point to complete

When the Curve is complete, Freeform Mode will automatically engage.

Area Path with W Key


Is there a way to Edit a Curve

Yes. Click onto the Area with the Cut-out to Edit. Slide the blue circles to adjust the curve.

area-cut-out-faq1.png




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