The Home Tab

The Home tab is the first tab of the ribbon . Here, we find all measuring and plan image manipulating functions.

The Home tab is the first tab in the ribbon.

Here, we find all measuring and plan image manipulating functions. The ribbon contains editing, scale, measuring, annotation, zoom, browse, image adjustment and printing tools functions.

The canvas.

The canvas is located in the center of the interface. It is on the canvas that all the measurements are traced with the mouse. It can be widened by docking the panels at the left and right. All the tools in the Home tab have an effect on the canvas.

The N avigation panel and the miniature of the current plan.

The miniature plan found in the Navigation panel shows an overview of all the elements inserted on the plan. The red area on the miniature shows the visible area displayed in the canvas. This red area can be larger or smaller depending on the setting of the zoom factor. To navigate on the plan, the user can move the red area on the miniature with the mouse or click on the center of the area to display on the miniature. The selected area will be automatically adjusted on the canvas according th the selected area in the miniature.

The Properties panel.

If an object or a group of objects exists on the canvas, The Properties panel displays its associated values. Each type of object has a specific set of properties.

The user can select an object to set focus on by selecting the object in the drop-down menu at the top of the panel. If an object is selected with the mouse on the canvas, the properties of this object will be automatically loaded in the Properties panel.

In this panel, a user can modify :

The object's name
The object's color
Turn on or off the "Show measures" check-box, which displays the measure tool-tips on the canvas.
The visibility of an object on the canvas

Comments can also be added to each group of objects.

Please note that the items displayed in the "Results" part of the grid are not modifiable because they reflect data generated by the objects on the canvas.

At the bottom of the Properties panel are two (2) tabs which display the object's properties and its associated extensions. Each measured object can be associated with one or more extensions that add a layer of results to any given measurement. The extensions are tied to building methods and to trades. The user will find, for example, a "Drywall" group of extensions including individual extensions such as "Ceiling Drywall", "Outside Wall Drywall" and "Partition Drywall". Each extension is associated to a measuring tool which allows for its best use. This way, the "Ceiling Drywall" extension is associated with the "Area" tool.

Once an extension is associated with a measuring tool, the user can browse through the results of the extension and edit its parameters. At this level, the user can also add or remove extensions associated with a measuring tool.

The "Display results" buttons.

At the bottom of the Properties panel, are two (2) buttons allowing the modification of the results in the results grid. As an object or a group of objects can be found on many plans, the user can display the results for the current plan only (For this Plan) or for all occurrences of this object on all the plans (For All Plans). Modifying this parameter will not affect the results in the "Groups" panel, on the right-hand side of the interface. The "Groups" panel will display the results for the active plan only.

The Layer panel.

The Layers are much like glass-panes that can be added on the canvas. Each loaded plan has a "Default Layer" on which objects can be added. The layers allow for dividing by "coats" the desired measured objects. Six functions let the user add a layer, delete a layer, rename a layer and three more are for saving and opening a predefined list of layers. Please note that objects of a same group cannot be divided on separate layers on the same plan. The layers are a way to classify the objects in the report.

The Groups panel.

The Groups panel is located on the right-hand side of the canvas. It displays all object groups present on the canvas in a tree view according to their position in each layer of the plan. For each object group, the panel displays the associated tool, the output result, its colour and its visibility on the canvas.

For each object group, in the Groups panel, the user can :

Rename a group by double-clicking on its name
Make a group visible or invisible by clicking on its check-box

At the top of the Groups panel, we find five (5) tools allowing to :

Locate the first object occurrence of the group on the canvas
Zoom on the first object occurrence of a group on the canvas
Locate and zoom on all objects of a group on the canvas
Delete all objects of a group on the canvas
Rename the group

The "Estimating" panel.

This panel allows the user to enter prices for each measured object. If one or many extensions are associated with the measured object, the items generated by the extensions will also be represented in this grid. The price information entered in the grid will be reflected in the "Estimating" report in the "Report" tab.

The Recent plans panel.

Once a plan has been loaded for editinf in the Plans tab, it becomes available in the Recent plans panel. Hovering on a plan name with the mouse will display its miniature. The user can switch form a plan page to another without going back to the Plans tab. For the frequently used plan pages, click on the pin to attach the plan at the top of the list.

The Status bar.

The status bar informs the user of the status of the project. It also contains three (3) tools :

The Orthogonal mode which can be switched On or Off.
An image quality adjustment slider (High and Low) which lets the user optimize the speed according to the computer performance.
An quick image Zoom adjustment in an array of 10% to 300% zoom factor.

The Home tab Ribbon.

The Edit functions : The measuring entries on the canvas are objects which are classified in object groups. The user can use the well known Windows functions to manipulate the objects such as : Copy, cut, paste, undo and redo.

The Scale button allows for a scale ratio adjustment in three ways : In Metric format, in Imperial (US) format or by manually adjusting the scale with a reference measurement on a plan page. The small black arrow next (or under) to the button lets the user switch the measuring system (Metric and Imperial) and to modulate the accuracy (decimals) of the measure outputs.

The measuring Tools. Active Takeoff offers seven (7) tools to create and manipulate output results.

The Cursor. Use the cursor to select one or many objects on the canvas. Once the object or collection of objects selected, a contextual menu is available by right-clicking the mouse.
The Pan control. Use the pan control to move the visible plan area on the canvas. Once the pan tool is selected, a hand appears on the canvas. Move the visible part of the plan with a drag and drop movement of the mouse.
The Area tool. Use the area tool to draw and measure a polygonal shape on the plan. Measure by left-clicking the mouse on all the points (usually the corners) on the perimeter of an area to be measured. To release the drawing of a shape, when completed, right-click the mouse (usually on the last point, before the origin point).
The Perimeter tool. Use the perimeter tool to create a continuous linear measure. Measure by left-clicking the mouse on all the points (usually the corners) on the perimeter to be measured. To end a line and release the continuity, right-click the mouse.
The Counter. Use the counter tool to keep count of item that have to be measured in units.
The Length tool. Use the length tool to measure individual linear segments. Unlike the perimeter tool, the measure is made of non-continuous individual segments. Left-click the mouse at the beginning of a segment and left-click again at the end of the segment to be measured.
The Angle tool. Use the mouse to measure an angle on the plan. The angle is generated with three (3) left-clicks. Angle results can be displayed in degrees (x°) or in slope factor (x/12).

The Annotation functions

This panel contains 2 buttons

The "Mark a Zone" button draws a highlighted rectangular area on the plan. The marking of the area is performed with the mouse by stretching the area from a corner to the other while holding down the left button of the mouse.

The "Insert a Note" button publishes useful notes directly on the canvas.

The Zoom Functions

This panel contains 5 buttons

The "Zoom to Selection" button selects an area on the canvas to be zoomed in optimally. The selection of the area is performed with the mouse by stretching the area from a corner to the other while holding down the left button of the mouse.
The "Zoom to Window" button displays the totality of the plan in the canvas to get a full overview of the plan.
The "Normal Size" button automatically zooms to a 100% zoom factor with a simple click. The user can also choose to zoom at 75%, 50% and 25% by clicking on the black arrow next to (or under) the button.
The "Zoom In" button increases the zoom factor in an incremental way. The same effect can be obtained by rolling the mouse wheel upwards. The zoom factor can also be modified by sliding the needle in the Zoom portion of the Status bar, at the bottom of the interface.
The "Zoom Out" button decreases the zoom factor in an incremental way. The same effect can be obtained by rolling the mouse wheel downwards. The zoom factor can also be modified by sliding the needle in the Zoom portion of the Status bar, at the bottom of the interface.

The "Browse" functions

This panel contains 2 buttons

The "Through Selected Group" button navigates through all the occurrences of items of a group present on the canvas. The button displays each of the group item optimally centered and zoomed with each click.

The "Through Selected Type" button navigates through all the occurrences of items of a type present on the canvas. The button displays each of the type item optimally centered and zoomed with each click.

Click here for more information about the Groups.

The "Adjustments" functions

This panel contains 2 buttons

The "Brightness / Contrast" button adjusts the visual quality of a plan by modulating the brightness and contrast rates of an image on the canvas.

The "Flip / Rotate" button manipulates the image by rotating it by 90 degree increments, clockwise or counter-clockwise. Mirror images can also be obtained with the horizontal and vertical mirror functions.

The "Print" and "Export to PDF" buttons.

Sends the visual contents of the canvas to the printer of your choice (paper or PDF).