Design Tab

The Design tab comprises your most frequently-used tools, allowing you to quickly navigate the service area, select features on the map, place CUs, remove CUs, mark up the map, and more.

TIP: Most tools have a handy keyboard shortcut. Hover over the tool, and a shortcut reminder appears. For more, see Hotkeys.

IMPORTANT: A basemap is required for the application to be able to open a design. If you are connected to the internet, then it can stream a basemap. However, if you are planning on doing work while disconnected from the internet, then you must download a package prior to going offline. See Settings for more information about downloading packages.

By default, the tab is “locked” in a position where it is visible at all times. Double-click the tab to enable auto-hide, where the tab collapses while you interact with the map or other panes. To return to the locked position, double-click the tab again.

The tools on the Design tab share a few time-saving features:

Almost all of the tools “take over” your cursor. In other words, your cursor becomes the chosen tool. This is helpful when adding many of the same CUs to the design, as the CU persists with every click. To deactivate the chosen tool, click back on the Select tool or press Esc.
With any tool activated, you can still navigate the map.
- Click and drag to pan.
- Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.
For CU placement tools, the first time you click the tool, the CU Search automatically appears. The chosen CU remains active until you search for a different CU. In other words, if your design uses the same fitting CU ten times, you only need to search for it once, and the Place Fitting tool uses the same CU for each subsequent placement. If you need to change the CU, simply search again.

Tool		Use
Select		Click features to highlight them individually. Details about the selected feature appear in the Component Information pane. Select Behavior in Congested Map Areas
Select by Rectangle		Draw a rectangle around multiple items in the map to highlight them as a group.
Place Pipe		Click in the map to place new pipe. Each click adds a vertex, and a double-click finishes the sketch.
Place Generic Line Component		Click in the map to place a new generic line component. Each click adds a vertex, and a double-click finishes the sketch. A generic line component is a generic feature against which many different kinds of CUs can be assigned. It allows you to place line features that are not necessarily a part of your design, but can be helpful references for the crew. For example, you might want to sketch cathodic protection (CP) bond wires for reference.
Place Fitting		Click in the map to place a new fitting.
Place Valve		Click in the map to place a new valve.
Place Service Connection		Click in the map to place a service. Use the drop-down to confirm or change the meter setting and service pipe CUs before sketching.
Place Other Component		Click in the map to place a new gas component. A gas component is a generic feature against which many different kinds of CUs can be assigned. It allows you to place gas features not currently represented on the Design tab.
Place New Work Location		Click in the map to place a new Work Location, which is automatically numbered.
Measure Tool		Click in the map to perform linear measurements.
Discover Tool		Click to reveal previously-hidden components. Once revealed, click hidden components to make them visible again. Or, press and hold the Spacebar and hover over hidden components to reveal them en masse (this is called Brush Mode).
Place Cut Point		Click an existing pipe to place a cut point. In a typical scenario, you place one or multiple cut points to isolate a section of gas assets, then use the Abandon Features tool to abandon just that section.
Abandon Features		Click an existing feature to abandon it and any connected features underground. To isolate an area (so that the abandon function does not goes beyond your desired assets), first place cut points.
Map Note		Click in the map to place a text box. Text formatting options are provided within the same tool. Once placed, click the text box again to re-format, duplicate, or delete. Map Notes are visible both in the design and on the print. The look and feel of this tool is configurable at the company level, and your icon likely differs from this example image.
Remove Indicator		Click in the map to place a point graphic, which is helpful to add emphasis to parts of the design. Once placed, use the Select tool to move or delete. Graphics are visible both in the design and on the print. The look and feel of this tool is configurable at the company level, and your icon likely differs from this example image.
Line Indicator		Click in the map to sketch a line graphic, which is helpful to add emphasis to parts of the design. Each click adds a vertex, and a double-click finishes the sketch. Once placed, use the Select tool to move or delete. Graphics are visible both in the design and on the print. The look and feel of this tool is configurable at the company level, and your icon likely differs from this example image.
Dimension Line		Click in the map to sketch a line. The first click adds the begin vertex, and the second click adds the end vertex. Once placed, use the Select tool to reposition the vertices and change the length label. Dimension lines are visible both in the design and on the print.
Area Indicator		Click in the map to sketch a shape (polygon), which is helpful to add emphasis to parts of the design. Each click adds a vertex, and a double-click finishes the sketch. Once placed, use the Select tool to move or delete. Graphics are visible both in the design and on the map. The look and feel of this tool is configurable at the company level, and your icon likely differs from this example image.
Address Search		Type some address info you have, then press Enter. The map zooms to that location. This tool also accepts GPS coordinates.
Update Catalog		Click to get updated entries for CUs, groups, and equipment.
Work Area Auto-Generation /		Click this tool to toggle the auto-generation functionality on or off.
	Work Area Auto-Generation is Running	When toggled on, the application draws the Work Area for you in real time. The Work Area comprises buffers around all design components. The Work Area is drawn whether it is visible or hidden.
	Work Area Auto-Generation is Stopped	When toggled off, the application stops drawing the Work Areas as buffers around all design components. Typically, this would be toward the end of the design when you need to make small adjustments to the Work Area.
Work Area Visibility /		Click this tool to toggle the Work Area visibility on or off for your current design. This tool does not affect the visibility of other designers’ Work Areas, which are toggled on or off in the Maps Pane > Reference Maps (this ability to view other designers’ Work Areas is an optional configuration at your company). By default the Work Area is hidden.
	Work Area is Hidden	When toggled off, the Work Area for your current design is not visible on the screen. This is the default.
	Work Area is Visible	When toggled on, the Work Area for your current design is visible on the screen.
Edit Work Area Tools		Whether Work Areas are auto-generated or manually drawn, you can edit their shape using these tools.
	Add Work Area	In the map, click to sketch new Work Area shapes. Each click adds a vertex of the shape. Double-click or press Enter to finish.
	Remove Work Area	In the map, click to sketch a shape over an existing Work Area. The overlap between your sketch and the existing Work Area is removed, akin to a cookie cutter cutting out a section of the Work Area. Each click adds a vertex of the remove area. Double-click or press Enter to finish.
	Edit Work Area	Click this tool to reveal the vertices and edges that compose the existing Work Area. Then, with the same tool, click and drag the vertices or edge midpoints into desired positions to modify the boundary of the Work Area. Double-click or press Enter to finish. With the same tool, you can also click and drag the entire Work Area into a new position.