Area Tool

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  Tabs Guide > Comment Tab > Measuring Tools >

Area Tool


 

editor.icon Area Tool

 


 

Click Area Tool to measure custom document areas:

 

area.tool.location.ribbon

Figure 1. Comment Tab, Area Tool

 

When the Area Tool is selected the pointer becomes a crosshairs icon. Click to start an area measurement. A red line will appear and the Area Tool information box will be displayed in the lower right corner of the active window. This box will update as the tool is used. Drag the crosshairs to the location to which the first measurement is to be made, then click again to set the first line of the area measurement. Repeat the process until the area is complete and then double-click to define the final point:

 

area.tool.example.ribbon

Figure 2. Area Tool Example

 

The Area Tool calculates and displays areas measured according to the active scale, which can be determined in the Format tab, as detailed below.

Click and drag the area annotation to reposition it. The circle at the center can also be used for this purpose.

Click and drag the outer control points to resize the area annotation.

Click and drag the inner control points to reshape the area annotation.

Click and drag the green control point at the top to rotate the area annotation. Hold down Shift to rotate at increments of fifteen degrees.

Use the arrow keys to reposition area annotations. Hold down Shift to move at an increased increment.

Use the editing aids detailed here to assist in the precise placement of area annotations.

Hold down Shift to create area annotations at increments of fifteen degrees.

Right-click area annotations for further options. See here for an explanation of these options.

Press Ctrl+' to open the Properties pane for selected area annotations and view/edit properties:

 

area.tool.properties.pane

Figure 3. Area Tool, Area Properties Pane

 

Subject is the name of the area annotation, as referenced in the Comments pane.

Author is the name of the user that created the area annotation.

Name is the unique name of the area annotation, as referenced within the application.

Created is the date and time at which the area annotation was created.

Modified is the date and time at which the area annotation was last modified.

Read Only is the read only status of the area annotation. If this property is enabled then users cannot interact with the annotation. Please note that it is necessary to use JavaScript to change the value of this property.

Printable is the print status of the area annotation. If this property is enabled then the annotation is printed with the document. If this property is not enabled then the annotation is not printed.

Locked is the locked status of the area annotation. If this property is enabled then the annotation cannot be deleted and its properties (including its position and size) cannot be modified by users.

Layer specifies the optional content layer to which the area annotation belongs. Further information about layers is available here.

Fill Color determines the color of the line ending style used at the start of the area annotation. The line ending property is detailed below.

Stroke Color determines the color of the area annotation.

Border Style determines the style of the area annotation.

Border Width determines the width of the area annotation.

Opacity determines the level of transparency in the area annotation.

Blend Mode determines how area annotations blend with overlapping content. These options are explained here.

Rotation determines the degrees of rotation of the area annotation.

Scale determines the scale used for the area annotation. Further information about scales is available here.

Precision determines the precision with which scale conversions are displayed.

Decimal determines the symbol used as the decimal separator.

Group determines the symbol used as the group separator.

 

Note that when the Area Tool is enabled, the Format tab is available and can be used to customize the default properties of area annotations:

 

area.tool.format

Figure 4. Format Tab, Area Tool

 

Click Keep Selected to keep the Area Tool selected and create multiple area annotations consecutively. If this option is disabled then PDF-XChange Editor will revert to the designated default tool after the creation of one annotation.

Click Exclusive Mode to give the Area Tool priority over all other document content. When Exclusive Mode is enabled, the pointer ignores all interactive elements of documents other than base content. This makes it possible to create lines on areas that overlap with other content without the risk of accidentally selecting undesired items. When Exclusive Mode is disabled, the pointer recognizes and interacts with all content as normal.

Click Properties to view/edit the Area Tool properties, as detailed above.

Click Export to CSV to export a summary of document comments to a comma-separated-values document. Note that when documents that contain area annotations are exported to comma-separated-values, the output document will contain an "Alt. Value" column for area annotations. This value details the perimeter of area annotations.

Click Edit Label to create/edit the text label of the area annotation, or click Delete Label to delete the label. Note that labels are displayed when the pointer is hovered over the annotation.

When area annotations are selected, the Style Tools dropdown menu is available in the Format tab. It contains the following options:

Click Copy Comment Style to copy the style properties of area annotations.

Click Apply Copied Comment Style to apply a copied area annotation style to selected annotations.

Click Apply Copied Comment Appearance to apply a copied area annotation style to selected annotations.

Click Make Current Properties Default to set the properties of the area annotation as the default properties for subsequent annotations.

Click Apply Default Properties to apply the default area annotation properties to selected area annotations.

When area annotations are selected, the Pop-up group is available in the Format tab and can be used to interact with the pop-up note of the annotation:

Click Open to open the pop-up note.

Click Hide to hide the pop-up note.

Click Reset Location to reset the location of the pop-up note.

When area annotations are selected, the Arrange tab is also available and can be used to manipulate comments as detailed here.

 

Note that the Comment Styles Palette can be used to edit and save customized area annotation styles for subsequent use, and the Commenting preferences can be used to view/edit preferences for all comments.