---
title: "Using the 3D map and drawing tools"
slug: "using-3d-map-and-drawing-tools"
description: "Learn to navigate the energy designer's interactive 3D map, create buildings, visualize shading, and optimize your energy system in real-time."
updated: 2025-07-24T08:14:50Z
published: 2025-07-24T08:14:50Z
canonical: "kb.solargis.com/using-3d-map-and-drawing-tools"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.solargis.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using the 3D map and drawing tools

**In this document**

You will learn how to work with the energy designer's interactive 3D map and its dedicated tools.

## The interactive 3D map

> **Tips**: Operate the map by:
> 
> - **left mouse button** (click & hold) to move the map around,
> - **right mouse button** (click & hold) to rotate and change the viewing angle,
> - **mouse wheel** to zoom in/out.

The energy system UI's core is an interactive 3D map**.** This map visualizes any changes in the configuration in real-time and lets you perform tasks such as creating [segments](/v1/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#segments), adding buildings, and defining [restricted areas](/v1/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#restricted-areas-restricted-lines-and-line-objects).

It also allows you to move around [transformers](/v1/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#transformer-and-grid-connection-move-tool)and [grid connections](/v1/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#transformer-and-grid-connection-move-tool), view the sun’s path in different seasons, and see the surrounding environment's related shading impact.

The map interface offers the following:

1. **Left toolbar:**Use the available tools to create [segments](https://kb.solargis.com/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#drawing-segments), [restricted areas](https://kb.solargis.com/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#restricted-area), and [line objects](https://kb.solargis.com/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#line-objects) or buildings.
2. **Right toolbar:**Use to change map layers (satellite by default), adjust zoom, or turn on parallel projection or top view.
3. **The date/time sliders:**Allow you to view shadows cast by the tables and the surrounding environment at different times and dates.
4. The **File menu**with import/export features or [add custom map layers](https://kb.solargis.com/docs/imports-and-kml-files#adding-custom-map-resources), the **View menu**with options to display terrain wireframe, hide time/date sliders, show sun path’s plot, or hide sun ray pointing to the reference point, and the **System menu** providing access to the [validation](/v1/docs/energy-system-validation)tool and the [bill of materials](/v1/docs/bill-of-materials).

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image(948).png)

## The drawing tools

> [!WARNING]
> **Important**: A segment vertical can not be placed further than **2000 meters** from the reference point.

The left toolbar offers the following drawing tools:

- **Ground segments**create designated shape and size areas for the PV array installation.
- **Building segments** help you place shading objects, such as buildings, on the map.
- The **line object, restricted line,**and **restricted area** provide tools to insert regions that should be avoided, such as swamps, fences, trees, or rock formations. The lineobject can also represent an object casting a shadow over the area that needs to be considered.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image(949).png)

> [!TIP]
> **Note**: You can find drawn segments under the **Segments section**of the navigation menu, and restricted areas, lines, and line objects are located within the **Site**secion under **Constraints.**

### Using the drawing tools

Here are general tips on how to use the drawing tools.

| When drawing | To finish the shape |
| --- | --- |
| - Start drawing by selecting any drawing tool. - Place an anchor point of the shape’s circumference with a mouse click. - Move confirmed points by drag and drop. - Delete confirmed points by right mouse click - Insert a point between two confirmed points by dragging the light circle. | - By confirming the last point by double-clicking. - By pressing Enter on your keyboard. - By pressing the**“Finish button”**in the UI. - By single-clicking on the starting point of the geometry. |

> [!NOTE]
> **Tip**: Press the **Esc**button to cancel the drawing at any time. For Windows users, hold **Shift**to draw perpendicular lines and **Ctrl**key to draw lines in cardinal directions.

Once you are familiar with the interactive 3D map, you can start drawing your [segments and restricted areas](/v1/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects).

## Transformer and grid connection move tool

The 3D map lets you move around **transformers**and **grid connections** to better reflect reality. Select the grid connection or transformer in the main menu and proceed as follows:

1. **Click the move tool** on the 3D map.
2. **Drag and drop the device** to the desired location and press enter.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image(741).png)

> [!TIP]
> **Note**: Your selected device will be placed at the selected location, and all related data will be recalculated.

## Time and date tools.

> **Tip**: If you do not want to see the time and date tools, you can hide it using the **View menu** at the top of the interactive map.

You can use the **date/time tools**to visualize the shading of the surrounding environment and the tables. This is very useful when you need to verify the surrounding environment, or that objects do not cast a significant shadow on the adjacent modules.

1. **Move**around the sliders.
2. Examine the **shading**at the selected time and date.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image(743).png)

> **Tip**: Playing around with shading can help you identify areas where too much shading can cause unwanted loss, and avoiding such regions would be more beneficial.