---
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: 2026-10-05T08:14:54Z
published: 2026-10-05T08:14:54Z
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'll learn how to operate the Energy system designer's interactive 3D map (pan, rotate, zoom) and its toolbars: the left toolbar for drawing ground segments, C&I rooftop objects, restricted areas/lines, and shading polygons/lines; the right toolbar for map layers, zoom, and projection; the date/time sliders for shadow visualization; and the File, Edit, View, System, and Settings menus. Also covers general drawing mechanics (placing, moving, deleting points, finishing shapes) and the move tool for repositioning transformers, grid connections, and restricted areas.

## 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 Commercial & Industrial (C&I) rooftop objects for rooftop arrays, and defining [restricted areas](/v1/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#restricted-areas-restricted-lines-and-line-objects) or lines.

It also allows you to move around [transformers](/v1/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#transformer-and-grid-connection-move-tool), [grid connections](/v1/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects#transformer-and-grid-connection-move-tool), or restricted areas, 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), C&I rooftop objects, [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. The move tool is also present in this panel.
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 **Edit** menu to undo/redo previous steps, **View** menu with options to display terrain wireframe, highlight collision with terrain, show/hide time/date sliders, show sun path plot, or hide sun ray pointing to the reference point, the **System** menu providing access to the [validation](/v1/docs/energy-system-validation) tool, cable sizing table, and the [bill of materials](/v1/docs/bill-of-materials), and **Settings** to toggle on/off auto-update of the design.
5. **View selector:** switch between the **3D view** and the [Electric layout](/v1/docs/electric-layout-view), a schematic single-line diagram of the plant's electrical hierarchy.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-C87GUZO9.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-16T21%3A24%3A05Z&se=2026-10-16T22%3A24%3A05Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=M5Tp0rB7PGpL%2BWqlP%2FbxHBOn5JMeRvPbRp%2FNfLZMeak%3D)

## 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 and C&I rooftop objects** create designated shape and size areas for the PV array installation. Ground segment is dedicated to ground arrays, and C&I rooftop object creates a virtual building object to place arrays on its roof (rooftop systems).
- **Restricted line** and **restricted area** provide tools to insert regions that should be avoided, such as swamps, fences, trees, or rock formations.
- **Shading polygon** and **shading lines** are at your disposal to create objects or lines representing buildings or fences that cast shadows to simulate the environment more accurately.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-7HGQIL2O.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-16T21%3A24%3A05Z&se=2026-10-16T22%3A24%3A05Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=M5Tp0rB7PGpL%2BWqlP%2FbxHBOn5JMeRvPbRp%2FNfLZMeak%3D)

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

### Using the drawing tools

Here are general tips on how to use the drawing tools. These apply to segments, restricted areas, restricted lines, shading polygons, and shading lines.

| When drawing | To finish the shape |
| --- | --- |
| - Start drawing by selecting any drawing tool. - Place an anchor point on the shape’s circumference with a mouse click. - Move existing points by drag and drop. - Delete existing points by right-clicking - Insert a point between two existing points by clicking/dragging the smaller point between them. - Add precise points using the GPS coordinates in the segment edit tab. | - 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 maps drawing tools, you can start drawing your [segments and restricted areas](/v1/docs/drawing-segments-restricted-areas-and-shading-objects).

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-L07LD74O.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-16T21%3A24%3A05Z&se=2026-10-16T22%3A24%3A05Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=M5Tp0rB7PGpL%2BWqlP%2FbxHBOn5JMeRvPbRp%2FNfLZMeak%3D)

## The move tool

The 3D map lets you move around **restricted areas** and **lines**, **transformers,** and **grid connections**. Select the element you wish to move on the map or in the main navigation menu and:

1. **Click the move tool** on the 3D map.
2. **Drag and drop the element** to the desired location and press Enter to confirm the new position.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-TXX1GTZ1.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-16T21%3A24%3A05Z&se=2026-10-16T22%3A24%3A05Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=M5Tp0rB7PGpL%2BWqlP%2FbxHBOn5JMeRvPbRp%2FNfLZMeak%3D)

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

## The Duplicate tool

The duplicate tool allows you to copy a segment and its array comes with it, with the same properties, ready to use, without the need to configure it again. To duplicate a segment, move to the toolbar within the 3D map and:

1. Select the **segment** to be duplicated.
2. Click the **duplicate tool** on the 3D map tool menu.
3. Drag and release the **new duplicated** segment to the desired location.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-SPAYQZBV.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-16T21%3A24%3A05Z&se=2026-10-16T22%3A24%3A05Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=M5Tp0rB7PGpL%2BWqlP%2FbxHBOn5JMeRvPbRp%2FNfLZMeak%3D)

## 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-BDQ6XG6T.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-16T21%3A24%3A05Z&se=2026-10-16T22%3A24%3A05Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=M5Tp0rB7PGpL%2BWqlP%2FbxHBOn5JMeRvPbRp%2FNfLZMeak%3D)

> **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.