Help

Digitize a Pixel-Based Line Using Digital Takeoff

Modified: 7 Jun 2026 Viewpoint Estimating Estimating Help
  1. Open a job in the Manage Earthwork Estimates screen.
    Note: To open a job in the Manage Earthwork Estimates screen, click Estimating > Earthwork > Manage Earthwork Estimates in the All Tasks pane. Click Open Existing Job. Then select the job you want to open, and click OK.
  2. Select the Takeoff tab, if it is not already active.
  3. In the Active Layer field on the toolbar, click to select the layer for which you want to digitize a line.
  4. In the Elevation field on the toolbar, enter the elevation of the line you are about to digitize.
  5. In the Interval field on the toolbar, enter the number of feet or meters by which to increase or decrease the elevation for each subsequent line you digitize or click in the Elevation field.
  6. Do one following to digitize the line segment:
    • To digitize a segment of the line by clicking points on the line, click Point on the speedbar and click on the first point you want to digitize. Then click on the next point of the line.
    • To digitize a segment of the line by tracing the line, click Trace on the speedbar and click on the first point of the line, hold the left mouse button, and trace the line with the mouse.
      Tip: You can digitize a straight segment with the Trace tool by clicking on the first point you want to digitize and then clicking on the next point on the line.
  7. Do one following to set the slope of the segment:
    • If the line is not sloped, or the segment is part of a larger sloped line, do nothing.
    • If you want the line to be sloped from the last hard point, enter the next elevation in the Elevation field on the toolbar and click on the end point of the sloped segment.
      Note: You can enter elevations from the keyboard or menu pad without clicking in the Elevation field. Just enter the new elevation and the application automatically updates the Elevation field.
    • If the current segment is not sloped, but you want the next segment to be sloped, click Hard Pt on the speedbar.
  8. If needed, you can undo part or all of the line by pressing the clicking on the last correct point on the line.
  9. Repeat steps 6 - 8 until you are satisfied with the digitized line.
  10. Click Finished on the speedbar.
Submit
Previous
Next