Documentation | Help File | UI | 2D Mode | Menu | Shape | Clipboard buffer

Clicking on the Shape/Clipboard buffer menu item creates a buffer around the selected shapes and stores it in the temporary clipboard layer. A buffer is defined as a total area within a specified distance from a shape or a group of shapes on which it is created. A buffer is represented by a shape of the polygon type.

To create a buffer around a shape or a group of shapes

1. Activate (highlight) the layer containing the shapes of interest. Do this by clicking on its name in the Legend.
2. Use any of the following selection methods to select the shapes: Localize, Select by Point, Select by Line, Select by Polygon, Select by Circle, Select by Rectangle, Select by Line Free, Select by Clipboard, Select by Query, Select All.
3. Use the Copy or Copy Special feature to put the shapes into the temporary clipboard layer.
4. Click on the Shape/Clipboard buffer menu item.
5. Insert the size of the buffer. The units are in accordance with the Scale Units.
6. To change the units, use Scale UnitsScale Units

• To save a polygonal buffer stored in the temporary clipboard layer into a vector layer file, use the Save Clipboard feature.

• The temporary clipboard layer is a virtual object (stored in memory) automatically created by the Clipboard buffer feature and is not file type specific.

Clipboard buffer dialog box