Documentation | Help File | UI | 2D Mode | Menu | Shape | Split shapes

Clicking on the Shape/Split Shapes menu item provides the means for splitting a shape along a user drawn line. Each shape which arises as a consequence of splitting is a separate shape (not a part of a multipart shape).

To split a shape or a group of shapes along a user drawn line

1. Activate (highlight) the layer containing the shapes to be split. Do this by clicking on its name in the Legend.
2. Click on the Shape/Split Shapes menu item - a Split Shapes panel will appear over the Selected panel.
3. 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.
4. Within the Split Shapes panel click on the Next » button - a splitting tool similar to the Line feature will be activated.
5. Within the Map area draw the line along which the selected shapes are to be split.
6. Within the Split Shapes, panel click on the Next » button.
7. Choose one of the following options: Blank Attributes - the shapes created as a consequence of splitting will have no values assigned to their attributes, Attributes from source - the shapes created as a consequence of splitting will have the same values of the attributes as the shape they were created from. Check the Replace source option if you would like to replace the shapes being split by those created by splitting.
8. [OPTIONAL] If you would like to keep the shapes being split and the shapes created by splitting leave this option unchecked.
9. When finished click again on the Next » button.

To split a shape or a group of shapes along lines stored in a linear vector layer

1. Create a new layer using the New feature and within it create the lines that will be used for splitting. The lines can be added using the following features: Line, Line 90°, Line free, Closed line, Closed line 90°, Rectangle [line] , Rectangle rotated [line], Circle [line], Circle 3point base [line]. Alternatively, an existing vector layer file can be opened but it must contain shapes of the line type only. To do it use the Add feature.
2. Activate (highlight) the layer containing the shapes to be split. Do this by clicking on its name in the Legend.
3. Click on the Shape/Split Shapes menu item - a Split Shapes panel will appear over the Selected panel.
4. Use any of the following selection methods to select the shape: 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.
5. Within the Split Shapes panel click on the Next » button and then on the Split by option.
6. Choose the name of the previously created or opened layer from the list beside the Split by option.
7. Within the Split Shapes panel click on the Next » button.
8. Choose one of the following options: Blank Attributes - the shapes created as a consequence of splitting will have no values assigned to their attributes, Attributes from source - the shapes created as a consequence of splitting will have the same values of the attributes as the shape they were created from. Check the Replace source option if you would like to replace the shapes being split by those created by splitting.
9. [OPTIONAL] If you would like to keep the shapes being split and the shapes created by splitting leave this option unchecked.
10. When finished click again on the Next » button.

Split shapes panel - three steps of the splitting procedure.