Drawing Tools
A complete reference for all geometry creation tools available in the BlastCAD canvas toolbar.
Table of contents
- Lines & Rays
- Curves & Arcs
- Rectangles & Polygons
- 3D Primitives
- Solid Operations
- Points & Point Clouds
- Annotation
- Drawing Tips
Lines & Rays
Line (LINE / L)
Draws a straight line segment between two clicked points. After placing the second point, the tool remains active for the next segment — BlastCAD chains line segments until you press Esc or Enter. Each segment is stored as an independent entity.
Inputs:
- First point: click in viewport or type
X,Y/X,Y,Z - Second point: click, type coordinates, or type a direct distance while Polar Tracking constrains the direction
Polyline (PLINE / PL)
Draws a multi-vertex connected path as a single entity. Unlike chained LINE segments, all vertices are stored together and can be edited, offset, or trimmed as one object.
Use polylines for:
- Drive boundaries and stope outlines
- Ring baselines
- Overbreak profiles
Press Enter or right-click to close/finish. Type C to close the polyline back to its first vertex.
X-Line (Infinite Line) (XLINE)
Creates an infinite construction line passing through two points. X-lines extend to infinity in both directions and are useful as reference axes or cutting edges for the Trim command. They do not export to DXF or STR as geometry.
Ray (RAY)
Similar to X-Line but extends to infinity in one direction only (from the first point through the second). Useful as reference guides.
Curves & Arcs
Circle (CIRCLE / C)
Creates a circle from a center point and radius.
Input methods:
- Click center, then click or type radius
- Type
2Pto define a circle by two diameter endpoints - Type
3Pto define a circle through three points
Arc (ARC / A)
Creates a circular arc. The default method is three-point (start, midpoint, end). Additional arc construction methods are available via the command terminal:
| Method | Command |
|---|---|
| Start, Center, End | ARC SCE |
| Start, Center, Angle | ARC SCA |
| Start, End, Radius | ARC SER |
| Three-point | ARC 3P (default) |
Spline (SPLINE / SPL)
Draws a NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline) curve through a series of control points. Splines are useful for approximating curved geology boundaries or smoothed drive profiles. Click points to place knots; press Enter to finalize.
Donut (DONUT / DO)
Creates an annular ring defined by inner and outer diameters. Donuts are closed polylines rendered as filled rings. Useful for symbolic hole markers in 2D plan views.
Rectangles & Polygons
Rectangle (RECTANG / REC)
Draws an axis-aligned rectangle by clicking two opposite corners. The result is stored as a closed polyline with four vertices.
Options available via Command Terminal:
@width,height— type exact dimensionsR— rotate the rectangle to an angleF— add a fillet radius to cornersC— chamfer corners
Polygon (POLYGON / POL)
Draws a regular polygon with 3 to 1024 sides, defined by a center and circumscribed/inscribed radius. Useful for bolt patterns and anchor arrays.
3D Primitives
3D primitives are useful for representing physical objects in the scene — support pillars, void shapes, stope envelopes. They do not directly participate in blast calculations but contribute to 3D visualization exports.
Box
Placed by clicking two corners of the base and typing a height. Stored as a solid box geometry with 6 faces.
Sphere
Placed by clicking a center and typing a radius. Stored as a triangulated sphere mesh.
Cylinder
Placed by clicking the base center, specifying a radius, and then a height. Can be oriented along any axis.
Cone
Defined by base center, base radius, and apex height. Useful for representing roof shapes or conical void geometries.
Torus
A donut-solid of revolution, defined by major radius (center-to-tube-center) and minor radius (tube cross-section). Useful for symbolic representation of ring blast patterns.
Solid Operations
Extrude (EXTRUDE)
Projects a closed 2D profile (polyline, circle, rectangle) along a vector to create a solid. Click the profile, then define the extrusion direction and distance.
Revolve (REVOLVE)
Rotates a 2D profile around an axis to create a solid of revolution. Define the axis by two points.
Loft
Creates a solid blended between two or more cross-section profiles. Select the profiles in sequence; BlastCAD computes the interpolated surface between them.
Points & Point Clouds
Point (POINT)
Places a single 3D point marker. Points are displayed as crosses in the viewport and are used as reference markers, survey peg positions, or anchor points for snap operations.
Point Cloud (Import-generated)
Point clouds are generated automatically when importing Datamine block model data. Each block centroid is rendered as a colored point based on grade, lithology, or other attributes. Point clouds are not directly drawable but can be manipulated through the DTM Block Browser.
Annotation
Text
Places a single-line text annotation in the viewport. Click a point, type the text content, and press Enter. Text height is set in the Canvas Toolbar settings.
Leader
Creates a leader line with an arrowhead and an attached text annotation. Click the arrowhead point, then the text insertion point, then type the annotation.
Dimension Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Linear Dimension | Measures and labels a horizontal or vertical distance |
| Aligned Dimension | Dimension line parallel to the measured edge |
| Angular Dimension | Labels the angle between two selected lines |
| Radius Dimension | Labels the radius of an arc or circle |
| Diameter Dimension | Labels the diameter of a circle |
Dimension text is computed automatically from the entity geometry and the active unit system (meters). All dimensions update if the associated geometry is moved or scaled.
Drawing Tips
- Precise placement: Use OSNAP to snap to endpoints, midpoints, centers, and intersections. Snapping ensures topologically clean geometry, which is critical for correct Trim/Extend operations.
- Layer organization: Before drawing, set the Active Layer in the Explorer Panel. All new entities are placed on the active layer.
- Color: The active drawing color is shown in the Canvas Toolbar. Change it before drawing to assign a specific color to the new entity (overrides the layer color).
- Large coordinate values: For mine-site coordinates (e.g., Northing 7,350,000), always set the Global Origin first in Project Settings. BlastCAD subtracts the origin from all coordinates to maintain floating-point precision in the 3D engine.