When you need to make sure your geometries are placed precisely, use snaps and ortho.
Snapping
Hold S to enable snaps.
With snaps enabled, the cursor "attaches" to different points based on your current snap settings (In More ... Tools).
With snaps enabled and the cursor attached to a snap point, click to place.
Snap to Points
When enabled, the cursor will snap to control points
Snap to Midpoints
When enabled, the cursor will snap to midpoints
Snap to Edges
When enabled, the cursor will snap to any location along edges
Snap to Intersections
When enabled, the cursor will snap to places where two edges intersect
Snap to Map
When enabled, the cursor will snap to corners & midpoints of base map & spatial layer elements.
Snap to Locked
When enabled, the cursor will snap to geometry on locked drawing layers.
Smart Snaps
While moving geometries, dynamic temporary snap lines appear for center to center or edge to edge alignments.
Snap Settings
Adjust snap settings in ... > Snap & Grid
With S for snaps enabled, all of the current snap settings will be applied.
Orthographic
Ortho snaps are a drafting classic. In Giraffe, orthographic directions are based on North-South and East-West. This could be True North, or Project North.
Hold shift to snap to orthographic angles.
Drawing at exact angles
90 degree (rectangles)
15 degree (polygons)
Moving at exact angles
Move entire geometries (90 degrees)
Move Control Points (15 degrees)
Rotating at Exact Increments (15 degree)
When rotating geometries or moving control points with ortho snaps enabled, a degree reading is displayed.













