User Guide #

Drawblueprint is a simple drawing tool that lets you create drawings directly in your web browser. Drawblueprint is online-based, you don't need to download any program to your computer, but instead create all drawings directly in the browser. This also means that all your data is stored on our servers, so you don't need to worry about file management. All changes are also saved automatically.

Drawblueprint takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the documents you create with our tool. We do not issue any guarantee that the drawings will be approved in any process. Our tool is simply a drawing tool. We think it's useful, and hope you will too.

Drawblueprint works on PC and Mac. If you use a smartphone or tablet, the tool will not work as intended. You can create an account, but need to log in on your computer to use the actual drawing tool.

Create an account #

To gain access to Drawblueprint, go to https://app.drawblueprint.com/sign-up and follow the instructions.

Log in #

If you have an account at drawblueprint.com, log in by going to https://app.drawblueprint.com/sign-in and following the instructions.

Enter the email address you used to register the account and press "Send login link".

An email will then be sent to the provided email address. Go to your email inbox and press the link in the message to log in.

If you can't find the email, it may have been sorted as spam. Check your spam folder in your email.

Create a new drawing #

To create a new drawing, press the + New drawing button, at the top of the blue box.

A form will then appear where you enter the drawing's name, scale, and format.

Name #

The name you want to give the drawing.

Drawing type #

Choose whether you want guidance to complete a specific type of drawing.

Drawing scale #

The scale indicates the ratio between the drawing and reality. Common scales are 1:100, 1:400, and 1:500.

At a scale of 1:500, a 1 cm long line on the drawing corresponds to 500 cm in reality. At a scale of 1:100, the same 1 cm line corresponds to 100 cm in reality.

Which scale you should choose depends on what type of document you want to create, and what material you have to work from. Floor plans are often at a scale of 1:100, site plans at a scale of 1:500, and facades and sections at a scale of 1:100. It is common for different construction documents in the same case to have different scales. If you are unsure what to choose, it's a good idea to contact your municipality.

If you are using a base map/reference; check what scale it has, and choose the same. If the base map and drawing have different scales, the drawing will become incorrect. The base map's scale is indicated as "1:100" somewhere on the base map.

Drawing format #

Here you specify the drawing's format. That is, whether it is format "A4", like a regular sheet of paper, or "A3", twice as large as A4. In Drawblueprint you draw directly on a drawing with a specific format. This differs from many CAD programs, where the model is scaleless, and format is set upon export.

If you import drawing material or a map as a base, it needs to be in the same format as the drawing, so that scale and format are not distorted. If you, for example, choose landscape A3 here, then material you later import must also be in landscape A3 format.

Overview of the drawing tool #

The drawing #

The white box represents the drawing. Like a digital sheet of paper. What you draw on the drawing will be included in the export. What you draw outside of it will not be included in the export.

The interface #

Button	Function
My drawings	Press here to go back to the overview of all your drawings.
Settings	Set the drawing's scale. Import map base material. Specify whether the north arrow and drawing header should be shown on the drawing.
Zoom control	Use the buttons here to zoom in and out.
Toolbar	Here you choose among the various tools for panning, drawing rectangles, writing text, and drawing lines.
Undo	Press to undo the last action or step forward again.
Checklist	Step-by-step guide for completing the drawing type you have chosen.
Quick guide	Quick guide and link to the user guide.
Export button	Press here to export your drawing and download it as a PDF.

Drawing with the drawing tool #

Navigate around the drawing tool #

To navigate in the drawing, select the hand tool in the toolbar. Then press and hold down the mouse pointer, and drag the mouse around to navigate around.

Or hold down spacebar while the pointer tool is selected to navigate around the drawing.

Zoom in the drawing #

• Drag the zoom slider to zoom in and out of the drawing.
• Press the current zoom value in the bottom right corner, and select a zoom level.
• Hold down ctrl on Windows or cmd on Mac, and scroll with the scroll wheel to zoom.
• Pinch with your fingers on a touchpad to zoom in and out.

Writing text #

To write text, use the text tool in the tool panel. Select the text tool and then drag a box on the screen with the left mouse button held down.

Draw a line #

Use the line tool in the tool panel to draw a line on the drawing.

To draw a line, select the line tool and press to place the first point. Continue pressing to place additional points between which the line is drawn. Press Escape to finish the line.

By holding down the Shift key while drawing, the line locks to angles at 15° intervals or gets assistance placing the next point.

Curved lines #

A line with one or more corners, that is, three or more points, can be curved. This is useful for, for example, drawing a curved driveway, or an arch in a facade drawing.

To curve a line, select the line and move the mouse pointer over the corner you want to round off. A blue handle will then appear at the corner. Press, hold, and drag the handle inward, away from the corner, to round it off. A helper line shows how far the corner can be rounded.

While dragging, the radius in meters is shown next to the handle, so you can see how large the rounding will be in reality.

To make the corner sharp again, drag the handle all the way back to the corner.

Draw a rectangle #

Use the rectangle tool in the tool panel to place a rectangle. You can change the height and width of the rectangle after placing it, as well as rotate it.

To draw a rectangle, select the rectangle tool and press to place the rectangle.

Draw a dimensioned line #

Dimension lines work just like regular lines, but have their length printed on the map. Dimension lines are useful for measuring on the drawing, and for marking out measurements.

After placing the dimension line, you can press the dimension numbers to make them switch sides. This is useful if the measurements are obscuring something or end up upside down. You can also press, hold, and drag the dimension numbers with the mouse to place them where you want.

Draw a triangle #

Use the triangle tool in the tool panel. Press + add and select the triangle to place a triangle. You can change the height and width of the triangle after placing it, as well as rotate it. To change the triangle's angles, you can modify its "apex position". Drag the handle at the top of the triangle, or enter a value in the apex position field. Entering 50% places the apex in the middle and the triangle becomes isosceles. By entering 0% or 100%, the triangle's apex ends up directly above one of the other points; the triangle then becomes a right triangle with a 90° corner.

Draw a trapezoid #

Use the trapezoid tool in the tool panel. Press + add and select the trapezoid to place a trapezoid. You can change the height and width of the trapezoid after placing it, as well as rotate it. You can also specify the trapezoid's lower and upper height separately.

Show measurements on rectangles, lines, and other shapes #

You can automatically show measurements for a rectangle, line, or other shapes. Press the element you want to show measurements for, and then press the ruler icon that appears in the object panel. You can press, hold, and drag the measurements to move them.

Adding text #

Add text by selecting the text tool. Texts are moved and rotated just like other elements. Double-click the text to edit it. You can also select the text and then press enter.

Adding symbols #

You can place symbols on your drawing. Press add in the tool panel and then select which symbol you want to place. Press with the mouse to place the symbol on the map.

Change the size and shape of a symbol by selecting it and dragging the blue handles, or by entering measurements.

Undo #

• Use ctrl + z (or cmd + z on Mac) to undo and step backward. You can also press the undo arrow at the top left.
• Use ctrl + shift + z (or cmd + shift + z on Mac) to step forward again. You can also press the step forward arrow at the top left.

Manipulate objects #

What	How
Select	Press an object, for example a line or a rectangle, to select it. When an object is selected, the blue handles appear at the object's ends and the object panel appears below the object.
Move	Hold down the mouse pointer on the object and drag with the mouse to move.
Resize	Press and drag the object's blue handles to change the shape and size of the object. To enter exact measurements, select the numbers in the object panel.
Rotate	Press and hold down the rotation handle to rotate an object. You can also enter a degree value in numbers in the object panel.
Show measurements	Press the measurement button to show the measurements on the selected object. You can then choose whether to show measurements, as well as text size for the measurements.

The object panel #

The object panel appears next to an object when you select it and lets you manipulate it. Which actions are available depends on which object is selected.

What	How
Arrow end	Press the button to give your selected line an arrow at the end.
Set width, height, and angle	Read the object's width, height, and angle. Enter new measurements by typing in the text fields and finishing with Enter.
Show measurements	Press the measurement button to show the measurements on the selected object. You can then choose whether to show measurements, as well as text size for the measurements.
Fill	Choose between no fill, white fill, or a range of patterns.
Line settings	Choose line thickness. Choose line style (solid line, dotted, dash-dotted, double, and dashed line.) Choose line color (including transparent).
Set text size	Choose between small (S), medium (M), and large (L) text.
Change the object's order	Press the layer icon, and choose how you want to change the order.
Copy the object	You can also press ctrl + d on Windows, or cmd + d on Mac
Delete the object	You can also press Backspace on the keyboard.

Import base material #

In Drawblueprint you can import map base material by uploading a file from your computer.

Press settings and map base material at the top left to import base material.

Then select browse and select the file from your computer. Supported formats are pdf, png, and jpeg.

Make sure the base material's scale and format match your drawing in Drawblueprint

For the import to be to scale, both scale and format need to match the drawing in Drawblueprint. If your drawing in Drawblueprint is set to a scale of 1:400, the material you import must also be at 1:400 for the import to be to scale. Otherwise the measurements will be distorted.

The document's format must also be the same as the drawing in Drawblueprint. If you have chosen A3 landscape in Drawblueprint, the import must also be in A3 landscape format. Drawblueprint supports A3 landscape as well as A3 portrait. Make sure your file import matches this.

Set the drawing's scale #

To set the drawing's scale, click the dropdown menu at the bottom of the box. You can choose between 1:100, 1:200, 1:250, 1:400, 1:500, 1:800, and 1:1000.

Choosing the right scale #

Choose the scale that is right for the drawing's purpose. Ask your municipality which scale is appropriate.

Format	Meaning	Common use case
1:1000	1cm on the drawing corresponds to 1000cm in reality	Overview maps and large areas
1:800	1cm on the drawing corresponds to 800cm in reality	Larger site plans
1:500	1cm on the drawing corresponds to 500cm in reality	Site plan
1:400	1cm on the drawing corresponds to 400cm in reality	Site plan
1:250	1cm on the drawing corresponds to 250cm in reality	Smaller site plans
1:200	1cm on the drawing corresponds to 200cm in reality	Floor plans and facade drawings
1:100	1cm on the drawing corresponds to 100cm in reality	Floor plans and facade drawings

Remember to set the drawing in Drawblueprint to the same scale as the base material you may want to import.

Drawing header #

The drawing header is the name of the information box found on all drawings. In Drawblueprint you'll find the drawing header in the bottom right corner.

To fill in information in the drawing header, click the field you want to write in, and then type directly in the box.

To hide the drawing header, press the blue text "Hide drawing header" below the box. To show the drawing header again, go to the settings menu and check Drawing header.

North arrow #

The north arrow indicates where north is on a drawing. It is often mandatory on site plans.

In Drawblueprint you'll find the north arrow in the bottom right corner. To set the north arrow in the right direction, use the mouse. Move the mouse over the line, grab the blue handle that then appears, and drag to rotate the arrow.

To hide the north arrow, move the mouse over the north arrow and select "Hide north arrow". To show the north arrow again, go to the settings menu and check North arrow.

Export drawing #

In Drawblueprint you can export your drawing to PDF and download it to your computer. To export the drawing, press the Export to PDF button at the top right. An export of your drawing will then be exported and the download will begin. It may take a few seconds while the drawing is exported before the download starts.