kirra-docs

KAD Toolbar

The KAD (Kirra App Drawing) toolbar groups the controls for drawing vector entities — points, lines, polygons, text labels, and circles — and for setting their default drawing properties. It is one of the floating toolbars on the right side of the Kirra workspace.

KAD entities are Kirra’s vector drawing layer: design boundaries, annotations, blast outlines, and input to surface operations like extrude and boolean.

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Toolbar Overview

The KAD toolbar with all controls labelled.

The KAD toolbar contains the following controls:

Control	Type	Purpose
Drawing Level (m)	Input	Z elevation (RL) used when placing new KAD entities
Drawing Colour	Picker	Colour applied to new KAD entities
Drawing Width or Size	Input	Line width or point/text size for new entities
Draw Points	Tool	Place point entities by clicking
Draw a Line (polyline)	Tool	Draw an open polyline
Draw Polygon	Tool	Draw a closed polygon
Draw Text (formulas as well)	Tool	Place a text label; supports fx: formulas
Draw Circle	Tool	Place a circle entity at the click point
Circle Radius	Input	Radius (m) for the next circle drawn

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Drawing Level (m)

The Z elevation (reduced level) assigned to new KAD entities. The screenshot shows 532. All vertices placed by the drawing tools take this Z unless overridden by snap-to-surface or 3D pick.

How to use

• Click the Drawing Level input
• Enter the elevation in metres
• New entities are placed at this Z until you change it

Note: Existing entities are not affected when you change the Drawing Level. Only newly placed vertices use the new value.

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Drawing Colour

The colour applied to new KAD entities. The picker swatch shows the current colour.

How to use

1. Click the colour swatch
2. Pick a colour
3. New points, lines, polygons, text, and circles use this colour until changed

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Drawing Width or Size

A single field that controls the line width for lines and polygons, and the size for points and text. The screenshot shows 1.

How to use

• Click the field and enter a numeric value
• For lines / polygons: width in pixels [VERIFY: pixel vs metre units]
• For points / text: relative size [VERIFY: exact unit/range]

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Draw Points

Places individual point entities at click positions.

How to use

1. Click the Draw Points button on the KAD toolbar
2. Click on the canvas to place a point
3. Each click creates a new point entity at the current Drawing Level
4. Press Escape or change tool to finish

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Draw a Line (polyline)

Draws an open polyline — a chain of connected vertices.

How to use

1. Click the Draw a Line (polyline) button on the KAD toolbar
2. Click to place vertices in sequence
3. Press Backspace (or Delete) to undo the last vertex
4. Press Escape (or double-click) to finish the line

Notes

• Lines are open — they do not close back to the first vertex
• Use Draw Polygon if you need a closed boundary
• Existing lines can be joined with the Join KAD Lines tool in the Modify toolbar

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Draw Polygon

Draws a closed polygon — like a line, but the last vertex connects back to the first.

How to use

1. Click the Draw Polygon button on the KAD toolbar
2. Click to place vertices
3. Press Backspace (or Delete) to undo the last vertex
4. Press Escape (or double-click) to close the polygon

Notes

• Polygons are auto-closed — you do not need to click on the first vertex
• Polygons feed Extrude, KAD Boolean, and Radii operations

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Draw Text (formulas as well)

Places a text label at a click point. Text accepts plain strings and fx: formulas evaluated against hole / pattern data.

How to use

1. Click the Draw Text (formulas as well) button on the KAD toolbar
2. Click on the canvas to place the text anchor
3. Enter the text in the input that appears
4. Press Enter to commit

Formulas

Text starting with fx: is evaluated as a formula. Example:

Formula	Result
fx: holeName	The hole’s name
fx: holeDiameter	The hole diameter
fx: sdobStem()	Stemming length from Scaled Depth of Burial
fx: ppvKG()	Maximum Instantaneous Charge

See the Charge Code formula reference [VERIFY: link target — page may live in Charging or KAD] for the full list of variables and helper functions.

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Draw Circle

Places a circle entity centred on the click point, with radius set by the Circle Radius input.

How to use

1. Set the radius in Circle Radius (see below)
2. Click the Draw Circle button on the KAD toolbar
3. Click on the canvas to place the circle centre
4. Each click creates a new circle at the current radius

Notes

• Circles are first-class KAD entities — they survive save/load and export to DXF
• For circular polygons around holes (with control over vertex count and starburst), use Radii in the Modify toolbar instead

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Circle Radius

The radius (in metres) used by the next circle drawn. The screenshot shows 10.0.

How to use

• Click the Circle Radius input
• Enter the radius in metres
• The next click of Draw Circle uses this radius

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Related topics

• Drawing Points, Lines, and Polygons — extended drawing guide with snapping and editing
• Modify Toolbar — transform, offset, radii, boolean, join, split
• Extrude, Boolean, and Section Plane — 3D operations on KAD entities
• Select Toolbar — selection modes (H / K / V) for KAD
• Interface Tour — workspace overview