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🛠️ Tools Panel

The Tools Panel is a floating window in the Gruhanaksha QGIS plugin that provides quick access to a suite of specialized tools for land surveying, mapping, and data management. It serves as a central hub for activating various widgets and tools essential for cadastral and geometric operations.

🔧 Key Features​

  1. 📐 Plotter Tool

    • Launches the Combined Plotter Widget for advanced geometric plotting, including triangles and point calculations.

  2. 🔧 Adjuster Tool

    • Activates the Polygon/Line Adjuster for interactive geometry reshaping and side length adjustments.

  3. 🎯 Free Adjuster Tool

    • Enables the Freehand Adjuster for precise, unconstrained vertex-level editing of geometries.

  4. 💾 Backup Tool

    • Opens the Backup Plugin for automated project saving and comprehensive backup management.

  5. 📏 Aligner Tool

    • Activates a two-point transformation tool to move, rotate, and scale features.

  6. 📍 Point Input Tool

    • Opens a dialog to create point layers from manually entered coordinates or CSV files.

🚀 How to Use the Tools Panel​

🪟 Step 1: Launch the Tools Panel​

  1. Open QGIS with the Gruhanaksha plugin installed.
  2. From the QGIS menu, go to Plugins > Gruhanaksha > Tools.
  3. The Tools Panel window will appear as a floating widget titled "Tool Panel".

🖱️ Step 2: Access Individual Tools​

The panel contains a group box labeled "Tools" with buttons for each available tool:

  • Plotter: Click to open the Combined Plotter Widget.
  • Adjuster: Click to activate the Polygon/Line Adjuster tool.
  • Free Adjuster: Click to activate the Freehand Vertex Adjuster tool.
  • Backup: Click to open the Backup Plugin interface.
  • Aligner: Click to activate the two-point Aligner tool.
  • Point Input: Click to open the coordinate creation dialog.

Each button will launch its respective tool or widget. Some tools may require a project to be saved first.

📋 Tool Descriptions​

📐 Plotter​

Opens the Combined Main Widget, which includes tabs for:

  • Triangle plotting and calculations.
  • Point plotting along lines with offsets.
  • Geometric constructions for survey work.

Requirements: A QGIS project must be open and saved.

🔧 Adjuster​

Activates the Unified Geometry Edit Tool, allowing users to:

  • Select a polygon or line and one of its vertices.
  • Move the vertex by a specific distance or set a segment's length.
  • Perform precise, guided edits on vector layers.

Requirements: An editable line or polygon layer.

🎯 Free Adjuster​

Activates the Vertex Tool for freehand adjustments, enabling:

  • Precise, unconstrained drag-and-drop editing of individual vertices.
  • Length adjustment of connected sides via a dialog (Ctrl+click a vertex).
  • Detailed control over point positions with live length feedback.

Requirements: An editable line or polygon layer.

💾 Backup​

Launches the Backup Plugin, providing:

  • Automated project backups at set intervals.
  • Comprehensive save options for project files and associated layers.
  • Timer-based saving to prevent data loss.

Requirements: A QGIS project must be open and saved.

📏 Aligner​

Activates the Aligner tool, which allows you to:

  • Translate, rotate, and scale vector features.
  • Map two "source" vertices from your feature to two "target" points on the map.
  • Perform two-point georeferencing-style transformations.

Requirements: An editable Line or Polygon layer must be active.

📍 Point Input​

Opens the Enhanced Point Creator dialog, which allows you to:

  • Create a new point layer from manually entered coordinates (UTM, DD, DMS).
  • Import points from a CSV file and map coordinate fields.
  • Preview points before creation.

Requirements: A QGIS project must be open.

⚠️ Error Messages & Troubleshooting​

❗ Error Message💡 Cause✅ Solution
"Project not saved"Attempting to use tools without saving the project first.Save your QGIS project before accessing tools.
Tool fails to launchPlugin components not properly loaded.Restart QGIS or reinstall the plugin.
No response on button clickLayer or feature selection issues.Ensure an appropriate, editable layer is selected for the specific tool.

🌟 Best Practices​

  • ✔️ Always save your project before using tools to avoid data loss.
  • 📐 Select appropriate, editable layers and features before activating geometry-related tools.
  • 💾 Regularly use the Backup tool to protect your work.
  • 🔄 Close unnecessary tool windows to maintain QGIS performance.

📌 The Tools Panel streamlines access to essential surveying and mapping tools, enhancing productivity in QGIS-based land management projects. 🗺️🛠️