Mobile Sketch: Side Tabs, Zoom, Pan, and Selection
Learn the side tabs and the basic controls for navigating, zooming, selecting, and moving items on the Mobile Sketch canvas.
The side tabs provide features, calculations, report totals, help, and precision inputs. This guide also covers the selection tool used to pan around the canvas and move shapes.
Watch the tutorial
Watch this Mobile Sketch tutorial on YouTube
Before you begin
- Open a Mobile Sketch canvas and identify the tabs along the side of the workspace.
- Switch to the Selection tool before trying to pan the canvas or move an existing shape.
Workflow
1. Open features and labels
The top tab contains doors, fireplaces, staircases, labels, and other sketch features. Search the existing library or create a custom item when the standard choices do not describe the sketch clearly.
2. Review calculations
The Calculations tab shows the area of the selected closed shape. Select the intended shape before relying on the displayed area.
3. Review the sketch report
The Report tab summarizes the sketch in its current state. Use it to check shape counts and totals as the sketch develops.
4. Use help and precision controls
The Help tab provides interaction guidance. The Precision menu is the primary drawing workspace for entering exact lengths, directions, rise and run values, angles, and curves instead of drawing freehand.
5. Pan, zoom, and move shapes
With Selection active, drag the canvas to pan. Zoom with the on-screen controls or pinch-to-zoom. Select and drag a shape when it needs to be repositioned.
Field notes
- If dragging creates geometry instead of moving the canvas, confirm that Selection is active rather than Draw.
- Calculations depend on a closed, selected shape.
- Use precision inputs for report-supporting geometry where exact dimensions matter.
Final review
Before leaving the assignment, confirm that the geometry matches the field measurements, every closed area has the correct definition, labels and features are readable, and the calculations reflect the intended report treatment. Use manual sync and verify the updated sketch in the web application.