Polygon Editing Tools

TytonAI includes a comprehensive suite of polygon editing tools to help users refine and manage spatial data efficiently. These tools are essential for building high-quality training datasets, correcting geometry issues, cleaning overlapping classifications, and ensuring ecological monitoring inputs are precise and effective. This guide covers polygon editing tool available in the system with detailed functionality, access instructions, examples, behaviors, and expert tips.

Polygon Cut Tool

Overview

The Polygon Cut Tool subtracts the area of any intersecting polygons from the currently selected polygon. This tool is used to eliminate overlaps or conflicts between polygons, ensuring clean, non-overlapping training data inputs for classification.

Access

Right-click on a polygon > Polygon Cut
Shortcut: Alt + C

How It Works

Select the polygon you want to subtract from
Ensure at least one intersecting polygon overlaps the selected shape
Run the Cut tool — only the selected polygon will be modified, subtracting the intersecting area

tip

Only the selected polygon is changed
Overlapping polygons remain intact
Ideal for cleaning up conflicts in training or study area polygons

Polygon Slice Tool

Overview

The Polygon Slice Tool splits the selected polygon wherever it intersects with other polygons. This creates one or more new segments of the original polygon, each with the same properties.

Access

Right-click polygon > Polygon Slice

Shortcut: Shift + C

How It Works

Select a polygon that overlaps other features.
Run the tool to divide it at intersections.
Resulting segments retain the classification and properties of the original polygon.

Tip

Works well after using Buffer or Translate to split touching shapes.
Use to refine training areas along feature boundaries.

Translate Tool

Overview

The Translate Tool moves a polygon by a defined distance and direction. It’s commonly used for adjusting misaligned shapes, testing spatial shifts, or separating overlapping features without altering geometry.

Access

Right-click > Transform > Translate

How It Works

Specify the distance to move the polygon.
Select a unit of measurement (e.g., mm, cm, m, km, ft, yd).
Enter a bearing in degrees:
0° = North, 90° = East, 180° = South, 270° = West.
Click Translate to apply.

Tip

Great for testing positional accuracy or preparing offset layers.
Does not affect classification or attributes.

Scale Tool

Overview

The Scale Tool enlarges or shrinks a polygon from its center using a numeric scaling factor. It’s especially useful for expanding buffer zones or narrowing the extent of training areas for more refined data input.

Access

Right-click > Transform > Scale

How It Works

Input a numeric factor (e.g., 1.5 scales to 150%).
Scaling is applied proportionally from the polygon's centroid.
Press Scale to apply the transformation.

Tip

Use values less than 1.0 to shrink the polygon.
Combine with the Simplify Tool to clean up geometry post-scaling.

Rotate Tool

Overview

The Rotate Tool allows you to rotate a polygon in 15-degree increments, either clockwise or counter-clockwise. It’s ideal for aligning polygons with landscape features, imagery orientation, or directional reference.

Access

Right-click > Transform > Rotate CW / Rotate CCW

How It Works

Select a polygon.
Use the context menu to apply 15° rotations.
Rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise based on alignment needs.

Tip

Combine with Translate for precise alignment.
Each action rotates the shape by exactly 15 degrees.

Smooth Tool

Overview

The Smooth Tool reduces jagged edges and pixelation in polygons by applying one or more smoothing iterations. It enhances visual quality and prepares polygons for presentation or further processing.

Access

Right-click > Modify > Smooth

How It Works

Input the number of smoothing iterations (e.g., 3).
Click Smooth to apply changes to the selected polygon.

Tip

Run multiple passes for progressively smoother curves.
Ideal for simplifying digitized shapes or improving training geometry aesthetics.

Simplify Tool

Overview

The Simplify Tool reduces the number of vertices in a polygon based on a specified tolerance. It streamlines geometry for better performance while maintaining the overall shape and accuracy.

Access

Right-click > Modify > Simplify

How It Works

Set a Tolerance value (e.g., 1)
Optionally enable High Quality mode
Click Simplify to apply the simplification process

Tip

Higher tolerance values result in greater simplification.
Use High Quality mode to better preserve curve integrity.
Ideal for cleaning up detailed or noisy shapes without losing form.

Buffer Tool

Overview

The Buffer Tool expands a polygon outward by a defined distance, creating a surrounding buffer zone. It is often used for defining areas of influence, refining training zones, or preparing data for post-processing.

Access

Right-click > Modify > Buffer

How It Works

Enter a radius value (e.g., 0.5)
Ensure the unit matches your map projection (e.g., meters, feet)
Click Buffer to apply the transformation

Tip

Use in combination with tools like Polygon Slice or Cut for complex workflows
Ideal for growing regions for risk analysis or coverage expansion
Radius must use the same units as the dataset’s coordinate system

Remapper Tool

Overview

The Remapper Tool is used to batch update classification attributes, colors, or other properties across all polygons within a layer. It streamlines the process of correcting or standardizing training data.

Access

Right-click > Modify > Remapper

How It Works

Select the attribute to update (e.g., Classification, Color)
Enter the Source and Target values
Optionally remap multiple fields at once
Preview the changes and click Remap to apply

Tip

Efficient for standardizing class names and color codes
Changes apply to all matching polygons in the active layer
Always preview before confirming to avoid errors

Clean Coordinates Tool

Overview

The Clean Coordinates Tool removes unnecessary, duplicate, or redundant vertices from polygon geometries without altering their shape. This improves polygon quality and platform performance.

Access

Right-click > Modify > Clean Coordinates

How It Works

Select a polygon with excessive or noisy vertices
Run the Clean Coordinates tool to simplify the geometry internally
The visual shape remains unchanged while internal complexity is reduced

Tip

Best used after operations like Smoothing or Buffering
Especially effective for polygons imported from raster-derived processes
Improves processing speed and geometric stability

Merge Tool

Overview

The Merge Tool combines two or more selected polygons into one unified geometry. It's ideal for consolidating adjacent or overlapping shapes into a single classified region.

Access

Select multiple polygons > Right-click > Merge
Shortcut: Ctrl + M

How It Works

Hold Shift and click to select two or more polygons
Right-click and choose Merge
The merged polygon adopts the class and properties of the first selected shape

Tip

Select the polygon with the desired class first, then add others
Works for adjacent or disjoint shapes (multi-polygon output)
Useful after splitting, translating, or editing training geometries