Admin Overview

Whether you need to enforce or build on your existing office standards – or even create an entire set of standards and preferences from scratch – our software is fully customizable.  

 

View our Customization Overview section: Build your office standards from the ground up, or use our customization tools to enforce your existing office standards.

 

 

Set Your Preferences:

Our six Preferences screens offer customization across the board:

• General Preferences: Options range from dimension styles (DimStyles) and numeric displays to text styles and layers. 
  This article includes a video.
• RefNote Preferences: Organize your Reference Notes (RefNotes). 
  This article includes a video.
• Planting Preferences: Customize plant-related items such as symbols and labels. 
  This article includes a video.
• Plant Sizes Preferences: Format your Plant Schedules. 
  This article includes a video.
• Irrigation Preferences: Control your valve callouts, irrigation symbol families, pipe classes, symbol scaling, and more. 
  This article includes a video.
• Details Preferences: Organize your details, and customize your detail templates and callouts. 
  This article includes a video.
• Preference Set: Store and save your office standards in one central location, known as a Preference Set. Create a different Preference Set for each client, project type, region ... it's all up to you. 
  This article includes a video.

 

Customize Your Text Styles:

Our Text Styles system automates your selection of fonts and point sizes for all text you place in your drawings. Text Styles are highly customizable, allowing you to tailor each one to your office standards.

 

• Our system of Text Styles: We've assigned specific Text Styles to different functions of our software (such as the text in your labels or schedules). You can customize the following styles:
• Callout Light: Text associated with detail callouts, Reference Notes (RefNotes), RefNote callouts, and irrigation equipment symbols.
• Callout Text: Text associated with detail callouts, Reference Notes (RefNotes), and RefNote callouts.
• Callout Title: Detail numbers within detail callouts, as well as RefNote codes within RefNote callouts.
• Concept Schedule: Text within the Concept Plant Schedule (not the schedule title).
• Detail Text: Text that appears within details.
• Dimension Text: Text that appears within dimensions.
• Lateral Size: Lateral size labels.
• Mainline Size: Mainline size labels.
• Photo Label: Text within Photo Callouts.
• Plant Label: Text within plant labels.
• Schedule Text: Text (not schedule titles) within most schedules, including all site schedules (including the RefNote Schedule), planting schedules, Irrigation schedules and reports, as well as the Critical Analysis.
• Schedule Title: The titles of all schedules.
• Zone: Zoning callouts.
• Customize our default Text Styles (Fonts): Use these steps on any of the Text Styles listed above to dial in your fonts, point sizes, and more.
• Create your own custom Text Styles and add them to our system.
• Reload all Text Styles (REAT): Changed your Text Style standards? Use this tool to apply them instantly to your current drawing.  
  This article includes a video.

 

Manage Your CAD Layers:

• AutoCAD layer settings: The AutoCAD Layer Properties Manager allows you to configure a number of layer settings. See our recommendations. 
  This article includes a video.
• Edit layer information: We've consolidated a number of important layer settings into our General Preferences screen. These include: 
  This article includes a video.
• Line colors: Match our default line colors to those in your office standards. 
  This article includes a video.
• Layer Names: We provide the ability to edit the names of layers in your drawings, although we highly recommend using our default system of layer names, which we've based on CAD best practices. 
  This article includes a video.
• Layer States: Once you've configured your desired layer settings, save them into a Layer State to apply to future drawings. You can also use one of our default Layer States. 
  This article includes a video.
• Layer colors: Match a single drawing's layer settings to a client's standards or your own. 
  This article includes a video.
• XLAYER: Edit layer information in one of your Xrefs without leaving your main drawing. Use this tool to change the color or linetype of any layer in an Xref.  
  This article includes a video.
• Layer Color (LAYERCOLOR): Make a quick edit to the layer color of a line in your drawing or one of your Xrefs without having to find the layer and change it in the Layer Properties Manager.
• Print Layers: This tool creates a quick reference to the layers in use within your current DWG drawing set by adding a layout tab listing those layers.

 

Customize Your Blocks and Hatches:

• AutoCAD blocks: When you place objects such as plants, site amenities, irrigation symbols, or callouts, they enter your drawing as blocks.  
  This article includes a video.
• Customize and organize the blocks from our default block libraries.
• Save your own custom blocks: Create your own blocks, edit ours, and save your changes into our software using our Save Block tool. 
  This article includes a video.
• Hatches can represent a number of surfaces in your drawings, such as turf, shrub areas, hardscape, and irrigation drip areas. Get familiar with:
  • Our hatch pattern system 
    This article includes a video.
  • Saving your own hatches into AutoCAD and our system 
    This article includes a video.

 

Colorization Tools:

• Site Color: Colorize your design and create your own custom color palettes. 
  This article includes a video.
• Add color to blocks placed in your drawings. 
  This article includes a video.
• Color Render: Liven up your trees, shrubs, and groundcovers with our extensive collection of color plant symbols and hatches. 
  This article includes a video.

 

Multiple Languages:

• Dual-language options for listing plants, Reference Notes, and other items in a language other than English.

 

And Don't Forget:

• Customize your plotting styles: Ready to plot? We make it easy to achieve the exact look you want.
• Back up all your settings: Don't lose your standards. Back them up!
• Keyboard Commands: All our tools are available as keyboard commands, which you can customize to meet your needs.
• Create a custom ribbon panel for your most-used tools. 
  This article includes a video.

 

Webinars

• Making Text Work in CAD: Join us to learn the essentials of how to use letters, numbers, and other characters effectively in CAD, including how to work with Text Styles and the Text Manager. (1 hr 4 min)
• Implementing Your Office CAD Standards: Find out how easily you can adapt your own office standards to Land F/X – and how effectively the software will then apply them to your projects. (1 hr 2 min)
• Planting F/X Setup for a Multi-Office Firm: Michael Bain, CAD manager at Boffa Miskell Limited, walks through his introduction of Land F/X into the New Zealand firm with 7 offices and 70+ landscape architects. Michael shows how easy it was to get the firm's standards into the software, and provides real numbers showing the time savings they experienced right away. (1 hr)
• Customize for Office Color Standards: This webinar covers the necessary tools and techniques for a black belt in the art of office standards – from CTB plotting files to valuable Land F/X tools that enable instant layer color conversions and office color setup. (1 hr 2 min)
• The Ribbon: Are you still using toolbars? It’s time to join the rest of us and start using the ribbon for all of your CAD endeavors. This week’s webinar will not just cover why the ribbon is superior to toolbars but will showcase the additions we have made to the default AutoCAD ribbon that benefit our clients’ specific needs. (47 min)
• Customize Your Ribbons: If you work in CAD frequently, you might want to customize the appearance of your ribbons. For example, you may be transitioning from toolbars or trying to get your favorite tools right where you need them. We'll explore the Command User Interface (CUI), providing tips on how to use it and what you can do to give it the look you want. (1 hr)
• Customizing Land F/X: Learn how to work with specific blocks, layer names, sheet protocols, and other distinct elements that make up your firm’s practices and preferences. (1 hr 3 min)
• Setting up Templates and Preferences for Repeat Clients: To save time and increase your accuracy, learn how to deliver a consistent drawing package for your repeat clients by setting up project templates and Preference Sets. (50 min)

A Land F/X project contains your plant palette and your inventory of site amenities, irrigation equipment, and other important data that you'll use in your site design. Each time you start a new design job, you'll create a new project for that job. To spec plants, materials, amenities, and equipment for the drawing where you create your design, you'll add these items to your project.

 

 

Articles

• CAD drawings (DWG files) and Land F/X projects: Learn about the relationship between these two important elements of designing using our software. 
  This article includes a video.
• Starting a new Land F/X project: Your first step when using Land F/X. 
  This article includes a video.
• Setting the scale: Your second step when using Land F/X. We make it incredibly easy! 
  This article includes a video.
• Work with Land F/X projects, including opening an existing project. Just remember to start a new project for each job. 
  This article includes a video.
• Project Manager 
  This article includes a video.
  : Use this dialog box to edit information about your Land F/X projects, including:
  • Project permissions & Read-Only (deactivated) projects: We've created this feature in response to a number of user requests to protect their office projects from accidental changes.
  • Sheet Index: Included within the Project Manager, this feature helps you organize the Paper Space Layout sheets attached to your drawing, including your detail sheets.  
    This article includes a video.
• Project Templates: You don't need to keep building your palettes and inventories from scratch with each new project. If you find yourself using the same plants and other items in different jobs, create a Template. Then start any new Land F/X project based on that Template. 
  This article includes a video.
• Create a zip file of a drawing and all project data: Our Support tool creates this zip file automatically, but sometimes you'll need to follow these manual steps to send us a copy of your drawing and project to include in a technical support ticket.
• Back up your projects and Preference Sets: Prevent the loss of hours or even days of work.
• Restore your projects using the Land F/X Portal: Recover your project data after a server migration or a move to a new computer (Cloud Data only).  
  This article includes a video.
• Have Local Data? You'll need to follow some additional steps to transfer your files between computers:
  • Non-academic users: Transfer your files between computers.
  • Academic users: Transfer your files between personal and school computers.

 

Webinars

• Land F/X Admin & Setup: This webinar will show you what you need to know about Land F/X admin processes and project setup. (1 hr 1 min)
• 101: First Steps with Land F/X: You'll learn what Land F/X is, how it works, and how to navigate through your first steps. We'll even offer an example plan you can download and follow along with. These tips are perfect for new firms or new hires, but please note that some basic knowledge of AutoCAD is recommended. (1 hr 5 min)
• Deep Dive into the Land F/X Portal: The Land F/X Portal provides a powerful central location where you can access your Land F/X licenses, use our technical support system, manage your payments, and much more. Take a look around. (48 min)
• Transitioning to Land F/X: If you’re thinking about introducing Land F/X into your office, this webinar is the perfect place to start. We'll show you how to set up your first design project and how to use our software to improve your office standards. (1 hr 2 min)
• Working With Scale: Proper scale practice is not only essential to Land F/X but to the entire fields of landscape and irrigation design. In this webinar, we do some scale troubleshooting and show you when and how to use scaling techniques such as splitting your drawing into different scales, scaling details, and changing the scale of your entire drawing. (1 hr 4 min)

You most likely need to account for several different drawings within a single design, such as survey, civil, planting, hardscape, and irrigation plans. From attaching external references (Xrefs) to setting up your various layout sheets, you have your work cut out for you when it comes to integrating all these different items. We're here to help!  

   

 

Articles

• Drawing and sheet setup outline: Want a basic step-by-step guide to setting up your drawings and sheets? Here's where to go. 
  This article includes a video.
• Set the scale & units 
  This article includes a video.
  : Our Scale tool makes it easy to ensure that your scale and units are set correctly. You can also use it to:
• Set multiple scales in one drawing. 
  This article includes a video.
• Linetype Scale (LTSCALE) and Paper Space Linetype Scale (PSLTSCALE): Ensure that all your linetypes (such as solid and dashed lines) appear correctly and at the proper scale in both Model Space and Paper Space. 
  This article includes a video.
• Working with Xrefs 
  This article includes a video.
  : Learn the best techniques for attaching Xrefs to your drawings, including:
• fxREF: A super handy tool for attaching Xrefs and ensuring they're scaled correctly. 
  This article includes a video.
• Drawing corruption 
  This article includes a video.
  is the source of many a headache for designers. Don't forget to prevent corruption by cleaning all drawings and all Xrefs you receive from others. You can either:
• Clean drawings manually 
  This article includes a video.
  , or
• Use our Nuke tool to clean drawings with a single click. (Just don't run Nuke on your own drawings.) 
  This article includes a video.
• Need to divide your site into different areas? These tools will help:
• Work Area: Create a "drawing within a drawing." 
  This article includes a video.
• Viewport: Isolate part of your drawing, making only that portion visible. 
  This article includes a video.
• User Coordinate System (UCS): Want to view your site from a specific angle or vantage point? Create a UCS. 
  This article includes a video.
• BatchMan: Need to complete the same action on several drawings? Our BatchMan tool processes multiple files at once. 
  This article includes a video.
  Its capabilities include:
  • Cleaning drawings
  • Managing layers
  • Running a script or LISP file
  • Making thumbnail slides
  • Redefining blocks
• SuperJoin: Clean up linework using this helpful tool. 
  This article includes a video.
• The Align command: Match the linework in your main drawing to the same location, rotation, and scale as linework and other objects in your Xrefs.
• Sheet Index: Use this handy feature to keep tabs on all the Paper Space Layout sheets in your drawing.  
  This article includes a video.
• Sheet Sets (Sheetsets): You can also choose to use this native AutoCAD tool to manage sheet sets.  
  This article includes a video.

 

Webinars

• Using PDFs to Start Your Designs: We show you how to bring a PDF into your drawing, scale it properly, and turn it into your base files. We'll explore using PDFs as imports and underlays, demonstrate our recommended sheet setup processes, and even show you how to split a large-scale PDF into multiple sheets. (1 hr 3 min)
• Sheet Set Manager and Land F/X: The AutoCAD Sheet Set Manager provides a fantastic method for coordinating large drawing packages with multiple DWG files. The Sheet Index, available within the Land F/X Project Manager, is another incredibly easy-to-use tool for organizing your drawing sheets. We'll cover the specific roles played by each, then show you how to set them up for best use with your Land F/X projects. (1 hr 7 min)
• Irrigation Sheet Setup and Plotting: We go over our recommended workflows for setting up your project and Preference Set, ensuring your viewports and layouts scale and plot correctly, and working with aerial images and PDFs. (1 hr 4 min)
• Drawing Setup: Using an Image: Pick up some recommendations and best practices for bringing an image into your base file, from setting up your file to choosing and scaling your image, tracing key elements, setting up your layers, and configuring a sheet and viewport for plotting. (1 hr)
• Drawing File Cleanup: Addressing DWG Corruption: Drawing corruption is a major source of headaches and lost work for CAD designers. We walk you through the process of cleaning your drawings and show you some effective techniques for detecting and troubleshooting corruption when it strikes. (1 hr)
• Planting F/X for Beginners Part 2: In this second installment, we'll dive right into some of the tools you need to know about for the best experience and fastest workflow when starting with Land F/X planting plans, including Work Areas and our UCS tools. (1 hr 3 min)
• Sheet Setup and Management: We explore the Sheet Index and demonstrate our recommended setup process for maximum organization and efficiency, including creating a separate DWG for each layout and title block, and Xrefing your main drawing into sheet files. (1 hr)
• Understanding LTSCALE: Working with linetypes (solid, dashed, etc.) is an essential part of any CAD plan. How these linetypes appear in Paper Space vs. Model Space is especially important in ensuring that everything is portrayed properly in your final design. We'll go over the importance of proper sheet setup and provide a few working scenarios to help you verify that your linetypes will show up correctly no matter how you work. (56 min)
• All About Templates: The word "template" can refer to several components in the AutoCAD and Land F/X systems. We break down the different types of templates available to you, including drawing templates (DWTs) and Land F/X project templates, and provide some helpful tips on using them to your advantage. (1 hr 4 min)
• Transitioning to Land F/X: If you’re thinking about introducing Land F/X into your office, this webinar is the perfect place to start. We'll show you how to set up your first design project and how to use our software to improve your office standards. (1 hr 2 min)
• 101: First Steps with Land F/X: You'll learn what Land F/X is, how it works, and how to navigate through your first steps. We'll even offer an example plan you can download and follow along with. These tips are perfect for new firms or new hires, but please note that some basic knowledge of AutoCAD is recommended. (1 hr 5 min)
• Xref Tips and Tricks: Looking to improve your office drawing production workflow? This webinar takes a look at a scalable setup for drawings using external references (Xrefs), showing you how and why you should use them. We also go over our fxREF tool, as well as the other Land F/X tools that improve with the use of Xrefs. (1 hr 3 min)
• Sheet Setup: Learn some basics in proper sheet setup. We'll go over cleaning your base files, as well as best practices for Xrefing, creating templates, using the Land F/X Sheet Index, and more. (1 hr 6 min)
• Metric Sheet Setup: This webinar covers the metric side of our recommended basic methods for setting up your drawing template, which will help prevent imported Xrefs from corrupting your drawing. You'll also learn how to set up your Model Space and Paper Space for proper scaling in metric units for many metric standards, as well as how to use our Sheet Index tool. (1 hr)
• Using Work Areas: Work Areas provide a perfect way to organize your schedules, scales, layers, and User Coordination Systems (UCSs). Whether you need to separate out phases in your schedules or show an area at a different scale and viewing angle, you need to know how to manipulate a Work Area. (1 hr 2 min)
• Common Land F/X Questions: This webinar covers some of our lesser-known tools, including Work Areas, User Coordinate System (UCS), and REDEFINEBLOCK and other hidden commands. (1 hr)

You didn't even know you needed these tools until we created them for you.  

 

 

Articles

 

General Tools

• P-Hatch (PHATCH): Use this handy tool to modify or expand an existing RefNote hatch in your drawing, or to "paint" a new generic hatch from scratch. Quantities in the hatched region will update automatically based on the new square area of the hatch. 
  This article includes a video.
• PolyDivide: Instantly divide a RefNote hatch into up to 10 equal sections. 
  This article includes a video.
• XCOPY: Run the copy portion of the AutoCAD MOCORO command to copy a grouping of selected smart site objects (such as Reference Notes and callouts) and place duplicates of that grouping. 
  This article includes a video.
• XCORO: Run the copy and rotate portions of the AutoCAD MOCORO command to copy a grouping of selected smart site objects (such as Reference Notes and callouts) and place duplicates of that grouping rotated to your needs. 
  This article includes a video.
• Chop: Use this tool to save time vs. the native AutoCAD TRIM command by using fewer clicks to trim multiple lines. Trim lines more precisely by using a path instead of a selection window trim, easily accounting for corners and irregular shapes. 
  This article includes a video.
• SuperJoin: Clean up linework using this helpful tool. 
  This article includes a video.
• PolyOptimize: Instantly simplify a complex polyline by reducing how many vertices it includes.
• FXPLODE: Quickly turn a Concept Line into its source polyline.
• fxREF: A super handy tool for attaching Xrefs and ensuring they're scaled correctly. 
  This article includes a video.
• Reload all Text Styles (REAT): Changed your Text Style standards? Use this tool to apply them instantly to your current drawing. 
  This article includes a video.
• XLAYER: Edit layer information in one of your Xrefs without leaving your main drawing. Use this tool to change the color or linetype of any layer in an Xref.
• SuperLayFreeze: Use this tool to freeze layers in your drawing or Xrefs, making them temporarily invisible. It's a better alternative to the native AutoCAD LAYFRZ command, which has issues toggling between the main drawing and Xrefs. 
  This article includes a video.
• SuperLayIso: This command replaces the native AutoCAD LAYISO command, which is effective for isolating layers but has issues isolating Land F/X blocks. SuperLayIso allows you to isolate Land F/X blocks in addition to other objects. 
  This article includes a video.
• Layer colors: Match a single drawing's layer settings to a client's standards or your own. 
  This article includes a video.
• Redefine Block: Whether you need to troubleshoot blocks that are behaving badly, or simply update them to their latest edited versions in your drawing, Redefine Block is your ace in the hole. 
  This article includes a video.
• Remove Xdata: Quickly disassociate smart data from a block, hatch, or linework. 
  This article includes a video.
• Drive game: Get on-the-road training on our keyboard commands for copying and placing site blocks by playing this fun game from within any DWG drawing. 
  This article includes a video.
• Import CSV: Instantly place blocks at the locations of given data points in your drawings using a comma separated values (CSV) file. 
  This article includes a video.
• Set Mask Size: Quickly assign an offset factor to the background mask of a multileader (MLeader) with MText to control how much space lies between the text and the outer edges of the mask.
• Land F/X Portal: Access your Land F/X account information from a central online location where you can manage your licenses, submit technical support tickets, pay your renewals, and much more. 
  This article includes a video.

 

Cleanup Tools

• Manual Cleaning: It's always a wise idea to perform an adequate cleanup on any drawing you receive from others. Our manual cleanup steps provide a safe and effective way to get rid of drawing corruption. 
  This article includes a video.
• All ByLayer: The ByLayer setting is a must in AutoCAD because it makes files much easier to work with. We highly recommend working in ByLayer at all times.
• Delete Registered Applications (DelRegApps): Rid your drawing of extraneous Registered Application (RegApp) entries, which can cause corruption. 
  This article includes a video.
• Reload All Linetypes (REAL) in a drawing so they match up with the current units and scale settings.
• Instant Purge (PRG): With a click, run the native AutoCAD Purge command three times, thus ensuring a more thorough purge of unwanted items. 
  This article includes a video.
• Clean Export: Quickly export a clean version of your drawing after cleaning it. 
  This article includes a video.

 

Webinars

• Using PDFs to Start Your Designs: We show you how to bring a PDF into your drawing, scale it properly, and turn it into your base files. We'll explore using PDFs as imports and underlays, demonstrate our recommended sheet setup processes, and even show you how to split a large-scale PDF into multiple sheets. (1 hr 3 min)
• Drawing File Cleanup: Addressing DWG Corruption: Drawing corruption is a major source of headaches and lost work for CAD designers. We walk you through the process of cleaning your drawings and show you some effective techniques for detecting and troubleshooting corruption when it strikes. (1 hr)
• Looking Back on Development in 2019: We look back on some of the feature highlights from 2019 and give you a sneak peek into how some of those features have come to fruition. (39 min)
• 101: First Steps with Land F/X: You'll learn what Land F/X is, how it works, and how to navigate through your first steps. We'll even offer an example plan you can download and follow along with. These tips are perfect for new firms or new hires, but please note that some basic knowledge of AutoCAD is recommended. (1 hr 5 min)
• Browse our webinars.

Take advantage of our latest and greatest features, control your pool of licenses, and get help from our world-class tech support team when you need it. 

 

 

Articles

• Update Land F/X: We average one to two software updates per week. Stay current on your installation by updating regularly. 
  This article includes a video.
• Switch to (or from) the Land F/X ribbons.
• Just purchased Land F/X and need to activate your license? Here's what to do.
• Manage your office's Land F/X licenses. 
  This article includes a video.
• Land F/X licensing explained: Licensing can be a confusing subject when it comes to our software. We break it all down for you here. 
  This article includes a video.
• Cloud Data & Licensing: We recommend our Cloud setup to most clients. Find out why.
• Send us a technical support ticket: Can't find your answer in our documentation or Knowledge Base? Use our Support tool to send us a ticket. We pride ourselves on our rapid response time.
  This article includes a video.

 

Webinars

• Development Open House: Land F/X CEO and Head Developer Jeremiah Farmer provides a peek behind the curtain into the inner workings of our development process, including the journey of a wishlist request as it becomes a live feature, an example of the source code that brings our users' ideas magically to life, and a sneak peek at some unreleased features. (51 min)
• Deep Dive into the Land F/X Portal: The Land F/X Portal provides a powerful central location where you can access your Land F/X licenses, use our technical support system, manage your payments, and much more. Take a look around. (48 min)
• Portal Tour: We'll walk you through the Land F/X Portal. You'll learn how to create new tickets, review old tickets, review your licenses, pay for renewals, manage your cloud data, and much more. (44 min)
• Wishlist Discussion: Our wishlist of requests from Land F/X users is among the main drivers of new features we engineer into the software. We discuss our prioritization process and provide insight on how to get your ideas implemented. (1 hr 1 min)
• Cloud Data: With our Cloud Data option, we provide security and convenience by giving you the freedom to access to your data no matter where you are – and you’ve been using it for years without even knowing it. Learn all about it here. (59 min)
• Land F/X Installation Best Practices: This webinar will help you understand what to do first and foremost before installing Land F/X, including backing up your data. (1 hr 9 min)
• Using Work Areas: Work Areas provide a perfect way to organize your schedules, scales, layers, and User Coordination Systems (UCSs). Whether you need to separate out phases in your schedules or show an area at a different scale and viewing angle, you need to know how to manipulate a Work Area. (1 hr 2 min)