Sometimes, you may need to capture a farm map to use as a visual guide during client meetings or when visiting a property. Below is a step-by-step method to easily take a screenshot and print it for reference.
1. Navigate to the Property
Open DAS and locate the farm or property you want to capture.
Ensure that all relevant layers are enabled to include key details in your screenshot.
2. Select the Best View for Printing
Below are options to adjust overlays and outlines to capture the ideal view for your screenshots.
Building Layer & Surface Water Layer: Enable or disable these from the Layers tab in the top-right corner of your DAS UI.
The Building Layer is updated quarterly, meaning it is often more current than satellite imagery.
Surface Water Layer can highlight water bodies that may not be clearly visible in satellite imagery.
Zoning Layers:
You can overlay Parcels, Titles, Rateable Properties, or Land Area from the Layers tab.
If you've created a complex Custom Farm consisting of multiple parcels or titles, enabling these zoning layers can help provide a clearer screenshot that represents the full property layout.
View Selection (Bottom-Right Corner of DAS UI):
Satellite view is selected by default, but switching to Terrain view may provide a clearer background.
Switch between views to choose the best display for demonstration or annotation.
Enhance the Map with 3D Rendering
For a more another alternative detailed perspective, use the 3D Mapbox feature:
Provides 3D satellite rendering, showing elevation changes such as hills, valleys, and mountains.
Helps visualize terrain that may impact land usage or valuation.
Activate it by clicking the 3D Mapbox icon located to the right of the "Build" button.
Using Land Use Variables for Screenshots
If you need to highlight land use categories (which are already included in reports), you can overlay Land Use Variables from the Farm Data section for additional visual clarity.
Open the Land Use tab on the left-hand panel of DAS.
Toggle different land use categories (e.g., Grazing, Dryland Cropping, Rural Residential).
Click Show/Hide to enable or disable the land use overlays over the property.
3. Capture the Screenshot
Use the following tools to take a screenshot based on your device:
Windows:
Windows + Shift + S– Opens the Snipping Tool.Click and drag to select the desired area to capture.
Right-click on the captured snippet to copy or save the image to a preferred location.
Additionally, the Snipping Tool includes basic annotation features, allowing you to add highlights, boxes, and arrows. However, it does not have a text insertion option.
Windows Alternative Methods (For Older Versions or Windows 10/7):
Print Screen Shortcut - Press
PrtScnto copy the entire screen to the clipboard. Then, paste it into an image editor like Paint(Ctrl + V)and save the file.Alternative Print Screen Shortcut -
Alt + Print Screen– Captures only the active window and copies it to the clipboard.Snipping Tool – Open from the Start Menu, click New, then select the area to capture.
Screenshot Shortcut -
Windows Key + Print Screen– Saves a screenshot directly to Pictures > Screenshots.
Mac:
Screenshot Shortcut -
Shift + Command + 5– Opens the screenshot tool with various capture options.Select the area you want to capture.
4. Print or Annotate the Map
Once you've captured the screenshot, you can print or annotate it using the following methods:
Paste & Print – Insert the image into Word, Photoshop, Paint, or other image editing tools, then print directly from there.
Annotate Directly – Use Word, Photoshop, Paint, or other editing software to add notes and highlights.
Export & Transfer – Save the image in your preferred file format and transfer it to another device, like an iPad, for further annotation.
There are plenty of options depending on your workflow. By following these steps, you can quickly create a clear, printable farm map for use in meetings or on-site visits. 🚜📍