Buffer Layer

Modified on 2025/07/09 23:03 by Adam — Categorized as: Drawing Tools, Map Layer, Map or Form, Surety Pro Features

The Buffer layer is a custom layer for Surety^® Pro users to define, label, and save buffer or setback areas on the map.

Buffer layer record example.

Buffered areas can be effectively created by using a few of the drawing tools (including the buffer line, buffer polygon, and pivot tools) depending on the situation.

How to create and save a buffer area. (Using Buffer Line)

For this example, the Buffer Line tool will be used to create a buffer area.

The Buffer layer is saved to the client level so a client must first be selected.

Select the Draw Line tool from the Drawing panel.

Using the Draw Line Tool, we will create our line to buffer out from.

Now use the Buffer Selected Line function in the right panel to specify how wide of a buffer to create. (Note that the buffer will extend all directions from the line.)

To save the area created to the Buffer layer, we can find the Buffer form link within the More Forms interface.

If mapping a number of buffers, it may be beneficial to add the Buffer form link to your main interface by clicking on the checkbox within the More Forms dialog.

Once the Buffer link is clicked, the Buffer form dialog will appear. This simple form allows attributes to be assigned to the saved buffer record.

Click on the Buffer Type text box to access the pencil icon. Click the pencil to add records to the Buffer Type attribute list.

Return to the Buffer form and select the desired Buffer type from the list. If a distance was entered when saving the type name, it will fill in automatically. (Note that this does not pull in the buffer distance from the actual mapped polygon.)

Add any desired notes to the record and click Save.

The map will create and enable the Buffer layer upon a successful save. The Buffer layer can now be found within the Layers Panel. Note: if you did not add the Buffer form link to the main interface from the More Forms dialog, it will be listed under the More Custom Layers expansion.

How to modify a saved Buffer layer.

A buffer record can be modified by selecting the boundary with the Select "X" and clicking on the Buffer from link.

Click the Edit option

To modify the boundary, click the Draw/Edit

Make border changes and click Apply Changes.

Here you can also make changes to any of the attributes and then click Save to apply the changes.

How to change the style and labeling of the Buffer record on the map.

Changing the layer styling can be accomplished by clicking on the Buffer layer link in the Layers panel.

The Symbology tab of the Layer Properties dialog is where the boundary look can be changed including the boundary color and fill style.

The Labels tab allows the modification of how the labels look and which attributes are included as a label.

For more information on customizing the style of the form layer please visit the Form Layer Properties page.

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