Before You Start
Prepare the drawing before loading, refreshing, or capturing Background Maps.
Requirements
Background Maps depends on drawing location, drawing units, and online map access. Confirm the following requirements before using the tab.
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Assigned CRS | The active drawing must have a coordinate reference system assigned. Without CRS information, SPCAD cannot transform the online map image into drawing coordinates. |
| Model Space | Load, refresh, and capture background maps from model space. SPCAD blocks these operations in paper space. |
| Valid Current View | The current CAD view must have valid drawing extents. SPCAD uses the current view bounds to request the map image. |
| License | A valid SPCAD license is required for the WMTS/background map and capture workflow. |
| Internet Connection | Background Maps downloads online map tiles, so the workstation must be able to access the selected map service. |
Assigned CRS Requirement
If the drawing has no CRS, the Background Maps tab displays the message Assign CRS to drawing to see background map. In this state, SPCAD disables the background map list and related controls.
Model Space Requirement
Background map loading and capture use the active model-space viewport. If the command is run in paper space, SPCAD shows a message asking you to run the operation in Model Space.
- Switch to model space.
- Zoom to the required area.
- Load or refresh the background map again.
View Size and Practical Limits
SPCAD may skip a refresh when the current view is too large for a single warped basemap image. This protects the drawing from very large downloads, slow processing, and inaccurate wide-area transformations.
If SPCAD reports that the view is too large, zoom in to a smaller area and run the refresh again.