---
name: "d.measure"
section: "1grass"
platform: "linux"
package: "grass-doc"
version: "6.4.4-1"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/d.measure"
---

# d.measure(1grass)

Measures the lengths and areas of features drawn by the user in the active display frame on the graphics monitor.

## NAME

**d.measure**  - Measures the lengths and areas of features drawn by the user in the active display frame on the graphics monitor.

## KEYWORDS

display, geometry

## SYNOPSIS

**d.measure**\
 **d.measure help**\
 **d.measure** \[-**smk**\]  \[**c1**=*string*\]   \[**c2**=*string*\]   \[--**verbose**\]  \[--**quiet**\]

### Flags:

- **-s**

  Suppress clear screen

- **-m**

  Output in meters only

- **-k**

  Output in kilometers as well

- **--verbose**

  Verbose module output

- **--quiet**

  Quiet module output

### Parameters:

- **c1**=*string*

  Line color 1\
   Options: *red,orange,yellow,green,blue,indigo,violet,white,black,gray,brown,magenta,aqua,grey,cyan,purple*\
   Default: *white*

- **c2**=*string*

  Line color 2\
   Options: *red,orange,yellow,green,blue,indigo,violet,white,black,gray,brown,magenta,aqua,grey,cyan,purple*\
   Default: *black*

## DESCRIPTION

*d.measure* provides the user with an interactive way to measure the lengths and areas of lines and polygons drawn by the user in the active frame on the graphics monitor.  Lines and polygons are drawn using a pointing device (mouse).  Each line segment is drawn in colors **c1** and **c2**.  A mouse button menu indicates that the user can find out the geographic coordinates of the cursor location, draw line segments between user-specified vertices, and quit *d.measure*. Lines and polygons are defined by the series of vertices marked by the user. If more than two successive vertices are drawn, *d.measure* prints the area encompassed (*d.measure* will assume the area is closed even if the user has not joined the first and last vertices). Areas can be stated in hectares, square miles, square meters and square kilometers. Lines and polygons drawn using *d.measure* will overlay (not overwrite) whatever display currently appears in the active frame on the graphics monitor.  The user can, for example, run  *d.rast* or  *d.vect* prior to running *d.measure*, and use raster and/or vector maps as a backdrop.

## NOTES

*d.measure* uses all segments drawn by the user when computing area.  If the user draws an area within another area, the combined  area of both regions will be output.

## TODO

Output lengths in the same units as those of the current LOCATION as found in the PROJ\_UNITS file (see *g.proj*). Volunteers are welcome for this task.

## SEE ALSO

*d.frame*\
 *d.graph*\
 *d.rast*\
 *d.vect*\
 *d.where*\
 *g.proj*

## AUTHORS

James Westervelt, \
 Michael Shapiro, \
 U.S. Army Construction Engineering  Research Laboratory

*Last changed: $Date: 2011-11-08 12:29:50 +0100 (Tue, 08 Nov 2011) $*

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