PLSS Options

PLSS is off by default.  PLSS only works in the western US, and is a specialized and antiquated system.  If you want to use it, you must enable it on the Menu tab of the Menu tab.

Access via:

  • Option to show or hide 1/4 sections, sections, and townships
  • Set colors and widths for the boundaries
  • Label sections or townships; they will use the same colors as their boundaries.
  • If smart scaling is selected, the edit boxes contain the map pixel size in meters at which the features will be drawn. If the pixel size is larger than the specified value, the features will not be drawn.
    • Townships are about 9.6 km in size. With the default size, townships would be about 40 pixels across or they would not be drawn.
    • Sections are about 1.6 km in size. With the default size, sections would be about 32 pixels across.
    • Quarter-quarter sections are about 0.4 km in size. With the default size, quarter-quarter sections would be about 40 pixels across.
  • Use 1/4 sections in labels
  • Use lots in labsel
  • Autoload PLSS with all maps.
  • PLSS to RAM: this will slow initial loading, but greatly speed up all later operations.
  • PLSS file buttons:  select up to 5 directories containing files to use for US data.

The 1/4 sections slow down operations greatly. If you know you do not need them you should uncheck the two boxes that refer to them.  They may also not be reliable.
PLSS overlay.

Details of PLSS data.

Last revision 8/27/2020