linesmeter

A linesmeter is a device or software system used to measure the length of a line and, in some cases, related geometric properties. The term is applied in surveying, civil engineering, architecture, and geographic information systems (GIS) to describe tools that quantify linear features either in the field or in digital drawings and maps. A linesmeter may be physical hardware such as a handheld measuring instrument or be part of a software workflow that computes length from coordinates, raster pixels, or vector data.

Physical linesmeters operate by tracing along the feature or by sliding a sensor along the line. Common designs include tape- or wheel-based meters for on-site use, and laser- or optical-based instruments that measure distance via triangulation or time-of-flight. Digital linesmeters rely on digitizing endpoints or polyline coordinates in CAD or GIS applications, where length is computed from a registered coordinate system.

Accuracy is device- and method-dependent. Mechanical devices may be limited by user technique and scale, while digital methods depend on data quality, scale, and calibration. Typical ranges span from sub-centimeter precision for detailed drawings to centimeter-level accuracy for large-scale surveying; large-scale measurements can achieve higher tolerance when high-resolution data are available.

Applications include layout and alignment in construction, road and railway design, architectural planning, and GIS analysis of linear features such as roads, pipelines, or boundaries. It is not a standardized instrument with a universal specification; performance is defined by the particular model, sensor, and software involved.

See also: distance meter, ruler, tape measure, GIS, CAD software, laser rangefinder.