Settings

Render

Precision

Contour Interval

Simplification Removes redundant points from each contour via Douglas-Peucker. Higher = smoother, lighter lines with fewer nodes (faster to open in design tools); lower = finer detail.

Approx. points per km of contour:
• None ≈ 43
• Low ≈ 7
• Medium ≈ 4
• High ≈ 3

Min. contour length Drops contour lines shorter than this, after simplification. Clears tiny isolated loops from DEM noise (micro knolls/pits) without touching real terrain features.

StrokePoints

Density

Shape

Size min

Size max

Placement Ordered aligns points to a clean grid — the relief reads as a halftone. Scattered breaks the grid for a hand-stippled, print feel.

Stroke Width

Join

Taper Varies contour line thickness with elevation — higher ground gets bolder lines for a layered, 3-D feel.

Relative Mode Turns the interval into a density setting: the step adapts to the zone's elevation range, so flat and steep terrain get a similar number of lines.

Index contours Draws a bolder “index” line every N contours — the emphasised lines that make a topographic map easier to read.

Annotations

Background

Export

Click Generate first to enable export

Best on desktop

The TopoLines editor needs a bigger screen to draw zones and fine-tune your contour maps. Open it on a laptop or desktop for the full experience.

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