Multi-Floor Building Workflow¶

Scenario: Create a map for a building with multiple floors connected by stairs and/or elevators

Time: 3-6 hours Difficulty: Intermediate Best for: Office buildings, libraries, hospitals, multi-story facilities

Prerequisites¶

Before starting, ensure you have:

✅ Completed Single Floor Workflow or equivalent experience
✅ Floorplan images for all floors (aligned to same scale)
✅ List of vertical transitions (stairs, elevators, escalators) with locations on each floor
✅ Understanding of Transitions concept

Workflow Overview¶

Text Only

1. Setup (20 min)
   └── Create all layers (floors)
   └── Upload all blueprints
   └── Align and scale consistently

2. Draw Each Floor (1-2 hours per floor)
   └── Graphics: Draw walls and surfaces
   └── Routes: Build pathfinding network
   └── Mark transition access points on routes
   └── Ensure alignment across floors

3. Create Floor Transitions (30-60 min)
   └── Identify matching transition access points
   └── Twin elevator access points
   └── Twin stairwell access points
   └── Test cross-floor routing

4. Add Locations (30-60 min)
   └── Add locations on each floor
   └── Use consistent naming
   └── Test complete routes

5. Test & Publish (15 min)
   └── Test multi-floor routes
   └── Verify transition behavior
   └── Publish

Step 1: Setup (20 minutes)¶

1.1 Create Map Structure¶

Create one Group for the building
Add a Layer for each floor (name them: Ground Floor, First Floor, Second Floor, etc.)

Naming Convention

Use consistent floor naming: - US style: Ground, 1st, 2nd, 3rd... - EU style: Ground, Level 1, Level 2...

Avoid: "First Floor" for ground level if building has basement levels.

1.2 Upload Blueprints¶

For each layer: 1. Select the layer 2. Upload its blueprint image 3. Set opacity to 60-70%

1.3 Critical: Align Blueprints¶

This is essential for clean multi-floor maps:

Start with the ground floor
Identify a fixed reference point (e.g., elevator shaft, structural column)
Note its XY position on the grid
For each upper floor:
Upload blueprint
Adjust Background Scale to match ground floor
Pan/position blueprint so the reference point aligns with ground floor
Verify alignment using multiple reference points

Alignment is Critical

Misaligned floors make transitions confusing. Elevators and stairs should appear at the same XY coordinates across all floors.

✅ Checkpoint: All floors have blueprints uploaded, scaled identically, and aligned to shared reference points.

Step 2: Draw Each Floor (1-2 hours per floor)¶

2.1 Complete Each Floor Individually¶

Follow the Single Floor Workflow for each layer:

Graphics Layer: 1. Draw exterior walls (continuous) 2. Draw interior walls (continuous) 3. Create surfaces

Routes Layer: 4. Build pathfinding network 5. Connect all accessible areas

Locations: 6. Add locations (we'll detail this in Step 4)

Graphics vs Routes

Remember to work on graphics and routes as separate layers. Walls are visual only; routes define navigation.

2.2 Mark Transition Access Points¶

Critical for floor connections:

For each vertical transition (elevator, stairwell, escalator): 1. On the Routes sub-layer, place a route point at the exact location on each floor 2. Use the same XY position across floors (copy coordinates if possible) 3. These route points will be "twinned" to connect floors

Example: Elevator - Ground Floor: Route point at elevator location (X: 50, Y: 30) on Routes sub-layer - First Floor: Route point at elevator location (X: 50, Y: 30) on Routes sub-layer - Second Floor: Route point at elevator location (X: 50, Y: 30) on Routes sub-layer

Common Practice

Transition points are typically part of location access points (e.g., create an elevator location and use its access point for twinning). This makes them easier to identify and name descriptively (e.g., "Main Elevator - Ground", "Main Elevator - 1st").

2.3 Ensure Routes Network Connects Transitions¶

On each floor's Routes sub-layer: 1. Draw routing lines that connect to transition points 2. Verify transition points are part of the routes network (connected with 2+ connections in Debug mode) 3. Test that the transition point is reachable from other areas on the floor

✅ Checkpoint: Each floor is complete with geometry, routing, and marked transition points.

Step 3: Create Floor Transitions (30-60 minutes)¶

3.1 Understand Multi-Selection¶

To create transitions, you'll multi-select two floors:

Ctrl/Cmd + Click first floor (pickable but not editable)
Ctrl/Cmd + Click second floor (primary, editable)
The last selected floor is where you'll pick the point

3.2 Create Elevator Transitions¶

For each elevator:

Multi-select the two floors it connects (e.g., Ground + First)
Select the elevator access point on the primary floor
In Properties, find "Twins" section
Click "Pick"
Click the matching elevator point on the other floor
A dashed orange line with two arrows appears
Press Esc or click "Done"

Example

Connecting Ground to First Floor elevator: - Ctrl+Click "Ground Floor" layer - Ctrl+Click "First Floor" layer (primary) - Select elevator point on First Floor - Click "Pick" in Twins section - Click matching elevator point on Ground Floor - Dashed line appears between floors

3.3 Create Stairwell Transitions¶

Repeat the same process for stairs:

Multi-select the two floors connected by stairs
Pick the stair entrance point on each floor
Twin them via the Twins menu
Verify the dashed arrow appears

Multiple Entrances

If stairs have entrances at both ends (one at each landing), create two transition pairs: - One for the bottom entrance - One for the top entrance

3.4 Handle Multi-Stop Elevators¶

For elevators that stop on 3+ floors:

Option A: Chain them - Connect Ground ↔ First - Connect First ↔ Second - Connect Second ↔ Third - Users can transfer through intermediate floors

Option B: Full mesh - Connect Ground ↔ First - Connect Ground ↔ Second - Connect Ground ↔ Third - Connect First ↔ Second - Connect First ↔ Third - Connect Second ↔ Third - Provides all direct routes (more setup work)

Recommendation

Use Option A (chain) for most cases. It's simpler and routing still works via transfers.

3.5 One-Way Transitions (Optional)¶

Some buildings have one-way escalators or restricted access:

To make a transition one-way: 1. Select the point where travel should be outbound only 2. In the Twins list, find the reverse connection 3. Click Remove on that twin entry 4. Now travel only works in one direction

Example: Exit-only stairwell - First Floor can go TO Ground - Ground cannot go TO First Floor

✅ Checkpoint: All elevators and stairs are twinned, dashed arrows visible, transitions are bidirectional (or intentionally one-way).

Step 4: Add Locations (30-60 minutes)¶

4.1 Add Locations Per Floor¶

On each floor, add locations following Single Floor workflow:

Place location markers
Name them
Add metadata
Define access points
Assign surfaces

4.2 Naming Convention for Multi-Floor¶

Use clear names that include floor information:

Good: - "Conference Room 2A - First Floor" - "Dr. Smith Office - 3rd Floor" - "Cafeteria - Ground Floor"

Bad: - "Conference Room A" (which floor?) - "Room 201" (not searchable or clear)

4.3 Handle Locations That Span Floors¶

Some locations exist across multiple floors (e.g., atriums, stairwells):

Approach: - Create a separate location entry on each floor - Use the same base name with floor suffix - Example: "Main Atrium - Ground", "Main Atrium - First"

✅ Checkpoint: All locations are added with clear, floor-specific names and proper access points.

Step 5: Test & Publish (15 minutes)¶

5.1 Test Single-Floor Routes¶

Switch Preview mode ON
On Ground Floor, test routes between two locations
Repeat for each floor
Verify routing works within each floor

5.2 Test Cross-Floor Routes¶

Select a location on Ground Floor
Select a location on First Floor
Verify route generates
Check that route uses appropriate transition (elevator/stairs)
In the route directions, confirm floor changes are shown

5.3 Test All Transitions¶

For each elevator/stairwell: 1. Route from a location on one floor through the transition to another floor 2. Verify the transition is used 3. Check both directions (up and down)

5.4 Common Test Scenarios¶

Scenario 1: Ground to Top Floor - Start: Location on ground floor - End: Location on top floor - Expected: Route should use elevator/stairs at least once

Scenario 2: Adjacent Floors - Start: Location on Floor 2 - End: Location on Floor 3 - Expected: Route uses connecting elevator/stairs

Scenario 3: Nearby vs. Distant Transition - Place start location near Elevator A but far from Elevator B - Place end location on another floor near Elevator B - Expected: Router chooses optimal transition (may use B if significantly closer)

5.5 Fix Issues¶

Common problems and fixes:

Issue	Likely Cause	Fix
No cross-floor route found	Transition not twinned	Re-twin the transition points
Route doesn't use transition	Transition point not in routing network	Add routing lines to transition point
Transition appears in wrong location	Misaligned blueprints	Re-align blueprints using reference points
One-way only when should be two-way	Twin missing in one direction	Add the reverse twin

5.6 Save & Publish¶

Click "Save All"
Click "Publish"
Record Map ID

✅ Checkpoint: Map is fully tested, saved, and published.

Final Checklist¶

Structure¶

✅ All floors created as layers within one group
✅ Floors named consistently and clearly
✅ Blueprints scaled identically
✅ Blueprints aligned to reference points

Per-Floor Geometry¶

✅ Each floor has complete walls, doors, surfaces
✅ Each floor has complete routing network
✅ Transition access points marked on each floor

Transitions¶

✅ All elevators twinned across all floors they serve
✅ All stairwells twinned across floors they connect
✅ Transition points connected to routing networks
✅ Dashed arrows visible for all transitions

Locations¶

✅ All important places added as locations
✅ Location names include floor information
✅ Each location has access points
✅ Access points connected to routing

Testing¶

✅ Single-floor routing works on each floor
✅ Cross-floor routing works for all floor pairs
✅ All transitions are used by routes
✅ Routes use logical transitions (closest/fastest)

Publication¶

✅ Map saved and published
✅ Map ID recorded

Common Issues¶

"No route between floors"¶

Diagnosis: - Transitions not twinned - Transition point not in routing network

Fix: 1. Verify dashed arrow appears between floors 2. Enable Debug, check transition point has 2+ connections on each floor 3. Re-twin if necessary

"Route uses wrong stairwell"¶

Diagnosis: - Other stairwell is closer - Routing network makes alternate path shorter

Fix: - This may be correct behavior (router chooses optimal path) - If wrong, adjust routing network to make correct path shorter/more direct

"Transition appears in wrong place visually"¶

Diagnosis: - Blueprints misaligned across floors

Fix: 1. Pick a fixed reference (elevator shaft, structural column) 2. Re-align blueprints so reference appears at same XY on all floors 3. May need to redraw transition points at correct locations

"Route directions don't show floor changes"¶

Diagnosis: - This may be a viewer limitation (check viewer version)

Expected Behavior: - Directions should show "Take elevator to Floor 2" or similar - If not showing, contact support

Advanced Topics¶

Basement Levels¶

Add layers for basement floors (Basement 1, Basement 2, etc.)
Follow same workflow
Twin transitions connecting ground to basement

Split-Level Floors¶

Create separate layers for each distinct level
Use transitions even if level change is small (ramps, short stairs)

Express Elevators¶

Twin only the floors the express elevator serves
Don't twin intermediate floors it skips

Service Elevators vs. Public Elevators¶

Create both sets of transitions
Mark service elevator locations with appropriate metadata
Optionally: Make service elevators one-way or private

Next Steps¶

Add More Buildings?¶

If your facility has multiple buildings: - Follow Multi-Building Campus Workflow - Learn about Transit groups for outdoor paths

Optimize & Enhance¶

Review Best Practices
Add more location metadata for better search
Optimize routing network for faster paths

Need help? Email contact@mapboot.com or check Troubleshooting.