Create a point or vertex at the intersection of a direction and distance

The Direction Distance tool creates a vertex or a point feature at one of two possible intersections formed by overlapping direction and distance measurements. The measurements can be sketched or specified as numeric values.

This tool is available on the construction toolbar when a feature template construction tool is active. Clicking the tool suspends the active tool until you click an intersection on the temporary construction lines and create the vertex or point feature.

The following diagram illustrates the intersections as P1 and P2, at which you can click and create a vertex or a point feature that are measured from two specified origin locations shown as points A and B:

The diagram shows intersections P1 and P2 from two origin locations at point A and B.

Note:

When ground to grid correction is turned on, your input values are assumed to be ground measurements. An offset angle is applied to directions, and a distance factor multiplies distances. This occurs in real time as you specify construction measurements.

1. If the current map does not contain a point, line, or polygon feature layer, add one.
   1. On the View tab, click Catalog Pane , and expand Databases .
   2. Expand the default database or the database containing your data.

      To create a feature class, right-click the database, click New, and click Feature Class.

   3. Drag the feature class onto the map.

      A feature template with default settings is automatically generated for the new layer.

2. On the Edit tab, click Create to show the Create Features pane.
3. Click a point, line, or polygon feature template.
   • To override the default feature attribute values, click the active template button and type the attributes values you want to apply to the feature.
4. Click a feature construction tool on the template tool palette, for example:
   • To create a point feature, click Point .
   • To create a line feature, click Line .
   • To create a polygon feature, click Polygon .
5. On the construction toolbar, click Direction Distance .

   

   The active construction tool temporarily suspends creating features.

6. Specify the direction measurement.
   1. Click the origin location or right-click and specify the coordinates.
   2. Move the pointer and click the map or press A and type the direction.
   3. To cancel the path and specify a new one, press Esc.

   A dashed construction line appears across the extents of the map.

7. Specify the distance measurement.
   1. Click the origin location or right-click and specify the coordinates.
   2. Move the pointer and click the map or press D and type the distance.
   3. To cancel the construction geometry and specify a new direction and distance, press Esc.

   A dashed construction circle appears.

8. Hover near the intersection at which to create the point feature or press Tab to cycle through the two intersections.
9. To create the vertex or point feature, click the intersection or press Enter.
   • To exit the intersection tool and resume creating features, click a feature construction tool.
10. To finish the feature, click Finish or press F2.