Create tangent circular arcs

In the Create Features pane, line and polygon feature construction tools include construction methods for creating tangent circular arcs. They are available on the construction toolbar and context menu when you create a feature.

Tangent arcs pass through an endpoint where the tangent line and an existing curve or line meet, going in the same direction. You can create them while drawing a feature or as a two-point arc feature that is tangent to an existing line or arc feature.

Create a tangent arc

Creating a tangent arc while drawing a line or polygon feature is created with a radius and an endpoint. You can draw the radius and click the endpoint or use the circular arc dialog box to specify values for the geometry.

1. In the Catalog pane, do one of the following to add a polyline or polygon layer to your map:
   • Expand Databases , expand the database containing your data, and drag the feature class onto the map.
   • Right-click the default database and create a polyline or polygon feature class.

   Creating a feature class or dragging one onto a map adds the layer to the current map and creates a feature template with default settings.

2. On the Edit tab, in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.

   Tip:

   You can press and hold the spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off as you draw a feature.

3. If you are working with z-enabled features, on the Edit tab, in the Elevation group, choose how z-values are added to your features.

   Note:

   For steps to add z-values when creating z-enabled features, see Specify an elevation for 3D features.

4. On the Edit tab, in the Features group, click Create .

   The Create Features pane appears.

5. In the pane, click a line or polygon feature template.
   • To create a line, click Line
   • To create a polygon, click Polygon .

   The construction toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

6. Draw at least one straight line or circular arc segment.
7. On the construction toolbar, click Tangent Curve Segment .

   The start point is automatically created for you at the endpoint of the active sketch.

8. Specify the radius and create the endpoint by using one of the following methods:
   • Move the pointer to draw the radius and click the map to create the endpoint.
   • Press R, type the radius, press Enter, and click the map to create the endpoint.
   • Right-click, click Circular Arc , specify the radius and other parameters, and press Enter to close the dialog box and create the tangent arc.

     

     Note:

     The default tangent direction for the new arc is based on the previous segment of the active sketch.

9. To continue creating other segments, click the tools on the construction toolbar.
10. On the construction toolbar, click Finish , or press the F2 key.

Create a two-point tangent arc

A two-point tangent arc is a line feature created with a tangent start point, a radius and an endpoint. You can draw the radius and click the endpoint or use the circular arc dialog box to specify values for the geometry.

Two-point tangent arcs are commonly used for COGO-enabled parcel boundaries created from recorded field measurements. Using the circular arc dialog box, you can select a tangent feature and specify geometry values such as a radius, a central (delta) angle, and an arc length.

1. In the Catalog pane, do one of the following to add a line layer to your map:
   • Expand Databases , expand the database containing your data, and drag the feature class onto the map.
   • Right-click the default database and create a polyline or polygon feature class.

   Creating a feature class or dragging one onto a map adds the layer to the current map and creates a feature template with default settings.

2. If you are creating parcel boundaries that require COGO attributes and symbology, COGO-enable your line features.

   Note:

   COGO-enabled line feature classes draw with COGO symbology and include a label expression that labels each line with its COGO dimension, when it exists. When you create geometry using COGO-enabled construction tools, your input values are stored with the feature in COGO attribute fields.

   To learn more, see Enable COGO.

3. On the Edit tab, in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.

   Tip:

   You can press and hold the spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off as you draw a feature.

4. If you are working with z-enabled features, on the Edit tab, in the Elevation group, choose how z-values are added to your features.

   Note:

   For steps to add z-values when creating z-enabled features, see Specify an elevation for 3D features.

5. On the Edit tab, in the Features group, click Create .

   The Create Features pane appears.

6. In the pane, choose a line feature template and configure the construction tool.
   1. Click a line feature template, and click the Active template button .
   2. Click Two-Point Line .
   3. Check Continue Two-Point Lines to create connecting two-point line features.

      Note:

      When this setting is enabled, the first vertex for the second line feature and any subsequent line features you create is automatically placed coincident with the endpoint of the previously drawn two-point line feature.

   The construction toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

7. On the construction toolbar, click Tangent Curve Segment .
8. Draw the start point and endpoint.
   1. Click the endpoint of the existing line or arc on which you want to create the point of tangency.
   2. Move the pointer and click the approximate endpoint of the tangent arc.
9. Right-click, and click Circular Arc

   The arc preview rotates to the calculated tangent direction, and the dialog box appears.

   

   Note:

   When you click a point of tangency that is shared by the start or endpoints of two or more features, circular arcs take precedence over line features. To override the default feature, click Select and select the line or arc feature before you click a new point of tangency.

   The feature that determines the new tangent arc is based on a priority given to specific geometry types and direction noted in the table below. The same priority is applied to all features when no feature is selected, and to all features in a selection when multiple features are selected.

   Feature precedence for coincident points of tangency

   Priority	Geometry type	Direction with respect to new tangent arc
   1	Circular arc	Same
   2	Circular arc	Opposite
   3	Straight line	Same
   4	Straight line	Opposite

10. To flip the orientation of the arc preview and the resulting draw, click Left or Right.
11. Press Enter to close the dialog box and create the tangent arc.