Angles

[SebagoLakeRanch]

How do I find the angle that three draw points make?

[John Moran_2]

The Draw Edit feature shows the bearings in Topo. Perhaps that is a start.

[SebagoLakeRanch]

I figured I could do that, would require some math. What I'm doing is some high tensile electric fence estimates. Under a certain angle I don't have to make a brace, over a certain angle I do. I'd like to be able to click on three waypoints and know what the angle is.

[Buz Steele]

I perform this task quite often. I have never figured out a way to automate the process. The calculator gets my business on this one. If anyone has figured this out, please speak up.

[DMcKittrick]

Try this:

1 - In the Draw tab, select the Polygon tool. If it's not currently visible, you will need to click and hold either the Circle or Rectangle tool to expose the three area options.
2 - On the right of the Draw tab, select the radio button next to Distance/Bearing.
3 - Click the arrow next to the Bearing field and select Angle. Note that Bearing is always relative to true or magnetic north (whichever is selected in the display options) and Angle relates to the previous line segment.
4 - Make sure Show Measurement is checked and use the Polygon tool to trace the path denoted by your three points.
5 - Before clicking on the third point, note the angle displayed next to the cursor.

Hope this helps.

[Buz Steele]

Thanks David. Now if only you could make that polygon snap to gis objects.

[John Moran_2]

Well, I'll be . . . .

It also works in Topo9.
JM_2

[DMcKittrick]

Thanks David. Now if only you could make that polygon snap to gis objects.

Buz,

The GIS polygon tool will snap to GIS points. If you're using GIS layers, the angle is displayed in the COGO editing window which can be opened using the button next to the Draw Object tool in the toolbar at the top of the screen.

[Buz Steele]

Nah, that's no good. The native resolution on my laptop is 1920 X 1200 and I have the DPI setting jacked up to 125% so these old eyes can see what's going on. At this setting, I cannot push the buttons. I already have the dialog resized to it's extents.

[DMcKittrick]

I'm not sure why the Help, Finish and Apply buttons are not visible in your COGO dialog box (I'll defer to my more under-the-hood savvy colleagues), but in the context of the issue previously described, you don't actually need them. With this window open and the Angle tab selected, you will see continually updated information about the polygon that you are creating using the adjacent Draw Object tool. When the polygon is complete and you have been able to ascertain the appropriate angle, you can simply close the window or move on to the next polygon.

[Buz Steele]

Thanks David, I'll give her a whirl.

[SebagoLakeRanch]

Exactly what I was looking for David, Thanks.