Surveyor's Unit

[Anonymous]

Hello, I've done terrains from surveyors plans a number of times in AC and some how I am trying to trace a pice of land in AC from a survey for a new project and AC is not drawing the right angles.

For example if I draw a line 400' long w/ the angle S74d 09' 13"E

ArchiCAD draws a line w/ 400' but the angle is N74d 09' 13"E

Any idea what is going on?

[Mark Wallace]

ArchiCAD does something like an 'automatic backsite" in surveyor's terms.

I was told why once many years ago and it made no sense then, so I forgot about it.

I just flip the N's & S's as well as the E's & W's when inputting. It's like dealing with a badly written deed.

HTH's

Mark

[Anonymous]

You mean rotating NORTH 180 degrees?

[Mark Wallace]

No....I meant it just as you wrote it. The line appears with the 'direction' or angle bearing 180 degrees from the direction I'm going. So if the line bears N 61d E, I simply input it as S 61d W.

It's like ArchiCAD jumps ahead and then 'looks back' from the finishing point in the line as opposed to the starting point.

I learned to input my points using hotspots instead of lines. It's more like actual land surveying. I draw the line to connect the dots & then manually dimension the bearing. I also use a 'circular' arrow for a symbol similar to a pin or monument as drafted on surveyor plat plans.

Setbacks are copied in a parallel distance from the boundary line and line style changed.

It's also very interesting when a deed doesn't close and you can demonstrate it directly from ArchiCAD.

Been doing it this way for years....honest.


Mark

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much Mark, very illustrative.

[Barry Kelly]

I never input with surveyors units but I was wondering if this Work Environment option has an impact on what you are describing.

Barry.

[Mark Wallace]

Barry wrote:
I never input with surveyors units but I was wondering if this Work Environment option has an impact on what you are describing.

Barry.

Wow...it sure does. Using that WE option does let you input points the way fransole and most other folks would like to construct their survey lines.

Thanks....

Mark