Snapping a polyline with the Distance and Direction set, Desktop

Question

Creating a line feature in ArcPro with snapping on:  My question is:  when I create a line in ArcPro, with snapping on, I have the option when digitising to snap to any other part of the existing line network (excepting the piece I am digitising) – Pic A below left – you can see the snap “test edge” text.  However, assume I have an existing line segment (100m long), and I want to digitise another line segment topologically on top of that segment, but only 50m long – so halfway (just an example).  I can start by snapping my new line to the start vertex of the first line, and then I use the Distance option and input 50m to ensure my segment is 50m long – but as soon as I use either the Distance or Direction inputs, I am NOT able to snap to my existing line (Pic B below right – there is no snap option – and I am well within tolerance.  Is there a reason why I cannot snap to a line using the Distance / Direction options.  And yip, there are workarounds – but this seems odd to me.  I have tried “all” the standard Create tool options. I might be wrong, but I seem to remember this was allowed in ArcMap 10.

Scott_Harris · Answer

Hi @BenCobbing1

I see now. I can reproduce it. The development team will investigate it further. If you need to track it, you can contact Esri Technical Support.

If you want to continue editing in a Geographic Coordinate System, try using the combined "Direction and Distance" constraint while sketching and snapping to the edge like this:

The direction and distance values will auto populate from the location where you right clicked while snapping to that edge. At that point you can just update to the desired distance value, while leaving the direction value to the value it was populated with. This should result in topologically correct, overlapping lines like you want.

BenCobbing1 · Answer

Ok - eish - this is going to sound very dim.  Yes I can snap - and it works - but one's map frame (or at least) my map needs to be in a projected view.  I was working in a Geo (Lat/long) view - and assumed (wrongly of course) that while ArcPro will calc distances / areas in a Geo view using the Geodesic property option (unlike ArcMap 10) - ArcPro wont extend that courtesy to auto snapping in a geoview....

Thank you Scott - since I could see you did it, I realised it had to be another setting, and when in doubt, check projections...lol

Thank you.

BenCobbing1 · Answer

Hi Scott - that is exactly what I want to do - but whether I use Distance or Direction (not both), my snap seems "disabled.  That is what I could do in ArcMap 10.  I have all my snap setting ticked. My snap tolerance is wide / broad.  But lets say I am just using the Distance value - my cursor floats right past the line....its odd.  Maybe there is something else not ticked.  Since you can do it, I must be able to as well.  I'll investigate.