Differences between various distance and direction tools

Hemlock_Grove

Hi,

I'm wondering if someone would be able to give a quick rundown (or link to a resource) on the different ways lines/features can be drawn using distance and direction input.

As far as I know, there are at least 3 ways:

1. When drawing a line feature, right click and click 'distance/direction'
2. Use the 'Distance and Direction' tool from the insert tab
3. Create a Traverse (CoGo)

I usually hear of people using traverses to enter survey plans with bearings and distances (and I've used it as such), but I'm having a hard time understanding what functional differences there are between these methods. Are they all equally accurate, and just have different strengths and weaknesses in other ways?

For background context, I am usually using a survey plan to create accurate line features, but sometimes it will just be a few lines.

danretired

They all have their uses and they all are needed or not needed.  As important is the distance or area over which one needs to make the measures and the accuracy needed.  You are going to need geodesic calculations if you are going to the corner store for instance.  If geodesic isn't mentioned, then it isn't used... or its help topic is wrong.