topic Editing: Create Rectangle Entities with Specific Direction, Length, Width in Data Management Questions

Editing: Create Rectangle Entities with Specific Direction, Length, Width

KevinPerry — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 19:19:29 GMT

In an edit session, I need to create a series of rectangles that are 950' x 225'. In a brand new shapefile, I have launched an edit session, selected Rectangle under Construction Tools, and right-clicked the mouse in order to access the direction, length, and width parameters. Problem is, the parameters are grayed out. Does anyone have an idea why that might be?

Screen shot is attached.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]29026[/ATTACH]

Re: Editing: Create Rectangle Entities with Specific Direction, Length, Width

TimWitt — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:11:24 GMT

I think you need to start your sketch first, by left-clicking and placing your first vertex, then you can use those tools.

Re: Editing: Create Rectangle Entities with Specific Direction, Length, Width

KevinPerry — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:42:31 GMT

I tried that. I began the sketch and then tried to engage the right-click menu, and still it was grayed out.

Re: Editing: Create Rectangle Entities with Specific Direction, Length, Width

TimWitt — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:50:22 GMT

What is the coordinate system of your new shapefile?

Re: Editing: Create Rectangle Entities with Specific Direction, Length, Width

JohnSobetzer — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:29:04 GMT

If you hit and hold the shift key after clicking and moving the pointer, does that give you a square? Hitting the tab key makes it quicker to draw a rectangle but you have to rotate it later.

I don't know why you aren't getting the right click options, but as a workaround you could create your squares in graphics (use the shift key trick) and then convert them to features in a shapefile.

Re: Editing: Create Rectangle Entities with Specific Direction, Length, Width

KevinPerry — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:46:13 GMT

The coordinate system of the new shapefile is NAD_1983_StatePlane_New_Jersey_FIPS_2900_Feet.

The Shift and Tab commands did not allow me to draw the rectangles at the dimension I need, 950' x 225'. But thank you for offering those solutions.

Re: Editing: Create Rectangle Entities with Specific Direction, Length, Width

JimCousins — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 15:30:11 GMT

I believe John's solution regarding graphics will work for you. Draw a graphic square in data view, right click for properties, and set the height and width, then convert graphics to shape on the drawing toolbar.
Regards,
Jim