I would like to be able copy/paste or export/import courses in a Traverse or Construction grid. This would be a simple text format that can be imported, exported, copied, pasted, and edited using a standard text editor.
Here are some use cases:
I need to redo a workflow, and I do not want to re-enter all the COGO calls.
I have saved a traverse using the COGO toolbar, and I want to put it into the parcel fabric.
I want to export a traverse from a parcel fabric and work with it using the COGO toolbar.
I have two overlapping parcels that are nearly identical, and I do not want to type the courses more than once.
I want to teach someone how to do something, and I want to save data entry time in the learning process.
Someone has given me a text file of COGO courses, and I would like to reformat it and paste it in.
This would be complimentary functionality to the XML format currently supported. Think of it as a typing aid for data entry.
The contents of the copied/pasted or imported/exported data would be simple ascii comma-delimited text. Here is a proposed format:
Bearing, Distance, Radius, Curve_parameter
If the curve parameter does not have an override, the parameter specified the plan settings would be used.
Here is an example of input data to be pasted or imported into the grid. This is the same format used for manual data entry into the grid:
20-46-18-3,60
N48-17-08wCB,,223,110.42
*,,223,110.42C
N20-56-54W,,223,100.35
*,75.2
And here is an example of the same data copied or exported from the grid:
S20-46-18W, 60
N48-17-08Wcb, , 223.00, 110.42c
N20-56-54Wcb, , 223.00, 100.35c
N7-56-44W, 75.2
Data copied or exported would be cleanly and explicitly formatted, including overrides, calculated tangent bearings, etc.
The format of COGO calls in a traverse file could also be supported as an alternative format for both import and export. Here is an example of this format:
DT QB
DU DMS
SP 454868.9 298986.09
EP 454868.9 298986.09
DD N90-0-0E 105
AD 45-0-0 100
TC C 45 D 100-0-0 L
NC C 45 D 100-0-0 C N45-0-0E R
We would need to figure our how to accomodate the start point (SP) and End Point (EP). They could either snap to existing points or be created as new COGO points if there is no point to snap to. Alternatively, they could be ignored, and the tool could just insert the COGO calls into the Traverse Grid or Construction Grid.
The user interface could consist as context menu (right-click) choices in the Traverse and Construction grid:
Two context menu choices called “Copy Connected Courses” and “Export Connected Courses” would only be active when one or more sequentially connected courses are selected in the grid.
Two other context menu choices called “Paste Courses” and “Import Courses” would do essentially the same thing as “Insert Row”, except that one or more COGO calls would be inserted as new rows.
Disclaimer: I work for Esri, but I am not on the development team, so please consider this comment to be just another suggestion, and not any kind of official word from Esri. I would welcome discussion on this idea.
