Open Table of Contents

Target layer: Polyline, Polygon

Description:  This is a multi-function tool. Depending on the Hot Key pressed the user can draw a circle by dragging it, clicking the Center point and specifying radius or inputting the coordinates of the center point and dragging the radius.  The circle drawn will be added to the target layer depending on the type of the target layer and the user specified action. Depending on the settings the circle will be described with true arc (Geodatabase layers only) or densified with the user specified parameters.

Functions: Depending on the type of the target layer:

• Polyline - use the ET GeoTools control panel (Polyline Edit Settings tab ==> Polygon As Polyline Action)  or hotkey "A" when the tool is active to select the action
  • Add - adds the outline of the circle drawn as a polyline to the target polyline layer
  • Split - splits the existing polylines with the outline of the circle drawn (nodes introduced in the places of intersection). Attributes update rules apply
  • Add & Split - the outline of the circle drawn is added to the target layer. The existing polylines that intersect the outline of the circle  are split (nodes added in the places of intersection). Attributes update rules apply
  • Erase - the polylines or parts of them that are inside the circle  are erased. Attributes update rules apply
  • Erase & Add  - the polylines or parts of them that are inside the circle  are erased. The outline of the circle  is added to the polyline layer. Attributes update rules apply
• Polygon - Adds the circle to the target polygon layer. Use the ET GeoTools control panel (Polygon Edit Settings tab ==> Add Polygon Priority)  or hotkey "A" when the tool is active to select the priority of the buffer polygon. See The concept of Polygon editing for description of priorities used.

Advantages: 

• See Functions above
• See Hot Keys below

Hot Keys (Pressing these keys when the tool is active will allow changing  the parameters used by the function): 

• "S" - opens a dialog that allows adjusting the densification parameters. Does not have impact if the target layer has  a Geodatabase source and the user has set in the ET GeoTools control panel that he wants to use true arcs for circles and donuts. 
  • Maximum segment length. If set too high the result might be a Hexagon, Pentagon, Square or even an Equilateral triangle. The smaller the value, the better approximation of a circle will be achieved, but more vertices will be introduced.
  • Deviation value If Deviation value = 0, it is ignored and Line segments with length = Maximum segment length are constructed with vertices laying on the original circle.
• "R" - sets the Radius mode ON. The input required will be a single point - the result will be a circle with the user defined radius and  a center in the point clicked
• "D" - sets the Drag mode ON. The user haws to drag a line. The first point of the line will be used as a center of the circle. The length of the dragged line will be used as a radius of the circle. (This is the default mode)
• "A" 
  • Target - Polyline layer - sets the action to be performed
    • Add
    • Split 
    • Add & Split
    • Erase
    • Erase & Add
  • Target - Polygon Layer - sets priority for the polygon to be added. See The concept of Polygon editing
    • No Priority
    • Erase
    • Low
    • Standard
    • High

Attribute Updates: The attributes will be updated according to the attribute update rules defined for the target layer. (see Setting Attribute Update Rules for more information)

Snapping: Supported. Uses the standard Editor snapping settings

Example: Target = Polyline Layer - See the examples for Draw Polyline Tool

Example: Target = Polygon Layer- See the examples for Draw Polygon Tool.  See The concept of Polygon editing for description of priorities used.

Copyright © Ianko Tchoukanski