Topic: Measure By Chord Length?

[BlackBox]

How does one measure a Polyline by chord length?

I thought this was part of the MEASURE Command, but I must be mistaken.

In straight segments, it's easy to copy down. If the point of curvature/tangency is within the desired measured distance, or along a curved segment, etc then the degree of curvature will affect the required arc length in order to reach the chord length.

As example: radial parking spaces between a condo building and a curved centerline.

Old school method was just to draw a circle to determine the location of the next parking stall Haha, but there must be a better way nowadays, no?

TIA

[nobody]

Most guys I know use the measure command with a block...accepting the arc length knowing it's a bit conservative.  Polar array works, if you don't mind using calculator to figure out the angle you want using the radius.  I some guys who used the parcels tools in civil 3d in a trash drawing then just exploding it.  Again though, it uses arc length.

[BlackBox]

Thanks, Alien.

I used the Parcel layout tools on a recent subdivision, and ended up having to calculate the required arc length for each-and-every-single radii, and account for which side of the radii the lots were (inside/outside), which was a PITA.

I'm probably going to have to code my own tool for this, but wanted to ask first, as I now end up needing to measure by chord length for every concept plan, or commercial/residential project.

Cheers

[nobody]

Is frustrating. We had to have some stuff written for things like this. Wish the civil 3d developers would talk to people who know what they are doing before generating stuff like this. I don't think I can recall a situation I needed to layout anything with arc-lengths :/

[BlackBox]

Still probably going to have to roll my own in the interim, but posted this anyway:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-civil-3d-ideas/measure-by-chord-length/idi-p/6344450