Using Breakline and Planarize Line to construct new parcels

[RyanKelso]

When I create new parcels in my parcel fabric, I usually just click the New Parcel button on the Parcel Editor toolbar.  From there I can change the plan or template if I need to.  The problem is, using this method, the Planarize Lines, Breakline, and Create Parallel Offset tools aren't available.  These tools are extremely useful when creating a new parcel!!

The other way to create a new parcel is to open the Plan Directory, right-click a plan, and click Construction.  Now this method allows me to use Planarize, Breakline, and Create Parallel Offset, hooray.  But there are a new set of problems with this method.  I can't set the properties of the parcel before it gets built, can't view the misclose or any other closure information, the Parallel Line and Centerline Offset tools become unavailable.

Is it supposed to work this way or am I experiencing some unusual behavior with the tools?

If this is working as intended... yikes... I'd like to hear an explanation that might help my understanding of using these tools.  The inconsistencies between New Parcel and New Construction are both confusing and frustrating.

[TimHodson]

Hi Ryan,

When in the construction environment you�??re working with line-work prior to actually creating the parcels. This environment is usually best used when pre-defining the line-work for multiple parcels at once, in a subdivision, for example. The parcels are only present after you�??re done with defining the lines, and after you click Build; this is why you are not able to attribute individual parcels--they are not present yet. Since the construction is a network of lines, there is no single misclosure.

In the other case where you are creating a single parcel, the attributes can be defined immediately, and the closure can be reported right away. This is because the parcel lines can (should) immediately form a single sequence of boundary lines to create a closed loop. (The exception being if it�??s defined as an unclosed parcel.)

-Tim

[RyanKelso]

Thanks for that info, Tim.  I'll admit that it took me a while to understand the difference between the construction environment (multiple parcels) and creating a single new parcel.  But this explanation sort of just echos what I was wondering about in the first place:  that when creating a single new parcel, the Breakline, Planarize Lines, and Create Parallel Offset tools can't be used.  They are only available with the construction environment.  It seems like they should be available when creating a single new parcel as well, I thought it could be a bug or something rather than designed behavior.

For example, I was creating a single new right-of-way parcel.  I had an engineer's ROW plan that used multiple centerlines, stationing, and L/R offsets rather than metes and bounds.  It was a complex construction and I didn't realize at first that these tools I've mentioned weren't available in this environment.  They would have made it easier.  And it would be nice to retain the ability to define attributes immediately.