Close Polyline

[mpkeane]

I drew a complex polyline shape but failed to close the ends exactly, the result of which is that, although there is perimeter data for the shape, there is no area data shown. Is it possible to close an un-closed polyline shape without redrawing the whole thing?

I tried using the Connect/Combine Tool but that did not work.

Any hints would be greatly appreciated.

Marc

[michaelk]

I'm not sure if this goes back to 12.5, but (in 2010) with the polygon tool, if you click the "closed" box in the OIP it will draw a line between the first and last vertices to finish closing the polygon.

With the polyline tool you can use the 2D reshape tool to add a vertex to the end of the polyline or move the first and last vertices together. Or you can draw a line between the first and last vertices and use the Modify>Compose command to close it.

hth

michaelk

[mpkeane]

Thank you michaelk

I couldn't find a "closed" box in the OIP. What is that?

I did find out part of my problem though. I was using the Polyline Tool with the Fill Style set to None. If you get the closure just right with the Fill set to None the Area data will appear, but if you don't, even if you close the polyline afterward, no area data appears. If you turn on the Fill, however, area data suddenly appears.

Thanks again.

Marc

[bcd]

OIP = object info palette.

You can turn it of via Window>Palettes>Object Info.

There is a check box near the bottom of the palette when you're drawing your polygon that you can check to close the polygon automatically.

[Benson Shaw]

That Close tick box only appears in the OIP for polygons.

If you know where the unclosed face/end is, zoom in and use the Edit Polyline Tool. Set tool to Hide/Show Next Edge mode and click the open face. This will convert the face to a solid facet. If needed, set the tool to Delete Vertex mode and delete any extra vertices you added when you missed the beginning point with your end point.

The modes for any tool are indicated in the little boxes at upper left of drawing window. Click the desired box, or toggle through them with the u key.

HTH

-B

[Matt P]

If it's a polyline, you could always select the polyline and click (on a mac, slightly different route on windows) 'modify' 'convert' and then 'convert to polygon' ...then the close box will appear and can be selected.

[Benson Shaw]

That works, but note that curves in the converted object will have lots more vertices connected by straight segments. No way to convert back to curve objects.

-B

[Rossford]

Benson,

There is a third party source script for simplify polygons you can buy. If you don't mind one extra step, you can covert to 3D polys and run the "landmark - simplify 3d poly" (filter 3D poly in 2009 and earlier)command and then convert back to 2D polys.

For my contour line work, I often draw freehand poly lines and then need to convert, as per above.

I find that the suggested filter can be increased anywhere from 5 to 10 X and get the right amount of poly vertices. I have played with it, and using 5X cuts the suggested recommendation vertices about in half. 10 X reduces them a bit more, but not by much.

[Benson Shaw]

Good reminder, Rossford. I have varying luck with the vertex filters & that simplifying script. The filters change the shapes a bit, which changes the area calc- probably minimally. You seem to have mastered the multiplier effects in the simplify script. I will look at that again to see if I can make it work for me.

Closing the polyline via Close/Hide Edge mode of 2d Reshape Tool enables the area calc in OIP. No need for conversions, filters or the simplifying script. Assuming the hidden edge can be found.

-B

[Rossford]

Benson,

I spent some time this morning with that script. It came in as a default setting of .1 and I had been changing it every use to a more useable setting (between .3 and 7.5)

I simply duplicated it, labeled the offset distance, and edited the script to change the default setting for various size objects. Now I can just click the sscript I think will be best and run that. Save a move and some time.

I learned something and now know I can leave shapes as polys and get their area a few different ways - use a solid fill (even if class opacity is set to 0, or close it via the reshape tool.

Thanks, since those tips will save me lots of time.