Inquiry Commands
Inquiry Commands
Three commands that measure and report rather than change the drawing. Results go to the command
log, so scroll it (or press F2 for the console) to read them.
ID — identify a point
Ribbon: Inquiry → ID Point Command: ID
ID — specify point (click in drawing or type X,Y). UCS = World. ESC cancels.
ID: Pick point (OSNAP when enabled) or type X,Y — logs UCS World | ESC cancel
Reports the coordinates of a point:
ID — UCS (World) X = 1543268.250 Y = 483112.900 Z = 0.000
Coordinates are always in World — X is easting, Y is northing, Z is elevation — regardless of
the current work plane. Decimals follow the UNITS display precision.
With object snap on, ID reports the snapped feature, which makes it the quick way to read off the exact coordinates of an endpoint, an intersection, or a survey point.
If a command is already running, ID refuses:
ID — finish or cancel the active command first.
INVERSE — distance and bearing between two points
Ribbon: Survey → Inverse Command: INVERSE, INV
The core COGO measurement: a survey leg between two points.
INVERSE — first point (World X=Easting, Y=Northing); then second.
INVERSE: First point — pick or X,Y (Easting, Northing) | ESC cancel
INVERSE: Second point — pick or X,Y / @ from first | ESC cancel
- First point — click (snapping to a survey point or endpoint) or type
X,Y. - Second point — click, type
X,Y, or type@dx,dyrelative to the first.
The result
INVERSE — ΔE = 743.350 ΔN = -332.460 horiz dist = 814.397 bearing = 114°08'42"
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ΔE | Change in easting |
| ΔN | Change in northing |
| horiz dist | Horizontal distance between the two points |
| bearing | Direction, clockwise from north |
The bearing is reported in the format set in UNITS — decimal degrees, degrees/minutes/seconds, or
surveyor's bearings. See Coordinate Input.
If both picks land in the same place:
INVERSE — horizontal distance is zero; pick a different second point.
Tip — turn OSNAP on and set Survey point as a snap type before inversing between points. A pick a hundredth off is a hundredth of error in the reported distance.
SURFELEV — surface elevation and grade
Ribbon: Inquiry → Elev/Grade Command: SURFELEV, SE
Reads elevations off TIN surfaces, and the grade between two locations.
SURFELEV — pick a point for its surface elevation; pick a second for grade. ESC cancels.
SURFELEV: Pick a point for its surface elevation | ESC cancel
SURFELEV: Second point for grade | ESC stops after the elevation
Requires at least one surface. Without one:
SURFELEV — there are no surfaces in the drawing. Build one from a point group first.
See Point Groups and Surfaces.
First pick — elevation
Reports the interpolated elevation on every surface that covers that point, one line each:
SURFELEV — Existing Ground: elevation 412.685
SURFELEV — Proposed Grade: elevation 414.200
A pick outside every surface says so rather than extrapolating:
SURFELEV — outside surface. No elevation at that point.
Second pick — grade
SURFELEV — Existing Ground: grade -2.45% slope 40.82:1 horiz 118.220 vert -2.896
or, when the two points are at the same elevation:
SURFELEV — Existing Ground: level (0.00%) horiz 118.220 vert 0.000
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| grade | Rise over run as a percentage |
| slope | Run per unit of rise, as N:1 |
| horiz | Horizontal distance between the picks |
| vert | Elevation difference |
Cases the command reports rather than guessing at:
| Message | Meaning |
|---|---|
both picks are at the same location: horizontal distance 0. No grade. |
The two picks coincide |
<surface>: second point is outside this surface. No grade. |
The second pick left that surface |
outside surface at the first point; no grade to report. |
The first pick was already off the surface |
Press Esc after the first pick to stop with just the elevation.
Related reporting
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| Distance and bearing between two points | INVERSE |
| Exact coordinates of a feature | ID |
| Elevation and grade on a surface | SURFELEV |
| Traverse closure and residuals | Traverse Editor |
| Transformation parameters and point errors | Coordinate Alignment |
| A CSV of every point | EXPORTPOINTS — see Survey Points |
There is no AREA, DIST, LIST, or MASSPROP command. The only area GoSurvey reports is a
circle's, shown under Derived in the Properties panel along with its diameter and
circumference. A parcel area has to be computed outside the program — export the boundary or the
points and compute there.
Related
Survey Points · Point Groups and Surfaces · Coordinate Input · Object Snaps