Silt Fence Takeoff Using DWG File

I ran into an issue yesterday when I was attempting to do a silt fence takeoff. The DWG file has a polyline that is in the location of the proposed silt fence. If I use the length of this line it is 3X the length if I were to trace it or use the track region command to create a new line. I suspect there is some sort of overlapping line going on. Do you think this is the issue? If so how can I check this? If not how would you deal with this issue?

Can you upload just the line you’re talking about?

Silt Fence.vcl (152.0 KB) Here you go.

Yeah its back tracking on itself somehow. If you edit it and look at the directions of the arrows on both the left and right side you’ll see them switching directions. Run the project clean up, remove overlapping line loops. Then you’re going to have edit it again and watch the directions of the arrows and break it where they’re going both directions. until you get it with them all going one direction


Someone may have an easier way.

Alternatively you could elevate two parts of the line to different elevations. then go into 3D and look at it.

What I have come up with so far is to use the RPS Show Direction Command. It shows it looping back on itself. Once I know this I will use the Track Region Outline command to create a new line. I am guessing since it was a closed line it only shows as one object vs if it was not closed it would show multiple objects.

when you have overlapping lines I have notice the tick the line shows when you select it. The ticks are closer together. What I do is, I grab one of the points of the line ( the end of the middle) and drag it. This will show me if the line has revered on itself. another step to try is offsetting.
selected line with regular ticks

the line just with another segment reversed on itself. more ticks

dragging one of the point of the line away from itself.

this is a straight segment the I continued in the reverese order just broke up the segments. so when I offset the line I somehow get a rectangle.
image

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The guys have all provided good feedback here - the following videos show how you can track these types of issue using the Linestring Editor (Video 1) and the Line Markings - Show Large Deflections option (Video 2).

Video 1 - Using Linestring Editor To Fix Lines with Double Backs

Video 2 - Using Line Markings to Identify Lines with Double Backs

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Thanks for the help again Alan. That’s exactly what I needed.