Smart Edit - Break Mode
BREAK EDIT MODES
When you break a line in TBC, it creates two or more separate lines, each with a new internal serial number.
In the TBC standard Break command, this means that it retains the selection of the part of the line before the break (in terms of increasing station) and deselects the second part of the line because it is a new line with a unique serial number. If you wish to break the line in several locations, this typically means that you have to select the line, then break it, and then select the line again and break it, etc., in a repeating pattern. Also, very often, you want to break lines at specific stations in relation to a reference line or alignment. For each break point, you need to use the right-click COGO functions at two levels to break the line at a defined station.
We wanted to provide you with a set of tools that are more efficient and effective and that have broader capabilities for editing your data.
SETUP AND CONFIGURATION
Command Interface
The Smart Edit - Break command interface looks as follows:
Return to Smart Edit Help
To navigate back to the Smart Edit master help document,
Click here.
EXECUTE
Break - Simple
The Break - Simple option provides access to several Break Modes. The Break Modes have been optimized for increased productivity on common break workflows. The Break Modes include the following:
Break - Single - Once
Single refers to a single line, and Once refers to the number of breaks, i.e., one break per selected line. In this mode, the workflow is: select the line, break it here, select the line, break it here, etc., in an alternating pattern. This is similar in operation to the TBC Break command.
Clip width checkbox:
Check this checkbox if you wish to create a clipped gap around each break point.
When checked, enter the desired Clip width. The Clip width is split 50/50 on either side of the break point.
Select Line
Select the line that you wish to break.
Station / Distance
Select the break location graphically or enter a station / distance along the line for the break location.
The line will be broken, and the command focus returns to the selection of the next line.
Note: If you wish to use a reference line / alignment for stationing, use the Break - Multiple - Once mode (see below).
Video Demonstration
Break - Single - Often
Single refers to a single line, and Often refers to the number of breaks, i.e., multiple breaks per selected line. In this mode, the workflow is: select the line, break it here, break it here, break it here, etc. This allows you to break the selected line in multiple locations with a single click per break point. You can also copy and paste station values for break locations from Excel or Notepad, etc.
Clip width checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to create a clipped gap around each break point.
When checked, enter the desired Clip width. The Clip width is split 50/50 on either side of the break point.
Select Line
Select the line that you wish to break.
Station / Distance
Select the break locations graphically or enter station / distance values along the line for the break locations. As you enter or select each station value, it is added to the table for reference. You can right-click in the table area to Paste values from the clipboard (copy from Excel / Notepad), Add values, Import values from a spreadsheet, Delete values, or Clear the table and start over.
When you click Apply, the line will be broken at the selected locations, and the command focus returns to the selection of the next line to be broken.
Clear Highlights button
On breaking a line in multiple locations, the segments of the line and the break points will be displayed using the RPS line highlights. You can click the Clear Highlights button to clear the highlights once you have reviewed the results. Clicking the next line will also clear the highlights.
Note: If you wish to use a reference line / alignment for stationing, use the Break - Multiple - Often mode (see below).
Video Demonstration
Break - Multiple - Once
Multiple refers to one or more lines, and Once refers to the number of breaks, i.e., one break of all the selected lines. In this mode, the workflow is: select the lines, break them here, select the lines, break them here, etc., in an alternating pattern.
Clip width checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to create a clipped gap around each break point.
When checked, enter the desired Clip width. The Clip width is split 50/50 on either side of the break point.
Reference line checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to define the break points for the lines selected at stations along a reference line rather than along the lines themselves.
When checked, select the reference line or alignment.
Select Line(s)
Select the line or lines that you wish to break.
Station / Distance
Select the break location graphically or enter a station / distance along the line(s) for the break location.
The line(s) will be broken, and the command focus returns to the selection of the next set of lines.
Clear Highlights button
On breaking multiple lines in a single location, the segments of the lines and the break points will be displayed using the RPS line highlights. You can click the Clear Highlights button to clear the highlights once you have reviewed the results. Clicking the next set of lines will also clear the highlights.
Video Demonstration
Break - Multiple - Often
Multiple refers to one or more lines, and Often refers to the number of breaks, i.e., multiple breaks of all the selected lines. In this mode, the workflow is: select the lines, break them here, here, and here, etc.
Clip width checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to create a clipped gap around each break point.
When checked, enter the desired Clip width. The Clip width is split 50/50 on either side of the break point.
Reference line checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to define the break points for the lines selected at stations along a reference line rather than along the lines themselves.
When checked, select the reference line or alignment.
Select Line(s)
Select the line or lines that you wish to break.
Station / Distance
Select the break locations graphically or enter station / distance values along the lines for the break locations. As you enter or select each station value, it is added to the table for reference. You can right-click in the table area to Paste values from the clipboard (copy from Excel / Notepad), Add values, Import values from a spreadsheet, Delete values, or Clear the table and start over.
When you click Apply, the lines will be broken at the selected locations, and the command focus returns to the selection of the next line to be broken.
Clear Highlights button
On breaking multiple lines in multiple locations, the segments of the lines and the break points will be displayed using the RPS line highlights. You can click the Clear Highlights button to clear the highlights once you have reviewed the results. Clicking the next set of lines will also clear the highlights.
Video Demonstration
Break - Remove segment(s) between two points
In this mode, you will create a gap in the line between two clicked locations along the line(s). You can carry out this operation on a single line or multiple lines, and you can utilize stationing from a selected reference line if required. You can also apply the Clip width to the break points, which will clip 50% of the Clip width at both ends of the gap that you create between the break locations.
In this process, the command flows as follows: select the line(s) that you want to break, select break point 1, select break point 2, execute the breaks and removal of the segments between the two break points on all selected lines, and return to line selection to start a new process. Execution is automatic upon selection of break point 2.
Clip width checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to create a clipped gap around each break point.
When checked, enter the desired Clip width. The Clip width is split 50/50 on either side of the break point.
Reference line checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to define the break points for the lines selected at stations along a reference line rather than along the lines themselves.
When checked, select the reference line or alignment.
Select Line(s)
Select the line or lines that you wish to break.
Station / Distance
In this mode, the command is expecting two break points to be selected on the line prior to execution. Execution is automatically applied upon selection of break point 2.
Clear Highlights button
On breaking multiple lines in multiple locations, the segments of the lines and the break points will be displayed using the RPS line highlights. You can click the Clear Highlights button to clear the highlights once you have reviewed the results. Clicking the next set of lines will also clear the highlights.
Video Demonstration
Break - Two point crossing
In this mode, you can break multiple lines at a crossing line defined using two points. This saves you from having to create the crossing line in order to execute the break process.
The flow of the command is as follows: select the line(s) to break, select point 1 and point 2 for the definition of the crossing line, execute, and return to the selection of lines to break for the next execution. Execution is automatic upon selection of point 2 of the crossing line.
Clip width checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to create a clipped gap around each break point.
When checked, enter the desired Clip width. The Clip width is split 50/50 on either side of the break point.
Select Line(s)
Select the line or lines that you wish to break.
Point 1
Select point 1 of the crossing line. You can use TBC Snaps to snap to points or line nodes in the usual manner.
Point 2
Select point 2 of the crossing line. You can use TBC Snaps to snap to points or line nodes in the usual manner. The command execution occurs upon clicking this location.
Clear Highlights button
On breaking multiple lines in multiple locations, the segments of the lines and the break points will be displayed using the RPS line highlights. You can click the Clear Highlights button to clear the highlights once you have reviewed the results. Clicking the next set of lines will also clear the highlights.
Video Demonstration
Break - At intersect line
In this mode, you will be breaking the selected line(s) at the point at which they cross a selected line. The flow of this command is as follows: select the line or lines that you wish to break, select the crossing line, execute, and return to the next set of line selections. The execution of the command is automatic upon selection of the crossing line.
Clip width checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to create a clipped gap around each break point.
When checked, enter the desired Clip width. The Clip width is split 50/50 on either side of the break point.
Select Line(s)
Select the line or lines that you wish to break.
Select intersecting line
Select the line along which you wish to break the selected lines. Execution is automatic upon selecting the intersecting line.
Clear Highlights button
On breaking multiple lines in multiple locations, the segments of the lines and the break points will be displayed using the RPS line highlights. You can click the Clear Highlights button to clear the highlights once you have reviewed the results. Clicking the next set of lines will also clear the highlights.
Video Demonstration
Break - Intervals
In this mode, you can break one or more lines at even intervals along each line or at even intervals along a reference line (provides stationing). The flow of the command is as follows: enter the break interval, e.g., 25’, select the line or lines that you want to break, execute the break process, and return to the entry of a new interval for the next line selection. The interval value is retained for each execution cycle. You can press Enter to accept it or overwrite the value and press Enter.
Clip width checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to create a clipped gap around each break point.
When checked, enter the desired Clip width. The Clip width is split 50/50 on either side of the break point.
Reference line checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to define the break points for the lines selected at stations along a reference line rather than along the lines themselves.
When checked, select the reference line or alignment.
Select Line(s)
Select the line or lines that you wish to break.
Interval
Enter the value for the break interval required. If the Reference line checkbox is active, the interval is computed along the reference line and applied perpendicular to the reference line to all of the selected lines. If the Reference line checkbox is deactivated, the interval is computed along each of the selected lines individually. Press Enter or Apply to execute the break process.
Clear Highlights button
On breaking multiple lines in multiple locations, the segments of the lines and the break points will be displayed using the RPS line highlights. You can click the Clear Highlights button to clear the highlights once you have reviewed the results. Clicking the next set of lines will also clear the highlights.
Video Demonstration
Break - At offset
In this mode, you can break one or more lines at their intersection with a line offset from a selected intersection line. The flow of the command is as follows: select the lines to break, select the intersecting line, enter the offset to the intersecting line, execute, and return to the next set of line selections.
Clip width checkbox
Check this checkbox if you wish to create a clipped gap around each break point.
When checked, enter the desired Clip width. The Clip width is split 50/50 on either side of the break point.
Select Line(s)
Select the line or lines that you wish to break.
Select intersecting line
Select the intersecting line that will have the offset applied to it for the break locations.
Offset
Enter the offset value for the intersecting line. Press Enter or Apply to execute the break process.
Clear Highlights button
On breaking multiple lines in multiple locations, the segments of the lines and the break points will be displayed using the RPS line highlights. You can click the Clear button to clear the highlights once you have reviewed the results. Clicking the next set of lines will also clear the highlights.
VIDEO DEMONSTRATION
USE CASE VIDEOS
The following videos show the use of the Smart Edit - Break command in a workflow context:
FEEDBACK AND ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS
If you would like to provide feedback on the use of the Smart Edit - Break command or to request enhancements or improvements to the command, please click Reply below.