Segment properties

This function allows you to select a point and display pertinent details about the segment to which the selected point belongs.

To run this function: Choose Inquire > Segment properties, or...

In the Function Chooser, type IDENTIFY SEGMENT, and press ENTER.

Select the point of interest

Position the pointer and select the segment of interest.

The Identify segment function will continue until the Cancel button is pressed.

Result

Details about the selected segment are displayed in the message window as shown below:

String 1, Segment 1, #Points 68, Status=Open, Area=0.000
Chord Length=252.956, Slope chord length=2253.274, Arc length=253.743, Slope arc length=254.059
Segment is dipping: horizontal area = 0.00 vertical area = 2000.234 best fit area = 2230.365

Field	Description
Status	The status value indicates whether the segment is open or closed and if closed, what its direction is. Open. The segment is open. That is, the start and end points of the segment are separated by some non-zero 3 dimensional distance. A common mistake is to assume that a segment is closed because it appears closed. Segments are only reported as closed when the X, Y and Z values of the segment start and end points are the same. Clockwise. If a segment is closed, and if it has an area that is greater than ZERO it will be reported as clockwise in direction. Anti-clockwise. If a segment is closed, and if it has an area that is less than ZERO it will be reported as anti-clockwise in direction. Closed. If a segment is closed, and if it has an area that is equal to ZERO it will be reported as closed.
Chord length	The chord length is determined by summing the horizontal distances between all points in the segment. This is the exact distance as defined by the XY coordinates of the points in the segment.
Slope chord length	The slope chord length is determined by summing the slope distances between all points in the segment. This is the exact distance as defined by the XYZ coordinates of the points in the segment.
Arc length	The segment may sometimes have portions that approximate a circular arc. This is typically achieved through use of the Circle, Curve Tangent or Curve End functions. Curves are approximated by a number of straight line segments. The arc length reported here is calculated, for curves approximated in this manner, using the arc distance rather than the chord distance around such curves. The arc distance is determined by careful analysis of the segment. Any group of 4 or more adjacent points that are within a reasonable tolerance of being on the same circular arc are subsequently used in the arc distance calculations. Only circular curves in the XY plane are considered.
Slope arc length	The slope chord length is determined by summing the individual slope arc distances between all points in the segment. The method of determining arc distances for points on circular arcs is described above.
*Segment is [vertical* / horizontal / dipping or not coplanar]**	Depending on the segment, the third line will report that the segment is: vertical: all points of the segment lie in a vertical plane, horizontal: all points of the segment lie in a horizontal plane, dipping or not coplanar: the points of the segment either lie in a dipping plane or are not coplanar. Vertical and horizontal segments will have the area of the segment in the relevant plane reported. Other segments will produce a report of: horizontal area. The horizontal area calculation is performed on the projection of the segment in the XY plane. vertical area. The vertical area calculation is performed on the projection of the segment in the vertical plane with the same strike as the plane of best fit. best fit area. The best fit area calculation is performed on the projection of the segment in the plane of best fit of the segment. If all points of the segment lie in a single dipping plane, this is the area of the segment in that plane. section area. If there is a current section area, the area of the segment projected on the plane is reported. The area for segments that self intersect is meaningless and should be ignored.