What are the capabilities of COGO points for Open Roads?

Absolutely AGREE.....I used cogo point for designing special ditches. I know end conditions can solve what I am about to explain but here goes. This solution reverts back to the days when we were using decision tables....V8.1 - V8.5.

1.) I would run the modeler and create cross-sections
2.) Using Microstation tools (line by active angle) I would create lines to represent my ditch bottoms. I had created settings groups for active angles to relate to the slopes that I wanted to create.
3.) Once the ditch bottoms were created, I used the drafting tools to find the ditch bottom, station, offset and elevations.
4.) Then I would store cogo points in a 3d file and chain up the points. (I suppose you could have wrote a TIW, but keying them and storing for me was quicker)
5.) Import the linework as a Horizontal and Vertical alignment.
6.) In the point controls I would target the ditch bottom alignment in the end condition.

This has been my preferred method. I am sure there are other ones out there. But, this is one way that I have used cogo points.

Another use that I had for them was for survey field edits. I would be given an ascii or text file and after some editing I used the TIW to store and display the points in a 3d file. I would then update the mapping DTM using these points.

Very handy and useful command to make our life's simple in the design world.

• Sometimes we need to generate list of points and sometimes the client specifies a particular order after the fact.
  • So we start with our original buffer and create an XML report to open in Excel where we can reorganize the points to meet the order the client has asked. We will build a series of ICS input lines to recreate the stored points using formulas in Excel.
• We also sometimes use custom XML Reports that create new ICS input files to make edits that are difficult to do using the graphic tools.
  • I've used ICS files to combine multiple horizontal alignments into a single alignment and then use an ICS file to rebuild the vertical alignment for the combined horizontal alignment that contains a likewise combined vertical alignment from the two original horizontal  alignments.
• I've even use ICS files as a sort of spacial database.
  • Points were named using information that was needed as part of a bulk label. The Styles were created to control the display of points as they were plotted, sometimes using "as defined" and sometimes with an override. The descriptions were also used for yet more information that also was part of a needed label.
  • In this process, we took spreadsheet data to build ICS batch files to bulk load the data. The original data was provided as a table in a PDF so we really needed to call out all the stops.
• One of our local jurisdictions is very picky about how you recreate properties and right of way information.
  • They will often question the "intent" of a particular point or line - that is, how did you determine this location. Using ICS is almost the only way to be able to answer their questions in a manner that they can review. And if they disagree with some segment of the process, you can edit the ICS file to match their request and rerun the process.