About Coordinate Geometry (COGO)

Use the coordinate geometry (COGO) input commands to enter accurate geometry when creating objects. For example, you can create parcel boundaries from legal documents or survey data.

Typical field sketches showing points defined by distance-distance (left) and bearing-bearing (right).

You can access COGO commands from the COGO Input dialog box. The COGO Input dialog box is available on the ribbon as well as on the tool bar of the Task PaneSurvey tab. You can also enter COGO data “transparently” (while running other commands) by entering ‘mapcogo at the command prompt.

For example, start the Polyline (PLINE) command. When prompted for the next point in the polyline, enter ‘mapcogo. The COGO Input dialog box appears. Select a COGO routine, and enter the COGO data to calculate the new point. When you finish specifying the point, the Polyline command prompts you to enter the next point. You can enter the point normally, or you can start another transparent command to specify the point.

Note:

You can still access most COGO commands transparently by typing an apostrophe (‘) plus the command name (AD, BB, BD, DD, DDIST, ZD). Orthogonal/Offset and Inverse Report are only available from the COGO Input dialog box.

It can be very helpful to enable node object snapping when specifying points using coordinate geometry. Node object snapping allows you to snap to point objects in the drawing window, which makes selecting points much easier.