Splitting lines using the Breakline tool

This topic applies to ArcEditor and ArcInfo only.

The Breakline tool is used to add break points to parcel construction lines to split them into smaller segments. The Breakline tool is also used to add break points to parcel lines when using the Construct from parent command.

Breakline tool

Steps:

To use the Breakline tool, follow these steps:
1. Right-click the parcel line or parcel construction line to which you want to add break points and click Breakline.
A red line is displayed on the parcel line you right-clicked showing the direction in which the break points will be added. To change the direction of the line, click Switch on the Breakline dialog box.
2. Under Break at distance, enter the distances for each break point.
3. Click the Proportion check box to change the length of the line on which you right-clicked. New lines are added that are proportioned to the sum of the break point distances you entered.
A change in line length might occur when new, more recent parcels are replacing a subdivision with older, less accurate dimensions. The sum of the new, more accurate parcel lengths might not be equal to the length of the older subdivision line.
4. Click OK to add the break points.

If you clicked Proportion, new lines are added to the construction grid for the new, proportioned segments. The original line on which you right-clicked is preserved and flagged as unbuildable. Unbuildable lines are not used to build new parcels.

Tip:

Lines can be planarized using breakline points. For example, you can add a set of breakline points to a construction line using the Breakline tool and planarize (split) the construction line from the newly added breakline points.