Line Directions

Directions consist of one of the types described below, followed by a semicolon.  The direction can be entered in upper, lower, or mixed case.  A number of direction types are supported:

•         A pure cardinal compass point (e.g. N, E, S, W).

•         A whole number between two compass points (e.g. N13E, NE2S).

•         A decimal number between two cardinal compass points (e.g. S34.3E).

•         A degrees/minutes/seconds value between two compass points (e.g. N13/31/27W). If you use this form, you must provide values for at least degrees and minutes.  Seconds are optional and may be a decimal value.

•         A compass rose heading (e.g. NExN.5pE, for "Northeast by North, half point east). See The Compass Point System.  Note that the Deed Entry Form supports compass rose directions (NExN) but not the use of points.  You must use the Text View for entering points.

Examples of legal directions:

N; ne; n45e; s88.5w; S18E; SSW;

;                 this is how you indicate an empty direction

N45/31/17E;       degrees/minutes/seconds

N45/31E;          you aren’t required to provide seconds

S18.275E;         decimal degrees

E3S;              unusual, but legal

SE2S;             unusual, but legal

NNE; ENE.5pE;     compass rose

Examples of illegal directions:

n95w;             degrees must be between 0 and 90

n 45e;            extra space

s88½w;            the program doesn’t understand fraction characters

n23e              missing semicolon

N45/94/34W;       minutes must be between 0 and 60

NxNW;             not a legitimate compass rose direction

If the line you are entering lacks a direction ("thence 300 poles to a stake"), you must enter a semicolon to represent the missing direction, for example,

Ln ; 300p;

Next section: Distances