arc direction and orientation

 From:  Art (ARTURBRZUZA)
10259.1 
Is there a way to tell an arc which way it should arc when it is being created? In some instances, I want to create an arc between two points or curve ends on say x but sometimes it decides to make the arc connecting the two points on y orientation instead. Think I'm referring to tangeant arc but not sure. Or sometimes it even connects the arc in a concave manner. Just wonder if I'm missing a hidden hotkey function while creating the arc that dictates how it bridges. Thanks.