37919 01 Ch01 1. - Cengage 3D’s development impetus was from AutoCAD Land Desktop’s perceived and real shortcomings. The Autodesk civil applications group addressed these issues

CHAPTER

1

The Beginning

INTRODUCTION

This chapter introduces AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011, its organization, and its interface. Civil 3Dpresents a civil design environment addressing traditional design issues. Civil 3Ds focusis creating and documenting a design, the same as other civil engineering applications.Civil 3Ds tools and design processes are similar to those found in other civil programs,particularly, AutoCAD Land Desktop. Civil 3Ds difference is its interactive environmentand assumed dependencies between civil design elements (points, surfaces, alignments,profiles, etc.). Civil 3Ds design object dependencies are unique.

OBJECTIVES

This chapter focuses on the following topics:

Civil 3D Objects

Prospector Overview

Prospectors Preview

Settings

Data Compatibility and Transfer with Land Desktop

OVERVIEWAutoCAD Civil 3D addresses the same civil engineering design issues as Civil 3DAutoCADLandDesktop (LDT), Inroads, or any other civil engineering application.Civil 3D has tools creating, evaluating, editing, and annotating familiar civil designelements (points, surfaces, alignments, profiles, etc.). Civil 3Ds most radical differ-ence is its dynamic environment. Civil 3Ds design elements understand relationshipsand dependencies. When changing an element that has dependencies, Civil 3Dupdates all dependent elements. For example, changing a surface updates contours,profiles, corridors, and sections, reflecting their adjustment to the surfaces change.

1

2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Civil 3Ds development impetus was from AutoCAD Land Desktops perceived andreal shortcomings. The Autodesk civil applications group addressed these issues bydeveloping Civil 3D. Civil 3Ds design/drafting environment presents the user withan interactive drafting space, new road design tools, flexible labeling, and an imple-mentation method for standards. Besides learning and becoming comfortable withthis design application, other major hurdles include understanding how to documenta design, creating Civil 3D implementation content, and learning Civil 3Ds beha-viors and terminology.

Most company standards are layers, linetypes, pen weights, etc. Civil 3Ds implemen-tation focuses on these same standards, but its styles extend to crafting a unified com-pany look without depending on a Technicians drafting skills. Flexible styles createunique review or submittal profiles, section, parcel, and other design solution ele-ments. When implementing Civil 3D, some questions to ask are as follows: Whatdoes a profile or section look like? What types of annotation does an object have? Ina sheet, where is the annotation located, what text styles does it use, what informationis called out, etc.? This microscopic look at each page is necessary to understand howto implement Civil 3D. A styles power is in creating a consistent and correct docu-ment as the designer creates or changes the design solution.

Unit 1The first unit reviews the anatomy of Toolspaces Prospector and demonstrates itsdynamic qualities, actions occurring in its object and preview areas, and extensiveicon use (signal dependencies, out-of-date status, etc.). This unit also introduces theCivil 3D ribbon.

Unit 2The second unit covers Toolspaces Settings, its available styles (object, label, andtable), and understanding and navigating its tree and branch structure.

Unit 3Objects and their behaviors are the topic of the third unit. Civil 3D implementsobjects with design relationships and dependencies. Objects are a design solutions fun-damental building blocks. Objects are linked to styles that produce a look, implementstandards, and define object property annotation formats. Civil 3D uses the object andstyle environment to dynamically manage civil design data and its annotation.

Unit 4The last unit reviews transferring data between Autodesk Land Desktop and Civil3D. Civil 3D reads data directly from a LDT project or imports a LandXML datafile (from LDT or other applications). Civil 3D AutoCAD Land Desktop 2009 hasroutines for extracting Civil 3D data and stores the extracted data in a LDT project.

UNIT 1: COMMAND RIBBON AND PROSPECTOR

Civil 3D 2011 has a command ribbon. A user can choose to replace the ribbon withtraditional pull-down menus (the bottom of Figure 1.1). At the Ribbons top arenamed tabs (collections of like tools). For example, the Home tab (top of Figure1.1) displays icons that display or hide the toolspace, create Civil 3D objects (points,alignments, profiles, etc) or AutoCAD objects (lines, curves, etc.). The Modify tabtools (middle of Figure 1.1) edit Civil 3D and AutoCAD objects. Each tab and itspanels commands will be discussed when appropriate in this book. Generally, Civil


2 Harn e s s i n g Au t oCAD Civ i l 3D 2011

3D commands are on the Ribbons left and AutoCAD commands are on theRibbons right.

You hide the Ribbon by typing in the command line, Ribbonclose. To display tradi-tional menus, at Civil 3Ds Quick Access Toolbars left click the barred drop-listarrow and select show menu bar (see Figure 1.2).

Civil 3Ds Toolspace has two tabs: Prospector and Settings (see Figure 1.3). Thesetwo tabs manage all objects, styles, references, and data values for a drawing and/orproject. The Ribbons Toolspace icon displays this Toolspace and its tabs. The Tool-space floats or docks and when it is not needed, has Auto-hide.

FIGURE 1.1

FIGURE 1.2


Chap t e r 1 The Be g i nn i n g 3

The RibbonsHome tab, Palettes panel has icons that display or hide the Prospec-tor, Settings, Survey, and Toolbox tabs. The Toolspace can display any combinationof these tabs. The remaining two icons display the Properties and Tool palettes.

In the RibbonsHome tab, Palettes panel, clicking the Palettes list arrow displaysadditional icons that toggle the display of the Content Browser, Sheet Set Manager,and other lesser used palettes and Managers.

Prospector organizes objects using a hierarchical structure, displaying their data andshowing object relationships. Prospector headings identify each object type andbranch to reveal specific object information and data. Prospector dynamicallymanages drawing objects, their listings, and makes their data available to other ob-jects. Prospector updates information and responds to changes and additions toobjects and their data. When viewing an objects information, the user interactswith an objects Prospector listing.

Prospectors second area is preview. Whether docked or floating, preview is below orto Prospectors side. This area displays a list or an image of a selected Prospector entry(see Figure 1.4). In Prospector, when selecting a branch heading, a list appears in thepreview area (for example, selecting the Prospectors Surfaces heading displays a listof surfaces). When selecting a surface from the named Surfaces list, preview displaysa surface image.

FIGURE 1.3



OBJECTSIn Prospector each object type has a heading and an icon (see Figure 1.4). The objecttypes are Points, Point Groups, Point Clouds, Surfaces, Alignments, Sites, PipeNetworks, Corridors, Assemblies, Subassemblies, Intersections, Survey, and ViewFrame Groups. The Sites branch contains site alignments, grading groups, featurelines, and parcels. A Civil 3D site is the outermost boundary containing alignmentsand/or parcels. A site can range from a subdivision boundary, or a parcel, to a singlealignment. Each Alignment branch includes entries for Profiles, Profile View, andSample Line Groups.

When expanding an object types branch, the first entry is a named instance (occur-rence) list for that object type in the drawing. In Figure 1.4, for example, Base andExisting are two surface instances. Adding or deleting surfaces causes Prospector toautomatically update its object list. Depending on the object type, each instance hasits own branch containing its data or other critical values. For example, the Sitesobject type contains a sites list (Site 1, Site 2, etc.). Each site instance has its ownlist of alignments, profiles, sections, and parcels.

Prospector displays object data at some point down an instances branch. However,there are times when data appears in preview instead of Prospector. For example, thesurface Definition branch is a list of assigned surface data types. The data for eachdata type only displays in the preview area, not Prospectors definition branch. Someobjects, such as alignments, profiles, assemblies, and subassemblies, use a Propertiesdialog box instead of Prospector or preview.

FIGURE 1.4



Prospector calls commands using right mouse button shortcut menus. Each heading(object type, object instance, and so on) has a shortcut menu unique to its branch lo-cation (see Figure 1.5). A shortcut menus choices vary with the object type and wherethe entry is in the branch. For example, Surfaces shortcut menu commands create,import, export a LandXML file, or refresh the instance list (see the left side of Figure1.5). A named surfaces shortcut menu includes build options, snapshots, zooming,etc. (see the center of Figure 1.5). A specific surface component or data elementsshortcut menu has commands for creating, editing, and deleting entries (see the rightside of Figure 1.5).

Prospector PreviewWhen selecting an object type heading, Prospector responds with an object instanceslist (see the left side of Figure 1.6). When selecting a named object instance, Prospec-tor previews the selected instance (see the center of Figure 1.6). The selected headingdetermines what preview type displays (for example, selecting Sites displays a siteslist, selecting Site 1 displays the sites geometry, selecting the Parcels heading displaysa parcels list, and selecting a parcel from the list previews its geometry). See right sideof Figure 1.6.

Any value in preview is editable unless it has a gray background.

FIGURE 1.5



When selecting an item from previews list, the user can directly edit the entry orright mouse click it, displaying a shortcut menu specific to the selected item. Af-ter completing the preview editing, the changes show in Prospector and thedrawing. For example, if selecting Prospectors Surfaces heading, the previewarea lists the surface names, descriptions, and their current styles. In the previewarea, when clicking on a surfaces name, description, or style cell, the user candirectly edit the cells value. After clicking a surface name cell and right mouseclicking, a shortcut menu displays that is the same as if the user had selected asurface name from Prospectors surface instance list. In the preview area, whenclicking a style name, a Select Style dialog box appears, listing styles for thatobject type. The user changes the currently assigned style by selecting anotherstyle from the styles list (see Figure 1.7). Again, changes made to a preview entryupdate Prospector and the drawing.

FIGURE 1.6



CIVIL 3D OBJECTSIn AutoCAD Land Desktop (LDT), few, if any, objects interact with each other (theexception being a grading object and a surface). None of the roadway design line workreacts to changes made to any of its elements (a profile reacting to changes in a sur-faces elevations). It is left to the user to verify what changes need to be made and howto synchronize external data with the entities. In LDT, routines create on-screen linework snapshots and store them as data in external project folders. The drawings datarepresentation is valid only if nothing changes. If editing or redrawing line work, allrelated project data files need updating. In many cases a projects final design is thestarting point, for fear of out-of-sync data after numerous changes and handoffsbetween technicians and engineers.

Civil 3Ds data schema gives objects knowledge about relationships and dependenciesbetween them. This knowledge allows objects to respond to changes by any object intheir relationship group. So, if a surfaces elevations change and an alignment has anexisting surface profile, the profile updates, showing the new surface elevations alongthe alignments path. If changing an alignments location, the profile changes its ele-vations and either lengthens or shortens, showing the new alignment path. Thesetypes of relationships and dependencies are programmed into Civil 3D objects.

OBJECT DEPENDENCIES AND ICONSProspector icons identify object types, their status, and their dependencies (see Fig-ure 1.8). For surfaces, an icon to the left of a surfaces name indicates the surfacestype. In Figure 1.8, the icons to the left of Base and Existing identify them as Trian-gular Irregular Network (TIN) surfaces. The icons for the remaining two surfacesidentify them as Grid and TIN volume surfaces.

A triangle icon pointing diagonally to the left of a surfaces name indicates thatanother drawing object references that surfaces data. When an object is referenced,

FIGURE 1.7



it cannot be deleted until the reference(s) is removed. Figure 1.8 shows an out-of-dateicon (a shield with an exclamation mark), indicating that something changed with theExisting-Base-Grid-Vol surface. To remove out-of-date surface icons, the user mustrebuild the surface. Rebuilding surfaces incorporates change(s) and removes thesurface out-of-date icon.

PROSPECTOR: DATA SHORTCUTS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENTCivil 3D implements project- and data-sharing capabilities through Prospector, DataShortcuts, and Autodesk Vault. Data Shortcuts are visible in Prospectors ActiveDrawing and Master View. Project Management (Vault) is accessible only inProspectors Master view. Master View is set by selecting it from the view list abovethe drawings name (see Figure 1.9).

FIGURE 1.8



Prospectors Projects branch uses Vault to assist in managing a projects data anddrawings. Civil 3D Vault manages project data as a check-in or check-out process.This process allows users to have data editing control. Users can create data references(consume only) and, if others edit the referenced data, Prospector notifies them thattheir data is out-of-sync relative to the projects entries. If Vault data changes, the useris notified of the data change and can synchronize the drawing to the changed data.Again, Prospector uses icons to indicate datas changed status in the current drawingand in the project.

A second data sharing method is data shortcuts. A data shortcut allows a user to sharean object with other drawings. If the data shortcuts object changes, the shortcutnotifies the user that the object has changed and after updating the reference, theobject present in the drawing matches the current object definition.

Civil 3Ds Data Shortcuts are discussed in detail in Chapter 12.

CIVIL 3D TEMPLATESCivil 3D ships with two content templates (Imperial and Metric). When Prospectoris inMaster View, it displays a Drawing Templates branch. The branch lists templatefiles that you can use to start a new drawing. Rather than selecting the Quick Accesstoolbars New icon, the user can select a template from Prospectors DrawingTemplates, AutoCAD list, press the right mouse button, and select Create NewDrawing (see Figure 1.10).

FIGURE 1.9



This textbook uses the Autodesk Civil 3D (Imperial) NCS template file. This con-tent template assigns needed layer names and styles. Several exercises will modify,create new styles, and define new layers in addition to those in this template file.

THE PANORAMACivil 3D displays object value editors (grid based) as vistas within a panorama (seeFigure 1.11). A panorama can have more than one vista, but only one vista is activeat a time. A vista displays as a tab on the opposite side of the panorama mast.

To close a vista, at the Panoramas top right click the green checkmark. To close thepanorama, at the top of its mast, click the X. If the panorama is closed by clicking itsX, it can be redisplayed by selecting the Toggle the display of the Panorama tool iconto the left of Prospectors Help icon. If the panorama is closed by clicking a vistasgreen checkmark and it is the only vista in the panorama, you cannot redisplay thepanorama because the Toggle the display of the Panorama tool icon becomesinactive. If this happens, the only way to redisplay the panorama is by executing acommand to create a new vista.

FIGURE 1.10



SUMMARY

Prospector is Civil 3Ds command center and data and object manager.

Civil 3D objects are dynamic and update their display when edited.

Prospector adds and removes objects from its lists as a user creates and deletesCivil 3D objects.

Prospector displays and manages each objects status (out of date, reference,locked, etc.).

Prospector displays dependencies and references.

Civil 3D does not allow objects with dependencies to be deleted.

Selecting a Prospector heading displays a list or image in the preview area.

UNIT 2: SETTINGS

The Settings hierarchical tree manages a drawings settings and styles. At the highestlevel, the drawing name, are the settings that affect all settings and style values lowerin the hierarchy.

Settings hierarchical tree displays and manages each object types settings and styles.Each object type heading branches to display control points for the object types set-tings and styles. When selecting an object type and pressing the right mouse button,Civil 3D displays a shortcut menu listing editors for feature (object) values, label styledefaults, and so on (see Figure 1.12).

FIGURE 1.11



EDIT DRAWING SETTINGSEdit Drawing Settings is at the hierarchys top. This dialog box values affect drawingscale, coordinate systems, label abbreviations, layer assignments, and prompting andlisting values.

In Figure 1.13, Edit Drawing Settings Object Layers panel sets each object typesbase layer name, if using a modifier, and the modifiers value. If there is more thanone object type instance, the user should define a base layer modifier. A modifiercan be a base layer name prefix or suffix with the modifier value being the instancesname (for example, Existing and Base are two TIN surface names that can beappended to the base layer name). An asterisk (*) assigns the objects name to themodifier value. There should be a spacing character between the base layer nameand the modifier such as a dash (-) or an underscore (_). If a surfaces name is Existingand the user sets the modifier to Suffix and sets its value to -* (a dash and an asterisk),the resulting surface layer name is C-TOPO-Existing. If setting an object label layer,a label style, if its layer is set to 0 (zero) will use the concatenated layer name for itslabels. If using the same modifier and value as the TIN Surface Labeling, the result-ing label layer would be C-TOPO-TEXT-Existing.

The purpose of a layer in the object layers list is not to differentiate Existing andProposed objects, but to create a link between the object and the drawing.

To differentiate Existing and Proposed objects, Civil 3D uses object styles andtheir layers.

FIGURE 1.12



Edit Drawing Settings Ambient Settings panel sets the working environment forunits, rounding, precision, format, etc. For example, to prompt for, list values as, orreport cubic feet as the volume unit, in Ambient SettingsVolume section, change theUnit value to cubic feet (see Figure 1.14). The Grade/Slope Section sets slope listingto either percent, rise:run, run:rise, etc., and controls its precision and its rounding.

To create a mixed value environment, when using the Imperial template you set theAmbient Settings Distance type to Meter. When entering a distance, the programprompts for a meter distance value and draws the foot equivalent in the drawing.

The documentation environment, labels and tables, is set in each object types branch.The values for labels and tables are separate settings from the ambient settings andcan have different precisions and formats. Think of Ambient settings as values repre-senting your work environment.

FIGURE 1.13



Feature Settings changed in an object types branch affect only those settings andstyles below where the change is made. For example, if you are setting the drawingsambient settings value to slope (run:rise) and want to change how surface objects re-port slope values, you change the surface branch ambient settings (Edit Feature Set-tings) to rise:run and override the drawings preferred value (see Figure 1.15). Whenoverriding a value set at a higher level, an override toggle is set in the dialog box. Adown arrow at the higher level indicates the value is changed at a lower level in thehierarchy.

All labels and tables in an object type branch can have precisions and units differentthan the working environment. For example, you have a drawing based on Imperialunits, but all labels and tables contain metric equivalents.

FIGURE 1.14



EDIT LABEL STYLE DEFAULTSThis dialog boxs values affect basic label behavior (see Figure 1.16). In the figure,some settings are overridden by lower styles (down arrows in the Child Overridecolumn). Style overrides occur because a label type behaves, labels, or reports valuesdifferently from the current settings.

To negate overrides, click the Child Override columns down arrow. When clicked,the icon changes to a down arrow with an X. The X indicates the overrides reset to thevalues in the Edit Label Style Defaults dialog box. A second method for controllingoverrides is locking their value. When locked at this level, no lower style can changethe value.

Often, the labels layer differentiates the label as being existing or proposed. An alter-native to using a label style-specified layer is to use the Edit Drawing Settings textlayer for the object type. This is done by setting the label styles layer to 0. Whenyou label an object with a style specifying layer 0, the label uses the Object Layer liststext layer as the labels layer.

FIGURE 1.15



EDIT LANDXML SETTINGSLandXML Settings affects data importing and exporting to and from a drawing andLandXML files (see Figure 1.17). LandXML files transfer design elements (surfaces,alignments, points, etc.) between applications without a loss of fidelity. TheLandXML civil data schema allows AutoCAD Land Desktop, Civil 3D, and otherapplications to transfer data without losing information quality. Civil 3D also usesLandXML files as report data.

When exporting an XML file, the Imperial Units type should be set to match yourdrawings value, either International or US Foot. This is set in the Export panel, DataSettings section.

When importing an XML file, you can translate coordinates and elevations. This isdone in Imports Translation section. If the drawings Imperial units are differentfrom the files units, International (drawing) and US Foot (file), the coordinates forthe objects will be transformed.

FIGURE 1.16



EDIT FEATURE SETTINGSIn Settings, when selecting an object type heading and pressing the right mousebutton, a shortcut menu displays with a call to Edit Feature Settings. Edit FeatureSettings combines Edit Drawing Settings Ambient Settings values with selectedobject type-specific settings (see Figure 1.18). In the figure, there are three sectionsaffecting points: Default Styles, Default Name Format, and Update Points. Thenumber of sections in an Edit Feature Settings dialog box depends on an objectscomplexity.

If the working environment for an object type is different from other object types, thisis where a user makes the changes. For example, parcel object distances should have aprecision of 4, instead of 2 (all remaining object types). Changing distance for Parcelin Edit Feature Settings overrides the Edit Drawing Settings (drawings) value, butfor only the Parcels branch.

Again, the precision and unit values for all labels in each object type branch canbe different from the drawing values.

The Edit Feature Settings dialog box sets the default object and label styles for theselected object type.

FIGURE 1.17



LABEL AND TABLE STYLE GROUPSIn Settings, when expanding an object types branch, an object has two style types(Label and Table).

Label Groups and Their StylesExpanding a Label Styles branch displays label type groups. For example, surfacelabel types are Contour, Slope, Spot Elevation, and Watersheds. The objects com-plexity determines the label type number. Each headings shortcut menu containscommands appropriate to the selected heading (see Figure 1.19). For example, De-scription Key Sets displays a shortcut menu with commands used for creating a newDescription Key Set, viewing a sets properties, or refreshing its list. Selecting anamed Description Key Set displays a shortcut menu with commands used for view-ing the key sets properties, copying it, deleting it, editing its values, or refreshingits list.

FIGURE 1.18



When expanding a Label Styles group, a label styles list displays. The styles createlabels, documenting object type properties. For example, a parcel has the label typesof area, line, and curve. The area label type styles include Name Area & Perimeter,Name Square Foot & Acres, and Parcel Number. When annotating a parcels lineand curve segments, you use the Line and Curve label type styles.

When selecting a listed style name and pressing the right mouse button, a shortcutmenu displays with edit, delete, or copy commands (see Figure 1.20).

FIGURE 1.19



Transferring Styles Between DrawingsTo transfer styles to an existing template or drawing, drag and drop them betweenopen files. When you drag and drop a style definition into a file where the stylealready exists, Civil 3D issues a warning, prompting you to rename, overwrite, orignore the dropped style.

In the Settings lists, you select a style and drag it from one open drawing to another.To drag multiple styles, select a heading and select the desired styles from thepreviewed list. After selecting the styles from the preview list, drag the styles to thedesired drawing.

EDIT COMMAND SETTINGSEach object type has commands that use default styles and settings from Edit DrawingSettings or the objects Edit Feature Settings (see Figure 1.21). You can change acommands default styles and settings without affecting other commands or featuresettings.

FIGURE 1.20



SUMMARY

The Settings panel manages all styles and command values.

Settings promote standards and eases implementation with its hierarchicalstructure.

In the Settings hierarchy, the higher a setting is, the more styles and values itaffects.

Settings manages, creates, and modifies object and label styles.

UNIT 3: SETTING CIVIL 3DS ENVIRONMENT

New terms in AutoCAD Civil 3D describe the drafting environment and its objectsand their behaviors (e.g., Prospector, vistas, baselines, assemblies, styles, etc.). Civil3D sites, baselines, feature lines, and assembly objects are familiar civil concepts anddesign elements, but these elements are known by more traditional names in othercivil design packages (parcels, alignments, grading objects, templates, etc.). The newterms indicate that these familiar design elements have new or expanded capabilities.

Civil 3D uses styles and settings to graphically display a design, set design limits(criteria), produce reports, and create design documentation (labels and tables). Civil3D ships with a basic style definition content template. However, the template stylesmay not be right for a users specific tasks, or they may not meet a users CAD draft-ing standards. The biggest initial cost in implementing Civil 3D will be the timespent setting up and modifying styles. As with any Autodesk product, there are sev-eral content creation methods, and each strategy has consequences. Harnessing the

FIGURE 1.21



interplay of the dynamic design environment and the role styles play in creating andfinishing a design are the greatest challenges facing Civil 3D implementers and users.

If satisfied with a templates content (styles and layers) as shipped, the user can im-mediately begin producing a design document. If the content does not reflect specificstandards, the user must create new styles, modify existing styles, and define and sub-stitute new layers. When using this new template file, all modified content is presentin the drawing.

The interface controlling, displaying, or editing object type information is the samefor each object. All object and label styles use similar dialog boxes that have a setstructure. By knowing the anatomy and behavior of one object or label style dialogbox, a user knows the basics for most of the remaining object type and label styles.What changes is the information available about the object or for the label.

IMPLEMENTATIONA single Civil 3D template file is an implementation. This file defines all object, label,and miscellaneous styles producing a design document. This single file contains theoffice standards that in LDT took several folders and files. When starting a new Civil3D drawing with this template, all objects, styles, and settings are there, ready for use.The only remaining settings are the model space plotting scale and a coordinate zone.

A Civil 3D implementation uses a combination of layers and styles. Layers canbe used with traditional AutoCAD methods for displaying and hiding drawingelements. Layers are also necessary when implementing AutoCAD Xrefs or sharingdata with those without Civil 3D. Styles also control data visibility. A Civil 3Dimplementation is a combination of styles and layers.

Adding style definitions to a template file means opening the template file and defin-ing the new styles. To add styles from an existing drawing to a template or anotherdrawing, open both files and drag and drop the new styles to the template or otherdrawing.

The biggest issue with an implementation is layers. If a drawing defines a modifier foran object type, for example the suffix -* for surfaces, Civil 3D creates layers for eachsurface from the base layer name (C-TOPO-EXISTING and C-TOPO-DESIGN).If assigning both surfaces the same object style, the surfaces use the same layer list. Forexample, assigning the Border & Contour style to two surfaces causes them to use thesame layers to display their borders and contours. You cannot turn off the major con-tours layer for only one surface because it is the same layer for both surfaces.

In Settings, the four top settings dialog boxes influence all settings and styles belowthem. These dialog boxes are Edit Drawing Settings, Edit Label Style Defaults, EditLandXML Settings, and Table Tag Numbering. These dialog boxes values affect theentire drawing. Any lower style or setting can override these values. If locked at thedrawing name level, a lower style cannot change the settings value.

Creating a Civil 3D template involves a thorough review and adjustment ofvalues in the four primary dialog boxes; Edit Drawing Settings, Edit Label StyleDefaults, Edit LandXML Settings, and Table Tag Numbering.



OBJECT LAYERSThe Edit Drawing SettingsObject Layers panel defines object type base layer nameswith an optional modifier (prefix or suffix). Modifiers are necessary when there ismore than one instance of an object type (see Figure 1.13).

The purpose of a layer in the object layers list is not to differentiate Existing andProposed objects, but to create a link between the object and the drawing.

To differentiate Existing and Proposed objects, Civil 3D uses object styles andtheir layers.

An asterisk (*) modifier value appends the instance name to the beginning or end ofthe base layer name. This is the preferred method of modifying a layers name. Oneadditional option is spacing the objects name from the base layers name. A dash (-)or underscore (_) is the usual spacing character. For example, setting a surfaces namemodifier to suffix and setting its value to dash asterisk (-*) creates the layerC-TOPO-EG, the base layer plus the surface name separated by a dash. A secondmethod is entering an explicit value as the modifier (e.g., C-TOPO-SURFACE).In this case, -SURFACE is the modifier value.

For a drawing with two or more object instances, using an object layer modifier is anecessity. Using surfaces as an example, if a drawing has two surfaces, EG andDESIGN, and no layer modifier, both surfaces use the same layer. When objects oc-cupy the same layer, the user cannot independently control their visibility by layers(user must use a style to control the objects display). If the user adds a modifier tothe object layer name, Civil 3D creates a new layer for each object from the modifiervalues. A drawing having two surfaces, EG and DESIGN, would have the layersC-TOPO-EG and C-TOPO-DESIGN (see Figure 1.22). The new layer has thesame layer properties as the base layer (C-TOPO).

FIGURE 1.22



SETTING THE DRAWING ENVIRONMENTIn Settings, when selecting the drawings name and pressing the right mouse button,a shortcut menu displays with four settings dialog boxes: Edit Drawing Settings, EditLabel Style Defaults, Edit LandXML Settings, and Table Tag Settings. Because ofSettings hierarchical structure, these editors values and settings affect the entiredrawing environment, i.e., their settings define the working environment. Whenstarting a new drawing, the first step should be reviewing each dialog boxes values.

Edit Drawing SettingsSelecting Edit Drawing Settings displays a dialog box with five tabs (see Figure 1.23).These tabs affect several areas of the working environment.

Units and ZoneUnits and Zones top left values set linear and angular base units. There are threeangular measurement values: degrees, grads, and radians. The panels center sets theImperial units for metric conversion. An Imperial drawing can use Internationalor US Survey feet. You must set this value correctly if you want to move Imperialdata to Metric.

US Survey Foot applies to the ratio of feet to meters. In 1866 the ratio was defined as1200/3937 or 39.37 inches to a meter. In 1959 the ratio was refined when the USchanged the definition of a yard to match other country definitions. The yard wasredefined to be 0.9144, and the foot was redefined as 0.3048 of a meter. An Interna-tional Foot is 0.99998 of a US Survey Foot. At the same time, it was decided that dataused in Geodetic surveys would use the original foot definition (39.37 1 Meter),

FIGURE 1.23



US Survey Foot. In local coordinates the difference is small. However, when workingin coordinates over 1,000,000, the difference is about 2 feet per million coordinates.This value also affects inserted Survey objects (points, network, and figures).

The Scale objects inserted from other drawings scale the inserted drawing to matchthe current drawings units.

The dialog boxs top right sets the model space plotting scale. A standard scale can beselected here, or a user can enter a custom scale factor below the scale drop-list entry.

The panels remainder sets and reports coordinate zone settings if set for the drawing.When selecting the Categories drop-list arrow, a supported coordinate systems listdisplays. This setting is important for working with state plane or latitude and longi-tude data.

TransformationTransformation values tie local coordinates to a coordinate system. A localcoordinate-based drawing must have one known point (planar coordinates) and astate plane rotation angle, or two points with known state plane coordinates to relateits local coordinates to state plane coordinates (see Figure 1.24). To correctly deter-mine sea level horizontal distances, you must set an elevation (mean elevation of thesite), the spheroid radius at sea level (from the coordinate system set in Units andZone), and Grid scale factor (unity, reference point, Prismodial, and user defined).

FIGURE 1.24



Object LayersObject Layers sets base layer names for each object type (see Figure 1.25). The panelsleft side lists the object type, and the three columns to the object types right set layernames if the layer has a modifier, if the modifier is a prefix or suffix, and sets the mod-ifier value. A modifier value can be anything. If the modifier value is an * (asterisk),Civil 3D uses the objects name as the layer modifier. For example, a surface namedEGmodifies the C-TOPO base layer to C-TOPO-EG when the modifier is a suffixand its value is a dash asterisk (-*). The last column locks the layer name so it cannotbe changed. If an objects label styles have their layer set to 0 (zero), the labels willappear on the labeling layer defined in this panel.

Again, these layers tie Civil 3D objects to the drawing. To differentiate an object asexisting or proposed, you should use object styles.

AbbreviationsThe Abbreviations panel affects alignment, superelevation, and profile listing and re-port values (see Figure 1.26). Many object type labels have regional values and theseinitial values may need to change.

The Alignment Geometry Point Entity Data values are a set of abbreviations with acomplex format string. The format string defines how geometry points valuesdisplay. When clicking in a format string cell, at the right of the entry an ellipsis(three dots) appears. Clicking the ellipsis calls the Text Component Editor, andwithin this editor users edit the abbreviation and its format string.

FIGURE 1.25



Ambient SettingsAmbient Settings affects a multitude of drawing values. Each sections values affectunits, precision, and rounding; set entry and reporting value formats; and show howto denote a negative value, coordinates and distances, and so on (see Figure 1.27).You should think of ambient settings as your working environment values.

The Value column contains the actual setting. A value can be an entered value, atoggle, or a selection from a list of choices.

The Child Override column indicates if any lower settings change the current entrysvalue. A down arrow indicates a changed value. By clicking on the arrow (adding a redX to the arrow) and clicking Apply, you reset all of Settings values to the currentcells value.

The Lock column indicates if other values are allowed. If locked, no other values areallowed.

The Angle, Direction, and Lat Long sections can drop the leading 0 (zero) and, if thevalue is a whole number, becomes an integer.

FIGURE 1.26



STYLESBy default every object type has a Basic or Standard style (object, label, etc.). Whenstarting a new drawing without a content template, Civil 3D creates Basic orStandard styles for all Settings tree objects. A Basic or Standard style is a startingpoint, and Civil 3D expects users to copy and modify them, implementing new styles.If using a Civil 3D content template, additional styles are available to edit or copy toaddress user needs.

Styles stylize how objects, and what components or characteristics display. A styledisplays all object components or characteristics, or it can display components orcharacteristics groupings. A surface object, for example, has triangles, points, and aborder. These components are essential to correctly view and edit a surface underdevelopment. Surface slopes and elevations are essential to developing a sites designsolution. A style changes an objects information focus by displaying differentcomponents and characteristics combinations.

An object style differentiates object types, for example, an existing or proposedsurface or an easement or open space parcel. The style uses layers with different prop-erties (color and linetype) to visually make the difference.

Style LayersA layers intent is controlling visibility from within Layer Properties Manager.Turning on and off layers determines what is visible in the drawing. This is a typicalAutoCAD information display strategy. In Civil 3D, a style controls the componentand characteristic visibility. Changing styles changes what components and charac-teristics display.

FIGURE 1.27



An object styles Display panel assigns each object component or characteristic a layername and properties. The object styles Display panels left side lists the objects com-ponents and characteristics. The number of entries varies by object type; a more com-plex object has more entries than a simple object (see Figure 1.28 and Figure 1.29).

FIGURE 1.28

FIGURE 1.29



There are three methods for assigning a style layers. The first method uses layers in thecurrent drawing. In the object styles Display panel, clicking a layer name displays theLayer Selection dialog box, and the user selects a layer from the current drawings list(see Figure 1.30). When returning to the styles Display panel, the component lists theselected layer.

The second method is creating a new layer. When clicking a Display panels layername, the Layer Selection dialog box displays. At the dialog boxs top right is aNew button that displays the Create Layer dialog box (see Figure 1.31). In thisdialog box, users define the new layer. After returning to the Layer Selection box,users select the new layer and return to the Display panel, assigning it to the compo-nent or characteristic.

The third method selects layers from another open drawing (see Figure 1.30). Usersadd to the current drawings layer list by selecting the drop-list arrow at the LayerSelection dialog boxs top left and selecting another open drawing. Layer Selectionslist changes, listing the newly selected drawings layers. Users then select a layer fromthe list and, when returning to the Display panel, assign the layer to the component orcharacteristic.

FIGURE 1.30



Civil 3D views data from four directions: Plan, Model, Profile, and Section. Plan is aview from directly overhead, and a Model view is from any other angle. Profile andSection apply only to object types displaying in profile and sections views. For exam-ple, a surface displays as a line in a profile or section view. Each view group defines aset of component layers and visibility states.

Though the Display panel lists all available object type components and characteristics,a style may display only one or only a few components and/or characteristics. A stylespurpose is to manipulate an objects components and/or characteristics display. Forexample, a surface analysis style focuses on surface elevations. A surface editing/review style shows a surfaces border, triangles, and points (see Figure 1.28).

To each components and characteristics right is a layer name and properties. Thestyles layer properties should contain the keyword ByLayer, allowing Layer Proper-ties Manager control of the layers properties.

STYLE TYPESObject styles have special purposes or functions (such as analysis, grouping, or sub-mission documentation). Continuing with the surface objects example, a certain de-signer has an interest in surface slopes and elevations before starting the designprocess. To better understand surface slopes, some slope analysis and ranging are nec-essary. Creating a slope style by ranging slopes and creating down slope arrows letsthe style display a more meaningful image of the slopes spatial distribution. An ele-vation analysis style results in a better understanding of surface relief. Surface styleshave color schemes, colorizing their results. Figure 1.32 shows examples of differenttypes of analysis styles output.

FIGURE 1.31



OBJECT STYLESObject styles directly control an objects display. Every drawing has a Basic (or Stan-dard) object style. This style has minimal settings and displays a minimal set of objectcomponents. Civil 3D ships with two template files containing object styles. Theseobject styles serve as a style type demonstration a user can define for a Civil 3Dimplementation. Each chapter in this textbook expands, modifies, and creates new stylesas needed to document a design solution. The number of styles and their complexityvary depending on the object type. For example, the surface object is complex and hasnumerous potential styles, whereas parcels have less complexity and fewer styles.

All object types use the same dialog box structure. Fundamental settings, values loca-tions, and components and characteristics use the same basic design. To be familiarwith one objects style dialog box means knowing how to navigate the next objectsstyle dialog box.

Assigning Object StylesWhen a new object is created, it is assigned the default object style set in the objecttypes Edit Feature Settings or the Command Settings dialog boxes. If you want tochange an objects style, the change occurs in the objects Properties dialog box, Infor-mation panel. Assign a new style by selecting a style from the available styles list.When exiting the dialog box, the new style changes how an object appears in thedrawing (see Figure 1.33).

FIGURE 1.32



LABEL STYLESA label style controls object annotation and its display. Every drawing has a Basic orStandard label style. These styles have minimal settings and annotate a minimalnumber of object components. Civil 3D ships with several template files containinglabel styles. These label styles serve as a demonstration of annotation types a user candefine for a Civil 3D implementation. Each chapter in this textbook expands, modi-fies, and creates new styles needed to document a design solution. The number ofstyles and their complexity vary depending on the object.

When starting a new drawing and using the content template, all styles in the templatebecome part of the new drawing. A named label style displaying a triangle icon to thestyles name upper-left means an object in the drawing uses (references) that style.

Label styles are single-purpose, meaning they annotate a specific object facet (see Fig-ure 1.34). The label style types for a parcel are Area, Line, and Curve (see the left sideof Figure 1.34). The label style types for an alignment include Station, Station Offset,Line, Curve, Spiral, and Tangent Intersection (see the right side of Figure 1.34).

Each object has label style groups. Each object has specific properties that can be partof a style. All labels have the same general behavior and use the Text ComponentEditor interface to create new and modify existing label styles. Once familiar withthe label editor and its behavior, the user knows how to edit and create labels for allobject types.

FIGURE 1.33



Label styles use the same dialog boxes. The fundamental settings, location of values,and the component and characteristic lists are in the same place for each label type.

Every label has an anchoring point. In Figure 1.35, the parcels label anchoring pointis the parcels centroid. The labels middle center anchors to the parcels centroid.

FIGURE 1.34

FIGURE 1.35



To view a labels content definition, click in the Contents value cell and click the ellipsisdisplayed in the cell. This displays the Text Component Editor and the labels content(see Figure 1.36). All styles use both Label Style Composer and Text ComponentEditor. Label Style Composers Layout tab defines a labels text component(s), andthe Text Component Editor defines and formats each label components text. TheFormat tab changes the texts justification, font, color, underline, or adds symbols.

TABLE STYLESSome Civil 3D objects use tables to display or document their information. The ob-ject types using tables are points, surfaces, parcels, and alignments. Each object typehas a Basic or Standard table style. In this and other chapters, exercises access thesedialog boxes, evaluate their settings, and, if appropriate, change some values.

THE PANORAMAThe panorama is important. The palettes structure is similar to a spreadsheet (cellbased) and contains vistas (editor, Event Viewer, etc.) (see Figure 1.37). In the figure,the panorama displays a Point Editor vista. Each object type uses the panorama todisplay its data, and many chapter exercises interact with, edit, and review data withina vista.

FIGURE 1.36

FIGURE 1.37



Event Viewer VistaThe Event Viewer vista lists errors, warnings, and information during commandexecution. Type icons at the left of the text message indicate the messages severity.A circular red X indicates a failure, a yellow triangle indicates a warning that is notfatal but should be reviewed and fixed, and an exclamation mark denotes an informa-tion message (see Figure 1.38).

SUMMARY

Layer-based drawings have layers for each object type as well as layers for objectcomponents and characteristics.

The Edit Drawing Settings, Edit Label Style Defaults, Edit LandXML Settings, andTag Table Numbering dialog boxes influence all of the styles and settings in adrawing.

You can lock values in the Edit Drawing Settings, Edit Label Style Defaults, andEdit LandXML Settings dialog boxes.

The Edit Drawing Settings, Edit Label Style Defaults, Edit LandXML Settings, andTag Table Numbering dialog boxes have arrows, indicating that a lower style haschanged the value.

Object styles emphasize a subset of an objects components or characteristics.

Label styles label a subset of an objects properties.

UNIT 4: CIVIL 3D AND LAND DESKTOP

Civil 3D works in tandem with Land Desktop. Autodesk gives each application theability to exchange data, complementing its strengths and making up for its weak-nesses. The LandXML file, direct data reading, and data extraction commands trans-fer points, point groups, description keys, surfaces, alignments, pipe networks, andprofile sampling data between the two programs.

FIGURE 1.38



LANDXML SETTINGSCivil 3D exports and imports LandXML data files from LDT and other civil appli-cations. Setting the proper units for importing and exporting data is critical to suc-cessfully using LandXML. You set these values in the Edit LandXML Settingsdialog box. The Export panels Data Settings section is important (see Figure 1.39).If set to US Foot, the units in the file are tagged to US Foot. When set to Interna-tional Foot, the units are tagged as International. If you are importing a LandXMLfile with units tagged as International Foot to a US Foot drawing, the units will beconverted upon import.

LandXML Import and ExportThe Ribbons Insert tab, Import panel, LandXML icon starts a LandXML files im-port. The command prompts you to select a file and displays a dialog box listing thefiles data types (see Figure 1.40). At this time all the data or a subset of data from thefile can be selected.

After importing a LandXML file, most information appears in Prospector and in thedrawing, except for profile data. When profile data is imported, its entries are placedin the Prospectors Sites branch or in Prospectors Alignments branch. You have tocreate a profile view using the profile data to view it in the drawing. You have to createor recreate the remaining roadway design elements (assembly, corridor, sectionsample group, and section views) to complete a roadway design.

FIGURE 1.39



The Ribbons Output tab, Export panel contains the Export to LandXML icon.When exporting, a user selects data by toggling on the various data types in theExport to LandXML dialog box (see Figure 1.41).

FIGURE 1.40

FIGURE 1.41



Importing from LDT ProjectsA second method of transferring data from LDT to Civil 3D is directly reading aLDT project data structure. The Ribbons Insert tab, Import panel contains theLand Desktop icon which displays a dialog box listing a projects data. To use thedialog box, first identify the LDT project folder and then the project name. Afterselecting the project, the dialog box populates with the projects data (see Figure1.42). After selecting the data, click OK and the data is read and converted. Youcan read project data back to LDT Release 2. If attempting to read earlier versions,users may encounter incompatible file formats.

This method currently does not import points. The best method of importing LDTpoints is by importing either from an ASCII file or directly from the project pointdatabase.

If the LDT project contains pipes, the routine issues a warning about having theproper parts list definition (see Figure 1.43).

FIGURE 1.42



After importing from a LDT project, most transferred information appears in Pros-pector and in the drawing, except for profile data. When importing profile data, itcreates only Prospector entries. You have to create a profile view using the profiledata to view it on the screen. You have to create or recreate the remaining roadwaydesign elements (assembly, corridor, section sample group, and section views) tocomplete a roadway design.

Each of the following chapters explores in greater detail an object type and its styles.

SUMMARY

LandXML files provide an effective method of transferring data between Civil 3D,Autodesk Land Desktop, and other civil engineering applications.

Civil 3D reads Land Desktop project data and imports the data directly intoa drawing.

FIGURE 1.43



Documents

37919 01 Ch01 1. - Cengage 3D’s development impetus was from AutoCAD Land Desktop’s perceived and real shortcomings. The Autodesk civil applications group addressed these issues