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2 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 Phillip J. Zimmerman Vice President, Career and Professional Editorial: Dave Garza Director of Learning Solutions: Sandy Clark Acquisitions Editor: Stacy Masucci Managing Editor: Larry Main Senior Product Manager: John Fisher Senior Editorial Assistant: Dawn Daugherty Vice President, Career and Professional Marketing: Jennifer McAvey Marketing Director: Deborah Yarnell Marketing Manager: Jimmy Stephens Associate Marketing Manager: Mark Pierro Production Director: Wendy Troeger Production Manager: Mark Bernard Content Project Manager: Angela Sheehan Senior Art Director: David Arsenault Technology Project Manager: Joe Pliss Production Technology Analyst: Thomas Stover 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced, transmitted, stored, or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, scanning, digitizing, taping, Web distribution, information networks, or information storage and retrieval systems, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For product information and technology assistance, contact us at Professional Group Cengage Learning Customer & Sales Support, For permission to use material from this text or product, submit all requests online at cengage.com/permissions. Further permissions questions can be ed to Library of Congress Control Number: ISBN-13: ISBN-10: Delmar 5 Maxwell Drive Clifton Park, NY USA Cengage Learning is a leading provider of customized learning solutions with office locations around the globe, including Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, Brazil and Japan. Locate your local office at: international. cengage.com/region Cengage Learning products are represented in Canada by Nelson Education, Ltd. For your lifelong learning solutions, visit delmar.cengage.com Visit our corporate website at cengage.com. Notice to the Reader Publisher does not warrant or guarantee any of the products described herein or perform any independent analysis in connection with any of the product information contained herein. Publisher does not assume, and expressly disclaims, any obligation to obtain and include information other than that provided to it by the manufacturer. The reader is expressly warned to consider and adopt all safety precautions that might be indicated by the activities described herein and to avoid all potential hazards. By following the instructions contained herein, the reader willingly assumes all risks in connection with such instructions. The publisher makes no representations or warranties of any kind, including but not limited to, the warranties of fitness for particular purpose or merchantability, nor are any such representations implied with respect to the material set forth herein, and the publisher takes no responsibility with respect to such material. The publisher shall not be liable for any special, consequential, or exemplary damages resulting, in whole or part, from the readers use of, or reliance upon, this material. Printed in Canada XX

3 CHAPTER 1 The Beginning INTRODUCTION This chapter introduces AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010, its organization, and its interface. Civil 3D presents a civil design environment addressing traditional design issues. Civil 3D s focus is creating and documenting a design, the same as other civil engineering applications. Civil 3D s tools and design processes are similar to those found in other civil programs, particularly, AutoCAD Land Desktop Companion. Civil 3D s difference is its interactive environment and assumed dependencies between civil design elements (points, surfaces, alignments, profiles, etc.). Civil 3D s design object dependencies are unique. OBJECTIVES This chapter focuses on the following topics: Civil 3D Objects Prospector Overview Prospector s Preview Settings Data Compatibility and Transfer with Land Desktop OVERVIEW AutoCAD Civil 3D addresses the same civil engineering design issues as Civil 3D AutoCAD Land Desktop Companion (LDT), Inroads, or any other civil engineering application. Civil 3D has tools creating, evaluating, editing, and annotating familiar civil design elements (points, surfaces, alignments, profiles, etc.). Civil 3D s most radical difference is its dynamic environment. Civil 3D s design elements understand relationships and dependencies. When changing an element that has dependencies, Civil 3D updates all of the dependent elements. For example, changing a surface updates contours, profiles, corridors, and sections, reflecting their adjustment to the surface s change. 1

4 2 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 Civil 3D s development impetus was from perceived and real shortcomings of AutoCAD Land Desktop Companion. The Autodesk civil applications group addressed these issues by developing Civil 3D. Civil 3D s design/drafting environment presents the user with an interactive drafting space, new road design tools, flexible labeling, and an implementation method for standards. Besides learning and becoming comfortable with this design application, other major hurdles include understanding how to document a design, creating Civil 3D implementation content, and learning Civil 3D s behaviors and terminology. Most company standards are linetypes, layers, pen weights, etc. Civil 3D s implementation focuses on these same standards, but its styles extend to crafting a unified company look. Flexible styles create unique review or submittal profiles, section, parcel, and other design solution elements. When implementing Civil 3D, some questions to ask are: What does a profile or section look like? What types of annotation does an object have? In a sheet, where is the annotation located, what text styles does it use, what information is called out, etc.? This microscopic look at each page is necessary to understand how to implement Civil 3D. A style s power is in creating a consistent and correct document as the designer creates or changes the design solution. Unit 1 The first unit reviews the anatomy of Toolspace s Prospector, demonstrates its dynamic qualities, actions occurring in its object and preview areas, and its extensive icon use (signal dependencies, out-of-date status, etc.). This unit also introduces the Civil 3D ribbon. Unit 2 The second unit covers Toolspace s Settings, its available styles (object, label, and table), and navigating its tree and branch structure. Unit 3 Objects and their behaviors are the topic of this third unit. Civil 3D implements objects with design relationships and dependencies. These objects are a design solution s fundamental building blocks. These objects are linked to styles that produce a look, implement standards, and define object property annotation formats. This object and style environment allows Civil 3D to dynamically manage civil design data and its annotation. Unit 4 The last unit reviews transferring data between Autodesk Land Desktop and Civil 3D. Civil 3D reads data directly from a LDT project or imports a LandXML data file (from LDT or other applications). Civil 3D AutoCAD Land Desktop 2009 has routines for extracting Civil 3D data and stores the extracted data in a LDT project. UNIT 1: COMMAND RIBBON AND PROSPECTOR Civil 3D 2010 implements a command ribbon or a user can choose to use the traditional pull down menus (see Figure 1.1). At the Ribbon s top are the various tab names (collections of like tools). For example, the Home tab (top of Figure 1.1) displays icons that display or hide the toolspace, create points, define alignments, etc. The Modify tab (bottom of Figure 1.1) tools edit AutoCAD and Civil 3D objects. Each tab and their commands will be discussed when appropriate in this book.

5 You hide the Ribbon by typing in the command line, Ribbonclose. To display the traditional menus, click the drop-list arrow at Civil 3D s top left, to the right of redo arrow (see Figure 1.2). Chapter 1 The Beginning 3 FIGURE 1.1 FIGURE 1.2 Civil 3D s Toolspace has two tabs: Prospector and Settings (see Figure 1.3). These two tabs manage all objects, styles, references, and data values for a drawing and/or project. The Ribbon s Toolspace icon displays this Toolspace and its tabs. The Toolspace floats or docks and has Auto-hide for when it is not needed. When using survey or generating reports, the Toolspace displays additional tabs. The Ribbon s Home tab s top left Survey icon displays or hides the Survey tab. In the Ribbon s View tab, Palettes panel, to the right of the Toolspace icon is the icon that displays or hides the Toolbox tab. The Toolbox tab contains several Civil 3D reports. An alternative, is on the Ribbon s Home tab, Palettes section, click the title to unfold the panel and click Toolbox.

6 4 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE 1.3 Prospector organizes objects using a hierarchical structure, displaying their data and showing object relationships. Prospector headings identify each object type and branch to reveal specific object information and data. Prospector dynamically manages drawing objects, their listings, and makes their data available to other objects. Prospector updates information and responds to changes and additions to objects and their data. When viewing an object s information, the user interacts with an object s Prospector listing. Prospector s second area is preview. Whether docked or floating, preview is below or to Prospector s 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 the preview area (for example, selecting the Prospector s Surfaces heading displays a list of surfaces). When selecting a surface from the named Surfaces list, preview displays a surface image.

7 Chapter 1 The Beginning 5 FIGURE 1.4 OBJECTS In Prospector each object type has a heading and an icon (see Figure 1.4). The object types are Points, Point Groups, Surfaces, Alignments, Sites, Pipe Networks, Corridors, Assemblies, Subassemblies, Intersections, Survey, and View Frame Groups. The Sites branch contains site alignments, grading groups, feature lines, and parcels. A Civil 3D site is the outermost boundary containing alignments and/or parcels. A site can range from a subdivision boundary, or a parcel, to a single alignment. Each Alignment branch includes entries for Profiles, Profile View, and Sample Lines. When expanding an object type s branch, the first entry is a named instances (occurrences) list for that object type in the drawing. In Figure 1.4, for example, Base and Existing are two surface instances. Adding or deleting surfaces causes Prospector to automatically update its object list. Depending on the object type, each instance has its own branch containing its data or other critical values. For example, the Sites object type contains a sites list (Site 1, Site 2, etc.). Each site instance has its own list of alignments, profiles, sections, and parcels. Prospector displays object data at some point down an instance s branch. However, there are times when data appears in preview instead of Prospector. For example, the surface Definition branch is a list of assigned surface data types. The data for each entry only shows in the preview area, not the branch. Some objects, such as alignments, profiles, assemblies, and subassemblies, use a Properties dialog box instead of Prospector or preview. 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

8 6 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 location (see Figure 1.5). A shortcut menu s choices vary with the object type and where the 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 Figure 1.5). A named surface s shortcut menu includes build options, snapshots, zooming, etc. (see the center of Figure 1.5). A specific surface component or data element s shortcut menu has commands for creating, editing, and deleting entries (see the right side of Figure 1.5). FIGURE 1.5 Prospector Preview When selecting an object type heading, Prospector responds with an object instances list (see the left side of Figure 1.6). When selecting an object instance, Prospector previews the selected instance (see the center of Figure 1.6). The heading selected determines what preview displays (for example, selecting Sites shows a sites list, selecting Site 1 shows the site s geometry, selecting Parcels shows a parcels list, and selecting a parcel previews its geometry). Any value in preview is editable unless it has a gray background.

9 Chapter 1 The Beginning 7 FIGURE 1.6 When selecting an item from the preview s list, the user can directly edit the entry or right mouse click it, viewing a shortcut menu specific to the selected item. After completing the preview editing, these changes show in Prospector and the drawing. For example, if selecting Prospector s Surfaces heading, the preview area lists the surface names, descriptions, and their current styles. In the preview area, when clicking on a surface s name, description, or style cell, the user can directly edit the cell s value. After clicking a surface name cell and right mouse clicking, a shortcut menu displays that is the same as if the user had selected a surface name from Prospector s surface instance list (see the center shortcut menu in Figure 1.5). In the preview area, when clicking a style name, a Select Style dialog box appears, listing styles for that object type. The user changes the currently assigned style by selecting another style from the styles list (see Figure 1.7). Again, changes made to a preview entry updates Prospector and the drawing.

10 8 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE 1.7 CIVIL 3D OBJECTS In AutoCAD Land Desktop (LDT), few, if any, objects interact with each other (the exception being a grading object and a surface). None of the roadway design line work reacts to changes made to any of its elements (a profile reacting to changes in a surface s elevations). It is left to the user to verify what changes need to be made and how to synchronize external data with the entities. In LDT, routines create on-screen line work snapshots and store them as data in external project folders. The drawing s data representation is valid only if nothing changes. If editing or redrawing line work, all related project data files need updating. In many cases the project s final design is the starting point, for fear of out-of-sync data after numerous changes and handoffs between technicians and engineers. Civil 3D s data schema gives objects knowledge about relationships and dependencies between them. This knowledge allows objects to respond to changes by any object in their group of relationships. So, if a surface s elevations change and an alignment s has an existing surface profile, the profile updates, showing the new surface elevations along the alignment s path. If changing an alignment s location, the profile changes its elevations and either lengthens or shortens, showing the new alignment path. These types of relationships and dependencies are programmed into Civil 3D objects. OBJECT DEPENDENCIES AND ICONS Prospector icons identify object types, their status, and their dependencies (see Figure 1.8). For surfaces, to the left of a surface s name is an icon indicating the surface type. In Figure 1.8, the icons to the left of Base and Existing identify them as Triangular Irregular Network (TIN) surfaces. The icons for the remaining two surfaces identify them as Grid and TIN volume surfaces.

11 A triangle icon pointing diagonally to the left of a surface s name indicates that another drawing object references that surface s data. When an object is referenced, it cannot be deleted until the reference(s) is removed. Figure 1.8 shows an out-of-date icon (a shield with an exclamation mark), indicating that something changed with the Existing-Base-Grid-Vol surface. To remove out-of-date surface icons, the user must rebuild the surface. Rebuilding surfaces accommodates change(s) and removes the surface out-of-date icon. Chapter 1 The Beginning 9 FIGURE 1.8 PROSPECTOR: DATA SHORTCUTS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT Civil 3D implements project- and data-sharing capabilities through Prospector, Data Shortcuts, and Autodesk Vault. Data Shortcuts and Project Management are visible only in Prospector s Master View. Master View is set by selecting it from the view list above the drawing s name (see Figure 1.9).

12 10 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE 1.9 Prospector s Projects branch assists in managing a project s data and drawings. Civil 3D 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 that their data is out-of-sync relative to the project s entries. If Vault data changes, the user is notified of the changed data and can synchronize the drawing to the changed data. Again, Prospector uses icons to indicate data s changed status in the current drawing and in the project. A second data sharing method is a data shortcut. A data shortcut allows a user to share an object with other drawings. If the data shortcuts object changes, the shortcut notifies the user that the object has changed and after updating the reference, the object present in the drawing matches the current object definition. Civil 3D Project management and Data Shortcuts are discussed in detail in Chapter 12. CIVIL 3D TEMPLATES Civil 3D ships with two content templates. When in Prospector s Master View, it displays a Drawing Templates branch with a template files list that you can use to start a new drawing. Rather than selecting the New icon, in Prospector s Master View the user can select a template from the Drawing Templates, AutoCAD list, press the right mouse button, and select Create New Drawing (see Figure 1.10).

13 Chapter 1 The Beginning 11 FIGURE 1.10 This textbook uses the Autodesk Civil 3D (Imperial) NCS template file. This content 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 PANORAMA Civil 3D displays object value editors (grid based) as vistas within a panorama (see Figure 1.11). A panorama can have more than one vista, but only one vista is active at a time. To close a vista, click the green checkmark at the top of the panorama. To close the panorama, click the X at the top of its mast. If the panorama is closed by clicking its X, it can be redisplayed by selecting the Redisplay Panorama icon to the left of Prospector s Help icon. If the panorama is closed by clicking a vista s green checkmark and it is the only vista in the panorama, you cannot redisplay the panorama because the Redisplay Panorama icon becomes inactive. If this happens, the only way to redisplay the panorama is by executing a command to create a new vista.

14 12 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE 1.11 EXERCISE 1-1 After completing this exercise, you will: Become familiar with Toolspace and Prospector. Observe how Prospector dynamically manages objects. Change an alignment s path and view the changes to the road model. Dissolve and add parcels to a site design and view the changes to the Parcels data tree. Toolspace Basics 1. If not in CIVIL 3D, double-click its desktop icon to start the application. 2. If the Toolspace does not show, at the Ribbon s top left (Home tab, Palettes panel) click the Toolspace icon. 3. Close all open drawings and do not save them. 4. In Toolspace, Prospector tab top right, under the Help icon, select the drop-list arrow and from the list MASTER VIEW. 5. In Prospector, expand Drawing Templates and AutoCAD branches, from the list select _AutoCAD Civil 3D (Imperial) NCS, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select CREATE NEW DRAWING. 6. If the Toolspace is not floating, click and hold the left mouse button down near Toolspace s heading, and drag it to the screen s center. 7. On Toolspace s mast, right mouse click and, from the shortcut menu, click Allow Docking to toggle it OFF. 8. Again on Toolspace s mast, right mouse click and, in the shortcut menu if it is toggled on, click Auto-hide to toggle it OFF. 9. On the Toolspace s mast, press and hold the left mouse button and move the Toolspace to the screen s right and left sides. Toolspace s mast switches from side to side, but preview remains below Prospector.

15 10. On the Toolspace s mast, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, click Auto-hide, toggling it ON. Move the cursor away from Toolspace. The Toolspace hides Prospector under its mast. 11. On the Toolspace s mast, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, click Allow Docking, toggling it ON. At the screen s left side, dock the Toolspace. 12. If necessary, click the Prospector tab and scroll to the top until viewing the Open Drawings branch. 13. If necessary, to the left of the drawing s name, click the expand tree icon (plus sign), expanding the drawing s object type hierarchy. 14. Adjust preview s size by placing the cursor at the Prospector and preview boundary, pressing and holding down the left mouse button, and sliding it up or down. 15. At the Toolspace s top, under the Help icon, select the drop-list arrow and select ACTIVE DRAWING VIEW. 16. In the display s upper right, select the Close icon and do not save the drawing. Chapter 1 The Beginning 13 Prospector Object Management The remainder of the exercise uses drawings from this textbook s CD, Chapter 1 folder. Prospector is Civil 3D s control center and it dynamically updates its object list as changes occur in the drawing. Prospector also manages an object s data and makes its data available. 1. At Civil 3D s top left, Quick Access Toolbar, select the Open icon, browse to this textbook s CD, Chapter 1 folder, select the drawing Overview Prospector, and click Open. 2. If necessary, make sure Prospector is showing by selecting the Toolspace s Prospector tab. Points 1. In Prospector, select the Points heading. The square with a black dot icon to the left of Points indicates that the drawing has Civil 3D points. When selecting a Prospector object heading, preview displays a corresponding object list (see Figure 1.12). In this case, the preview area lists all of the drawing s points. Any value in preview is editable unless it has a gray background.

16 14 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE 1.12 Each Prospector tree heading has a specific shortcut menu (see Figure 1.5). The number of shortcut menu commands depends on an object s complexity or the user s location in the Prospector tree. 2. With Points still highlighted, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select CREATE, displaying the Create Points toolbar. 3. To close the toolbar, click the red X in its upper-right corner. 4. In preview, double-click a point s number. By clicking a preview entry, preview allows edits or style changes. Point Groups 1. In Prospector, select the Point Groups heading and notice that preview lists the drawing s point groups. Each point group can have a point and/or a label style override. A point and/or a label style override changes the points display for all point group points. 2. In Prospector, expand the Point Groups branch, viewing the point group list. 3. Select the point group Existing Ground Points. This displays in preview the group s points. 4. With Existing Ground Points still highlighted, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select EDIT POINTS.

17 This displays a panorama with the Point Editor vista containing the point group points. The vista allows point value edits. 5. At the top of panorama s mast, click the X, closing it. 6. To the left of Prospector s Help icon, click the Redisplay Panorama icon. 7. At the top of panorama s mast, click the X, closing it. The Point Groups heading s property is the point groups display order (see Figure 1.13). The drawing s point groups display begins with the list s lowest point group and continues to the top. This Display Order property hides or changes point markers and labels, enabling you to view or display different point data combinations. In the current drawing, the No Show point group hides all of the points, because it is the last drawn point group (top of the list). Chapter 1 The Beginning 15 FIGURE In Prospector, select the heading Point Groups, press the right mouse button, and, from the shortcut menu, select PROPERTIES. The top group is No Show and its overrides suppress all point markers and labels (see Figure 1.14). To view different point groups, change their position relative to the No Show group by using the up and down arrow buttons at the right side of the dialog box. The viewable point groups are above No Show. If the Event Viewer displays, close it by clicking the green check mark in the upper-right of the panorama. 9. In Point Group Properties, select Existing Ground Points and move it to the top position by clicking the up arrow on the dialog box s right. 10. If necessary, select No Show and move it to the second position. 11. Click OK, viewing the Existing Ground Points point group. The drawing displays the Existing Ground Points point group points and their assigned point and label styles.

18 16 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE Again, in Prospector, select the Point Groups heading, press the right mouse button, and, from the shortcut menu, select PROPERTIES. 13. In the Point Group Properties dialog box select the Breakline Points point group and move it to the top position. 14. Select the No Show point group and move it to the second position. 15. Click OK, exiting and displaying the Breakline Points point group. Use the REGENALL command to update the display. This displays the Breakline Points point group (see Figure 1.15). By isolating these points and their surface triangulation you can review the linear objects successful triangulation in a surface. FIGURE At the displays upper right, select Close icon and do not save the changes.

19 Civil 3D Object Reactions and Dependencies Alignments and Profiles All Civil 3D objects react to changes affecting their display or information. When changing the data an object depends on, or changing the object itself, all objects dependent on the changed object react and accommodate its change. 1. At Civil 3D s top left, Quick Access Toolbar, select the Open icon, browse to this textbook s CD, Chapter 1 folder, select the drawing Overview Road, and click Open. When changing an alignment s endpoint, the profile and profile view react to the change by displaying new elevations and profile length. 2. Use the ZOOM and PAN commands and view the profile view s right side elevation annotation. 3. If necessary, click the Prospector tab. 4. In Prospector, expand the Surfaces branch until you view the surface EG (1). 5. Expand the EG (1) branch until you view the Definition heading and its data entries. 6. From the data list, select the heading Edits, press the right mouse button, and select RAISE/LOWER SURFACE (see Figure 1.16). 7. In the Command Line, for the amount to add to the surface s elevation, enter 10 and press ENTER. Chapter 1 The Beginning 17 FIGURE 1.16

20 18 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 The edit raises the surface by 10 feet. The profile view reacts by updating the EG surface profile s elevation and annotation. A surface and a profile view are linked by the alignment and its surface profiles. If something happens to either the surface or the alignment, the profile and profile view react and change to correctly show the new situation. 8. At the displays upper right, select the Close icon and do not save the changes. Civil 3D Object Reactions and Dependencies Surface and Contours When changing surface data, the surface reacts by updating its definition. If the current style displays contours, the contours change, showing the changed surface elevations. If the Event Viewer displays, close it by clicking the green check mark in the panorama s upper-right corner. 1. At Civil 3D s top left, Quick Access Toolbar, click the Open icon, browse to this textbook s CD, Chapter 1 folder, select the drawing Overview Surfaces, and click Open. 2. In the drawing, select any surface contour, press the right mouse button, and, from the shortcut menu, select SURFACE PROPERTIES. 3. In the Surface Properties dialog box, click the Information tab. To the right of Surface style (middle left), view the styles list by clicking the drop-list arrow, and change the current surface style by selecting Contours and Triangles (see Figure 1.17). FIGURE Click OK, exiting the dialog box.

21 The surface now shows contour and triangle surface components. The next step zooms to a point that you are going to modify. After modifying the point, the contours change, reflecting the new surface elevation. 5. In Prospector, at its top, select the Points heading, listing all points in preview. 6. In preview, scroll through the point list until you locate point number In preview, select point number 71 s icon, press the right mouse button, and, from the shortcut menu, select ZOOM TO. The zoom centers the point in the display. 8. In Prospector, expand Surfaces and the Existing surface branches until you view the Definition heading s data list. 9. In the Existing s Definition tree, select Edits, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select MODIFY POINT. Your Prospector should look like Figure Chapter 1 The Beginning 19 FIGURE In the drawing, at the display s center, select the triangles intersection, and press ENTER. In the command line, enter a new point elevation of 740 and press ENTER twice, changing the elevation and exiting the command. This edit changes the surface data, and the contours change, showing the new surface elevation. Prospector s preview adds the edit to the surface s edits list (see Figure 1.19). The surfaces dependent on Existing become out-of-date because of the change made to Existing.

22 20 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE 1.19 If the previous surface edit is speculative, you can temporarily remove it from the surface. This is a function of the Surface Properties dialog box s Definition panel. If you want to permanently remove the edit, you can delete it either in the Surface Properties dialog box s Definition panel (Remove From Definition) or you can delete it from preview s edits list. 11. In the drawing, select a contour or triangle leg, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select SURFACE PROPERTIES. 12. In the Surface Properties dialog box, click the Definition tab; then in Operation Type (at the bottom of the panel) scroll up or down the list until you locate Modify Point. The operation has a check mark, indicating it is an active surface edit. 13. Toggle OFF the Modify Point edit and click OK, exiting the dialog box. A warning dialog box displays. 14. In the Warning dialog box, click REBUILD THE SURFACE, rebuilding the surface and exiting the Surface Properties dialog box (see Figure 1.20).

23 Chapter 1 The Beginning 21 FIGURE 1.20 The surface shows the modified point removed from its data by changing the contours. 15. Return to the Surface Properties dialog box (see Step 11). In the Definition panel, Operation Type, toggle ON the Modify Point edit, and click OK to exit the dialog box. 16. In the Warning dialog box, click REBUILD THE SURFACE, rebuilding it and exiting the Surface Properties dialog box. The edit reappears in the surface. 17. If necessary, in Prospector, in the Existing surface branch, from the Definition heading s list, select Edits. The preview area displays the Existing surface edits. 18. In the preview area, select the entry Modify Point, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select DELETE to permanently remove the surface edit. A Remove From Definition dialog box displays (see Figure 1.21). FIGURE 1.21

24 22 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D In the Remove From Definition dialog box, click OK to accept the deletion. This permanently removes the surface edit. 20. At the display s upper right, click the Close icon and do not save the changes. Dynamic Data Management Parcel Properties Prospector dynamically manages the drawing s objects list. Each entry is a drawing s object type instance (occurrence). When adding or removing drawing objects, Prospector automatically updates the instance list. A Site s parcels list identifies each parcel s type and its identifier (usually a parcel number). When defining a parcel, Prospector adds a new parcel to the list and labels it in the drawing. If the Event Viewer displays, close it by clicking the green check mark in the upper-right of the panorama. 1. At Civil 3D s top left, Quick Access Toolbar, select the Open icon, browse to this textbook s CD, Chapter 01 folder, select the drawing Overview Parcels, and click Open. 2. If necessary, click the Prospector tab. 3. In Prospector, expand the Sites branch until you view the Parcels heading and its parcels list. Your screen should be similar to Figure FIGURE 1.22

25 Chapter 1 The Beginning 23 Each parcel s property includes a boundary analysis (see Figure 1.23). FIGURE In Parcels, select a parcel from the list, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select PROPERTIES. 5. In Parcel Properties, click the Analysis tab and review the selected parcel s Inverse and Mapcheck reports. 6. Click OK, exiting Parcel Properties. Reports Manager Parcels 1. From the Ribbon headings select the View tab. In the View ribbon, Palettes panel, to the Toolspace icon s right, bottom row, click the middle icon, click Toolbox to display Toolspace s Toolbox tab. 2. In the Toolbox panel, expand Reports Manager, then expand Parcel until displaying a parcel reports list. 3. From the parcel reports list, select Inverse_Report, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select EXECUTE. 4. In the Export to XML Report dialog box, deselect everything except for two parcels and click OK. Internet Explorer displays with a Parcel Inverse Report. 5. Review the report and then close Internet Explorer.

26 24 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 Adding and Deleting Parcels Whenever adding or deleting parcels, Prospector modifies its Parcels list. 1. Click the Prospector tab. 2. From the Parcels list, select Single-Family : 17, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select ZOOM TO. 3. Use the ERASE command, and in the drawing select the north/south side yard line, dividing parcels 4 and 17. Press ENTER. The two parcels merge into one. 4. In Prospector, the Parcels list needs refreshing. Select the Parcels heading, press the right mouse button, and, from the shortcut menu, select REFRESH. 5. Scroll through the list, verifying Single-Family : 17 s absence from the list. 6. At the displays upper right, select the Close icon and do not save the drawing. SUMMARY Prospector is Civil 3D s 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 deletes Civil 3D objects. Prospector displays and manages each object s 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 hierarchy manages a drawing s settings and styles. Settings at the drawing name are at the highest level and affect all style values lower in the hierarchy. Settings hierarchical tree displays and manages each object type s settings and styles. Each object type is a branch heading and within the branch are the object type s settings 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 style defaults, and so on (see Figure 1.24).

27 Chapter 1 The Beginning 25 FIGURE 1.24 EDIT DRAWING SETTINGS Edit Drawing Settings is at the hierarchy s top. This dialog box values affect drawing scale, coordinate systems, label abbreviations, layer assignments, and prompting and listing values. In Figure 1.25, Edit Drawing Settings Object Layers panel sets each object type s base layer name, if using a modifier, and the modifier s value. If there is more than one object type instance, the user should define a base layer modifier. A modifier can be a base layer name prefix or suffix with the modifier value being the instance s name (for example, Existing and Base are two TIN surface names that can be appended to the base layer name). An asterisk (*) assigns the object s name to the modifier value. There should be a spacing character between the base layer name and the modifier such as a dash (-) or an underscore (_). If a surface s name is Existing, and the user sets the modifier to Suffix and set 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 its labels. If using the same modifier and value as the TIN Surface Labeling, the resulting label layer would be C-TOPO-TEXT-Existing.

28 26 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE 1.25 Edit Drawing Settings Ambient Settings panel sets basic rules for units, rounding, precision, format, etc. For example, to prompt for, list values as, or report cubic feet as the volume unit, in Ambient Settings Volume section, change the Unit value to cubic feet (see Figure 1.26). The Grade/Slope Section sets slope listing to either percent, rise:run, run:rise, etc., and controls its precision and its rounding. FIGURE 1.26

29 Settings changed in an object type s branch affect only those settings and styles below where the change is made. For example, if you are setting the drawing s ambient settings value to slope (run:rise) and want to change how surface objects report slope, you change the surface branch ambient settings (Edit Feature Settings) to rise:run and override the drawing s preferred value (see Figure 1.27). When overriding a value set at a higher level, an override toggle is set in the dialog box. A down arrow at the higher level indicates the value is changed at a lower level in the hierarchy. Chapter 1 The Beginning 27 FIGURE 1.27 EDIT LABEL STYLE DEFAULTS This dialog box s values affect basic label behavior (see Figure 1.28). In the figure, some settings are overridden by lower styles (down arrows in the Child Override column). Style overrides occur because a label type behaves, labels, or reports values differently. To negate overrides, click the Child Override column s down arrow. When clicked, the icon changes to a down arrow with an X. The X indicates the overrides reset to the values in the Edit Label Style Defaults dialog box. A second method for controlling overrides is locking their value. When locked at this level, no lower style can change the value. Again, setting a label style s Label layer to 0 causes the label to use the layer defined in Edit Drawing Settings Object Layers panel.

30 28 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE 1.28 EDIT LANDXML SETTINGS LandXML Settings affects data importing and exporting to and from LandXML files (see Figure 1.29). LandXML files transfer design elements (surfaces, alignments, points, etc.) between applications without a loss of fidelity. The LandXML civil data schema allows AutoCAD Land Desktop, Civil 3D, and other applications to transfer data without losing information quality. Civil 3D also uses LandXML files as report data. When exporting an XML file, the Imperial Units type should be set to match your drawing s value, either International or US Foot. This is set in the Export panel, Data Settings section. When importing an XML file, you can translate coordinates and elevations. This is done in Import s Translation section. If the drawing s Imperial units are different from the file s units, International (drawing) and US Foot (file), the coordinates for the objects will be transformed.

31 Chapter 1 The Beginning 29 FIGURE 1.29 EDIT FEATURE SETTINGS In Settings, when selecting an object type heading and pressing the right mouse button, a shortcut menu displays with a call to Edit Feature Settings. Edit Feature Settings combines Edit Drawing Settings Ambient Settings values with specific settings for the selected object type (see Figure 1.30). In the figure, there are three sections affecting points: Default Styles, Default Name Format, and Update Points. The number of sections in an Edit Feature Settings dialog box depends on an object s complexity. Changing a ambient value in Edit Features Settings overrides an Edit Drawing Settings value. FIGURE 1.30

32 30 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 LABEL AND TABLE STYLE GROUPS In Settings, when expanding an object type s branch, an object has two style types (Label and Table). Label Groups and their Styles Expanding a Label Styles branch displays label type groups. For example, surface label types are Contour, Slope, Spot Elevation, and Watersheds. The object s complexity determines the label type number. Each heading s shortcut menu contains commands appropriate to the selected heading (see Figure 1.31). For example, Description Key Sets displays a shortcut menu with commands used for creating a new Description Key Set, viewing a set s properties, or refreshing its list. Selecting a named Description Key Set displays a shortcut menu with commands used for viewing the key set s properties, copying it, deleting it, editing its values, or refreshing its list. FIGURE 1.31 When expanding a Label Styles group, a label styles list displays. The styles create labels, documenting object type properties. For example, a parcel has the label types of area, line, and curve. The area label type styles include Name Area & Perimeter, Name Square Foot & Acres, and Parcel Number. When defining parcels, you can apply one or more area label styles to the parcel. When annotating a parcel s line and curve segments, you use the Line and Curve label type styles.

33 When selecting a listed style name and pressing the right mouse button, a shortcut menu displays with edit, delete, or copy commands (see Figure 1.32). Chapter 1 The Beginning 31 FIGURE 1.32 Transferring Styles between Drawings To transfer styles to an existing template or drawing, drag and drop them between open files. When you drag and drop a style definition into a file where the style already exists, Civil 3D issues a warning, prompting you to rename, overwrite, or ignore the dropped style. EDIT COMMAND SETTINGS Each object type has commands that use default styles and settings from Edit Drawing Settings or the object s Edit Feature Settings (see Figure 1.33). You can change a command s default styles and settings without affecting other commands or feature settings.

34 32 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 FIGURE 1.33 EXERCISE 1-2 After completing this exercise, you will: Review the Prospector data panel. Expand and review the Surface data tree. Review Prospector icons for status and dependency. Review a panorama and its vistas. Become familiar with the Settings panel. Settings - Edit Drawing Settings This exercise focuses on Settings and its hierarchical tree management of settings and styles. 1. At Civil 3D s top left, Quick Access Toolbar, click the Open icon, browse to this textbook s CD, Chapter 1 folder, select the drawing Overview Surfaces II, and click Open. 2. Click the Settings tab. The Edit Drawing Settings, Edit Label Style Defaults, and Edit LandXML Settings dialog boxes are at the top of Settings hierarchy. 3. At Settings top, select the drawing name, press the right mouse button, and, from the shortcut menu, select EDIT DRAWING SETTINGS. 4. If necessary, in Edit Drawing Settings, click the Units and Zone tab and review its settings and current Zone. 5. Click the Transformation tab. 6. Click the Object Layers tab and scroll through the layer list, reviewing layer names and their settings.

35 7. Click the Abbreviations tab and review the abbreviations list. You can change any of the listed abbreviations. 8. Click the Ambient Settings tab and expand different sections to view their settings. These values set the general drawing tone. Clicking a padlock icon locks the value so no lower style can override or change the locked value. 9. Click OK, exiting the Edit Drawing Settings dialog box. Edit Feature Settings 1. In Settings, select the Surface heading, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select EDIT FEATURE SETTINGS. The Edit Feature Settings dialog box sets the default styles and naming values for Surfaces. 2. Expand the surface sections to review the surface settings, and when done, click OK, exiting the dialog box. Edit Label Style Defaults - Drawing 1. In Settings, select the drawing name, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select EDIT LABEL STYLE DEFAULTS. 2. Expand and review each section. 3. In the Label section, click the Text Style value cell, and then click the ellipses to view the Select Text Style dialog box. Selecting a text style here sets it for all non-overridden styles. 4. Close the Select Text Style dialog box and click Cancel. Edit Label Style Defaults - Feature 1. In Settings, select the Surface heading, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select EDIT LABEL STYLE DEFAULTS. The Edit Label Style Defaults dialog box sets several default values for all surface label styles. The values reflect those set in the drawing name level Edit Label Style Defaults dialog box. 2. Expand each section to review the values and then click OK, exiting the dialog box. Object Styles, Label Groups, and Their Styles 1. In Settings, click the plus sign to the left of Surface to expand the Surface branch. The Surface heading has four branches: Surface Styles, Label Styles, Table Styles, and Commands. 2. Click the expand tree icon to the left of Surface Styles, viewing its object styles list. 3. Select the style Border & Triangles & Points, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select EDIT. As an alternative, you can double click the style to edit it. You modify a style s values in this dialog box. Chapter 1 The Beginning 33

36 34 Harnessing AutoCAD Civil 3D Click the tabs, expand some of the sections in the different panels, and review the values controlling a style. 5. Click OK, exiting the dialog box. 6. In Settings, click the plus sign to the left of Label Styles, displaying the surface label style types list. 7. Expand the Contour branch, viewing its styles. 8. Select a Contour style, press the right mouse button and, from the shortcut menu, select EDIT. 9. Click the various tabs and expand some of the sections, reviewing their contents. 10. When you are done, click Cancel to close the label style dialog box. 11. Explore some of the remaining style trees and review their style definitions. 12. CLOSE the drawing and do not save the changes. SUMMARY The Settings panel manages all styles and command values. Settings promote standards and eases implementation with its hierarchical structure. In the Settings hierarchy, the higher a setting is, the more styles and values it affects. Settings manages, creates, and modifies object and label styles. UNIT 3: SETTINGCIVIL3D S ENVIRONMENT New terms in AutoCAD Civil 3D describe the drafting environment and its objects and their behaviors (e.g., Prospector, vistas, baselines, assemblies, styles, etc.). Civil 3D sites, baselines, feature lines, and assembly objects are familiar civil concepts and design elements, but these elements are known by more traditional names in other civil design packages (parcels, alignments, grading objects, templates, etc.). The new terms 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. Civil 3D ships with a basic style definition content template. However, the template styles may not be right for a user s specific tasks, or they may not meet a user s CAD drafting standards. The biggest initial cost in implementing Civil 3D will be the time spent setting up and modifying styles. As with any Autodesk product, there are several content creation methods, and each strategy has consequences. Harnessing the interplay of the dynamic design environment and the role styles play in creating and finishing a design are the greatest challenges facing Civil 3D implementers and users. If satisfied with a template s content (styles and layers) as shipped, the user can immediately begin producing a design document. If the content does not reflect specific standards, the user must create new styles, modify existing styles, and define and substitute new layers. When using this new template file, all modified content is present in the drawing.

37 The interface controlling, displaying, or editing object type information is the same for each object. All object and label styles use similar dialog boxes that have a set structure. By knowing the anatomy and behavior of one object or label style dialog box, 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. IMPLEMENTATION A single Civil 3D template file is an implementation. This file defines all object, label, and miscellaneous styles producing design document. This single file contains the office standards that in LDT took several folders and files. When starting a new Civil 3D 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 can be used with traditional AutoCAD methods for displaying and hiding drawing elements. Layers are also necessary when implementing AutoCAD Xrefs or sharing data with those without Civil 3D. Styles also control data visibility. A Civil 3D implementation is a combination of styles and layers. Adding style definitions to a template file means opening the template file and defining the new styles. To add styles from an existing drawing to a template or another drawing, open both files and drag and drop the new styles to the template or other drawing. The biggest issue with an implementation is layers. If a drawing defines a modifier for an object type, for example the suffix -* for surfaces, Civil 3D creates layers for each surface 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. For example, assigning the Border & Contour style to two surfaces causes them to use the same layers to display their borders and contours. You cannot turn off the major contours 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 below them. These dialog boxes are Edit Drawing Settings, Edit Label Style Defaults, Edit LandXML Settings, and Table Tag Numbering. These dialog boxes values affect the entire drawing. Any lower style or setting can override these values. If locked at the drawing name level, a lower style cannot change the setting s value. Creating a Civil 3D template involves a thorough review and adjustment of values in the four primary dialog boxes; Edit Drawing Settings, Edit Label Style Defaults, Edit LandXML Settings, and Table Tag Numbering. Chapter 1 The Beginning 35 OBJECT LAYERS The Edit Drawing Settings Object Layers panel defines object type base layer names with an optional modifier (prefix or suffix). Modifiers are necessary when there is more than one instance of an object type (see Figure 1.25). An asterisk (*) modifier value appends the instance name to the beginning or end of the base layer name. This is the preferred method of modifying a layer s name. One additional option is spacing the object s name from the base layer s name. A dash (-) or underscore (_) is the usual spacing character. For example, setting a surface s name modifier to suffix and setting its value to dash asterisk (-*) creates the layer C-TOPO-EG, the base layer plus the surface name separated by a dash. A second