All posts by Kapanther

Cad News

Civil 3D 2017 new features… Finally some core functionality improvements

It’s been almost four years since Autodesk bothered to do anything with Civil 3D. However I am very pleased to see a host of new core functionality improvements that will make everyone’s life easier back in the 2017 version. Even if most of the features are somewhat half-baked.

So what’s changed in Civil 3D 2017 and how can you use it? Fortunately for you, I have made a series of videos for you to see how you can use the new features. I will also highlight some of the limitations in them so you don’t spend hours beating your head against the wall wondering why they don’t work as you expected!

In a nutshell, here are the new improvements

  • Civil 3D Object version has changed,
  • New Corridor Feature Line Extraction workflow
  • A host of Data Shortcut Improvements (Create Folders, Surface Caching, Import Multiple DREFS)
  • Data shortcut corridors (Probably my favourite new feature)
  • Use a feature line as corridor centreline (Very useful!)
  • Corridor Curve Cleanup (Automatically remove bowties… not as good as you think it is and only really good for basic situations, but still a step in the right direction)
  • Corridor Solid Extraction Improvements (Now Dynamic, with property sets for meta data)
  • Civil 3D “property sets” to improve downstream data workflows (attach subassembly data to solids etc.).
  • Feature Line Enhancements (‘No Site’ options, crossing centreline join (median problem fixed),
  • Style Management with Reference Styles (Create a style then “link it” to other drawings, incredibly useful)

Haven’t made all the videos yet. Here are some first passes below.

New Corridor Feature Line Extraction Workflow

Data Shortcut Improvements (Including Corridor Data Shortcuts)

Featurelines as Centerlines for Corridor / Corridor Curve Cleanup

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Modelling, Programming

Creating Custom Parameteric Pipe Structures in Civil 3D Part Builder

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Its not everyone’s favourite part of Civil 3D. But I get a lot of questions about it.

Civil 3D Part Builder has the ability to create custom parametric parts of all shapes and sizes. The video below will explain everything in detail, the rest of the blog further below will just run over the stumbling blocks you need to know.

Adding Custom Contexts

To add custom contexts you will need to go to this path and edit the “AeccPartParamCfg.xml”. You will need to restart civil 3D to see the changes in part builder

C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D 2016\enu\Pipes Catalog\Aecc Shared Content\AeccPartParamCfg.xml

Add your custom parameter in the <AeccParamDeclaration> section, just copy another one and change it to suit.

Then add your same context into the <AeccParamUsage> section further below. Make sure you enter it under the correct structure type.

Linking the Custom Context to the Dimensions

To create the link to the custom context parameters you will need to ensure your part is mostly finished first. Ensure you have a dimension in Civil 3D that represents the custom parameter, you will override it in the part’s XML

Now open the parts XML file it can be found in the catalog location here.

IMPORTANT NOTE: opening the part in part builder will reset these changes shown here and you will need to go and do them again

C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D 2016\enu\Pipes Catalog\ANZ Metric Structures\Junction Structures with Frames\AeccStructRectSlabTopRectFrameANZ_Metric_offsets.xml

Inside the XML you will need to find the dimension that represents the basepoint offset width.

IMPORTANT NOTE: opening the part in part builder will reset these changes shown here and you will need to go and do them again

So this is that the line should look like

Adding Custom Sizes

You can add custom sizes in this same XML.

Find the parameter you want to change and copy the lines down. Ensure you update the index number as well.

Updating the Catalog and Validating

When your done making changes you will need to update the catalog in civil 3D. Command PARTCATALOGREGEN, select structures or pipes, whatever you need.

I also recommend validating the parts in the catalog screen.

The results can be found here

C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D 2016\enu\Pipes Catalog\ANZ Metric Structures\Validate

Find your part name and open the txt file.

Everything Else!

I suggest watching the video above.

Enjoy!

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Wishlist

Create Multiple Intersections at once, including cul-de-sacs

Like this idea, vote it up here on idea station!

I think it’s safe to say that the intersection object (that is not really an object)  and the wizard that creates them are from a different age, they are dinosaurs that should have died a long time ago.

Check out 12D’s “Create Roads” functionality. It creates “multiple intersections” at once, as well as creating the cul-de-sacs automatically. Why can’t civil 3d leave the dark ages and develop some functionality like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldqN7PL4S8M

Like this idea, vote it up here on idea station!

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Wishlist

Pipe Network Profile styles and labels should be transferred when using plan production tools

Like This Idea. Vote it Up on Idea Station Here

When using Plan Production Tools. Pipe network styles and labels in plan view do not get carried through to the new drawing. It simply defaults back to the default styles in command settings.

Can we please add a way to use the styles and profile labels specified in the drawing that we create the sheets from. Particularly on larger projects, its really annoying to have to open all the sheets a respecify all the labels we already specified.

See Screencast for full explanation

Image kind of explains it below.

Profile Before Plan Production

Profile After Plan Production

Like This Idea. Vote it Up on Idea Station Here

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Wishlist

“Projection Sets” Profile/Section view Projections Reimagined

Long have I loathed the inconsistency in projection/crossing of civil 3d/regular autocad objects in profile/views. I.E Projections

More importantly, managing what is projected has long been cumbersome as well. It’s time for a shake up.

Introducing PROJECTION SETS. (similar to my styles sets idea, but for projections)

Projection sets would allow you to create a dynamic editable “query” to group desired objects that you want to use for projection. This query also defines how these objects should be displayed in profile/section views/exaggerated views?.

I’ll let the image below explain itself. But generally a few key points.

  • ALL Objects are Available for Projection!!!
  • ALL Objects can be assigned labels as well as projections styles
  • BOTH Profile Views/Sections views have similar projection options (Crossing/Superimposed/Bounding Box limit etc, explained further below)
  • Queries can be assigned to objects so that they can be assigned default styles based on the point group or there layer or whatever.
  • The same projection set can be used for multiple profile views etc.. Its dynamic..When it updates it updates the profile view/section nview etc.

Projection Options/Types

It’s really important that we have options to filter how objects are selected/cut/displayed in section/profile views.
I’m thinking there could be two/three types.

These would be saved as styles and can be changed/updated.

Crossing Only
Only objects that intersect the line are displayed

Bounded Parameters
Only objects within specified parameters can be seen. I.E 25m either side of alignment. Similar to how the sample line projections work now. This should be enabled for profiles views as well of course!

Bounded Objec
Only objects within a selected polygon are sampled. This would allow flexibility for users to limit things by stage boundaries etc..

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Drawing Management

Creating your Civil 3D company styles “on the fly” the WBLOCK method

Maybe a primitive method but a good one.

Anyone who is new or old to Civil 3D knows how difficult it is to create all the styles you will need to finish projects in a timely fashion. But most of us don’t have the time to sit down and create all these styles. Let alone the will power to just sit down and create styles and nothing else.

So here is a technique for creating styles as you do project work. Using a WBLOCK style inbox.

Feeling lazy.. watch the video.

In a nut shell though, you are working, you create a style. You WBLOCK it out to a common directory. You keep working.

Next chance you get some free time you do some “Style Review and Cleanup”. Incorporate it back into your template. Then Repeat!

The WBLOCK command.

This is also a great method for creating DXREFS with Civil 3D, onto that another time though

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Modelling

Importing/Preparing Australian IFD data as IDF for SSA analysis

Get a few people asking me this one so here you go

Download  Australia Format IDF for SSA using this link <<

Feeling Lazy, watch the video.

Otherwise, firstly you will need to set your project to a hydrology method that utilizes IFD’s. (‘Merica calls them IDF). Go to Input -> Project Options

Change the Hydrology Method to Rational

Now you need some curve data. Google Search, “Australian IFD data” or go to this link for the bom website. You will need to type in the coordinates of your site. Then you can copy or download the data as a CSV.

…

“IDF” curves in SSA are formatted with the AEP or “Year Return Values” as the rows and min. duration as the columns so you will need to transpose your data in excel. Quite easy, select it all and then rightclick -> paste special -> transpose

You will then need to import this into SSA. I have saved you some time here, you can download the default format here. (this arranges the AEP/duration columns correctly.

Go to Input -> IDF curves

You will want to load my “Australian IFD Format.idfdb” file (see download link here) so that is structures the AEP/duration correctly.

Now just copy/paste the duration data from excel into the little panel down the bottom.

You should now be able to see your curves you can use for analysis

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Wishlist

Display only style layers in use by Civil 3d objects. STYLELAYERINITIALIZATION

Too many style dependent layers are so annoying in Civil 3D. So many of the styles I am not even using yet the layers still persist.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could only see the layers of styles that are been used by civil 3d objects. I imagine there could be a setting called STYLELAYERINITIALIZATION

Setting it to 0. Would display all style layers even if there not been used by Civil 3d objects.

Setting it to 1. Would display only style layers in use by Civil 3d objects.

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