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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This would be so useful. Been able to save the styles you have selected for various civil 3d objects. In particular, for more complex projects, where constantly resetting between various styles can be rather tedious.
This workflow could even flow over to data shortcuts. Where it would be possible to create reference to multiple objects using the “style states” saved in your project.
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Be awesome if all of the build definitions where exposed to the regular autocad properties window. This would allow angle/length to be changed on multiple surfaces at once!
Maybe even the operation build order could be exposed when you have once surface selected?
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Move the Contour Interval, Grid Spacing, Analysis Number of Ranges and Precision outside of the style and into the Object Properties. Why you ask?
Firstly you wouldn’t need so many surfaces styles just to change a contour interval.
Secondly you would be able to change all/ or multiple intervals at once without changing the style in the properties box or prospector
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I’m aware I can save changes to my command using the settings tab in toolspace.
However wouldn’t it be nicer if we could just save settings for any command we are in as we need to? Its pretty annoying to have to keep going back to the settings to tab to toggle this on and off as you need to.
It would be even nicer if we could save many defaults and reload them as we need to as well. Sort of like styles for commands?
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Data shortcuts are so critical to performance but also functionality/production within Civil 3D. However they haven’t even got their own bloody window!
Here are a number of amazing features you could add to data shortcuts that will blow everyone’s mind.
1. Move the data shortcuts section out of that crappy little section in the prospector tab. Maybe give them their own tab?
Lets take a look below at what a better Data shortcuts system would look like
2. Allow Corridor Linework etc., sites/Grading Groups, and Cogo Points Groups to be Data Shortcuts. We are all sick of copying this stuff manually into production drawings. The modelling environment always looks different to the finished drawing production environment!
3. Allow Filter. Search Functionality
4. Provide Find/Replace Naming functionality that actually renames the objects in the drawings they have been referenced into. Or fixes the paths similar to “data shortcuts manager”
5. Display the Current working folder as well as a drop down to access previously used working folders
6. Data shortcuts tab
7. Project Folders displayed as well as sub folders for objects that can be created
8. Set default styles for objects so that when they are referenced you don’t have to select it.
9. Allow objects to be exported to other formts from the data shortcuts window. Maybe Sent to IMX, LandXML etc.
10. If you spend more time looking at this there is even more you can add. Hopefully this gets the creative juices flowing though.
Ps. Why your at it. Can you change this set working folder box so we can actually paste a path into it
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We all like to manage our civil 3d styles in combination with regular AutoCAD layers. But quite often after assigning layers in the display tab we need to modify the layers properties. It can be difficult to determine what layers a civil 3d style is using, as we have to keep flicking between the “edit style” dialog box and the layer manager.
Unfortunately within the Display Tab of any style edit, we can only assign layers not modify the layers properties themselves. Meaning you need to keep closing the box and going back to the layer manager.
Although adding the ability to edit the layer properties from within the style box might be handy, It would be even more useful to filter layers in the layer manager based on the selected objects.
This would make quick changes to styles possible without overriding the layers selected in the styles or even ever needing to enter the “edit style” dialog box
Controlling the transition of parameters within corridor models is not as easy as it could be in Civil 3D.
In fact I don’t see a clear and “simple” method for managing the transition of a daylight slope at all? Although there are methods that I discuss in this post here. They are still convoluted and cumbersome to setup.
So how does one create this sort of daylight transition in Civil 3D? vvv
Well I have a very simple idea. “Parameter Views” and “Parameter Targets” which can control everything!
So basically a “parameter view” can be placed directly above or below a profile view and “parameter profiles” can be drawn on this view that represent the desired values or grade,width,slope etc.. This process is very similar to the management of superelevation, except parameter views can control everything!
The other change to make this a lot simpler is to upgrade all the generic subassemblies to have the ability to have its parameters overridden in a relative fashion. Although it’s possible to do this in the assembly properties, it is cumbersome and not straightforward as discussed in my post here. (additional links have to created, crazy profile views where elevation = slope or grade etc etc..)
I am aware that this can be achieved using Custom Subassemblies. But such a simple change would make life a lot easier for even the basic user. Plus custom subassemblies don’t travel inside the dwg!!
Particularly useful as parameters get more complex and difficult to visualise!
Do i really need to explain this further? Who doesn’t want a native “Halo Text” capability in Autocad/Civil 3D. And don;t even think about telling me that you can do it in Autocad Map or with some crazy block you came up with. Lol.
REAL Halo text….. NATIVE Halo Text….!!!
Is too much to ask? or maybe ban the use of Aerial photography in civil engineering drawings..?
There it is
You can change it
Wow
Go away
Put simply, I wish you could use multiple bits of linework/other alignments/profiles to create dynamic alignments. Sort of like an offset alignment than co reference more than one object.
Similar to the way kerb returns work already, but in a much more customizable and intuitive way. (this is done incredibly well in 12D using computators!)
Horizontal Geometry Example
Let’s consider horizontal alignment design of two roads (blue and red) using the below example.
There are offset requirements for the existing property boundary, the new road (blue) and the highway. Typically to create an alignment we would offset all of this basic linework and then convert to an alignment and add curves etc.. But this is not very dynamic at all!! What happens if the offset requirements requirement’s change? or If the new road is adjusted?
What would be useful is if we could produce alignments based on these very requirements parametrically. Using a partial reference element-based approach that maintains the links to the original linework or other design elements.
So instead of creating all this alignment geometry manually we can create “dynamic rules” for the alignment to create itself. Most importantly the alignment can be created using multiple partial parts of other objects or alignments.
Vertical Geometry
Using this same example it would be also useful to create dynamic element based vertical geometry as well. Grades can be projected dynamically to create element based tangents or PVI’s.
Some light “freely” available reading can be found here. 12D computators
Or watch a video here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-ETpftB7WA
