2010: Moving your Template Forward (CivilAccess)

Every year there’s a flurry of questions regarding moving dwt files forward from an older release to the latest and greatest version of Civil 3D. Since I’ve done this just a few times, I thought I’d share the official process with you, along with the list of items you need to review in 2010 if you’re pulling your dwt forward. First, let’s look at how Autodesk does it:

  1. New features are designed by the development team. As part of the process, the Product Designers (PDs) start drafting up specs for styles, command settings, and changes they need in the standard dwt files in order to demonstrate new functionality to users.
  2. A complete spec of changes, updates, and error corrections to the shipping dwt is created.
  3. Someone (three guesses who) opens up the dwt that is shipping in a beta build (typically B2 or so) and begins implementing this spec. As these changes are applied, there is room for discussion, change and updates to demonstrate features in the best light.
  4. A beta DWT is typically shipped in the last beta release, and comments are sought. Not much usually comes, but the PDs also review the dwt at this point and have changes they’d like.
  5. A final stock dwt is saved into the stock build and out it goes.

That’s it. It’s a saveas and move forward process. Styles are NOT recreated year to year. Many of them are touched year to year to handle new functions (like the layer options in the band label components,) and many are handled to address customer comments (new code sets, more _none_ styles, etc.) Now, CivilAccess customers, follow the jump and get the detailed list of the parts you should review and change in your 2010 dwt files.

Now, for your office, you’ve done some things like this already. You’ve gone through the process with 2009, you’ve updated styles, built new ones and moved on. If that was all you’d done, it would be easy to simply inject your dwt as a dwg into the new dwt file and you’d be set to go. But most of you have other things you’ve touched, like layers, command settings, defaults, etc., and that’s the hard part. So, how to deal with it?

Here’s my approach, and it’s not perfect, cause none of them are:

  1. Open up my company template (EE.dwt) and save in 2010.
  2. Create a new dwg from the 2010 NCS template (Adesk.dwg)
  3. Insert Adesk.dwg into my EE.dwt as a block. This will bring in the new styles that were created without altering the ones I’ve modified.
  4. Here’s the fun part: review new functionality in the product for changes necesary to me EE.dwt file. I’ll list those below too.
  5. Review the Command settings for 2010 for needed changes.
  6. Review the Feature settings for needed changes

OK. Simple, right? Except that you’d need a list of the things that you should review. Who’s your buddy, who’s your pal? EE is. This list is not overly specific, but should get you looking in the right areas.Here’s a bullet list of the items that were updated/changed for 2010 as the new dwt files were created.

  • New object layers for Intersections, buildings, grading and networks.
  • Ambient settings for driving direction
  • New shape styles for use in profile hatching
  • Object Projection influenced quite a bit:
    • Feature lines
    • Points
    • Markers
    • Survey Figures
    • Profile View Labels
    • Section View Labels
    • Command Settings for PV and SV
  • Parcel layout and previews in Feature Settings
  • Create Alignment from Feature Line command settings
  • Alignments
    • Alignment highlighting and offset naming features
    • Alignment types are part of most Create Alignment commands
    • Alignment Widening Feature settings
    • Create Offset Alignment command settings
  • Profiles & Profile Views
    • Profile label staggering in both profile and band labels
    • Profile Views can have their own major and minor increments
    • Profile hatching with Shape styles
    • Band label component layers
  • Sections and Section Views
    • Section views can have independent major and minor increments
    • Band label component layers
  • Pipe network Storm Sewer migration settings
  • Corridor Highlight settings
  • Intersection Feature (just review the whole thing, there’s a TON going on here!) but short list:
    • Alignment names
    • Alignment label sets
    • Profile names
    • Profile label sets
    • Quadrant names
    • Region names
    • Intersection Style
    • Intersection Label
  • Quantity Takeoff
    • Pay Item Lists
    • Pay Item Categories
    • Pipe Network Pay Items
    • Code Set Pay Items
  • Building Site
    • Object style
    • Object layering

Whew! Quite a bit going on there! Now you can see why it takes a little time to update each year, and that’s just the highlight level, not the detailed list. I hope this helps you folks moving forward!

One comment

  1. J. Stevens says:

    That’s a big help. Thanks James.