Archive for Civil3D2011

Turning Background Parcel Segments Off

Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D ParcelUsing Autodesk’s AutoCAD Civil 3D Parcels makes short work of conventional subdivision layout, as well as more intricate work like overall parcel boundary divisions and phases. One thing we always try to adhere to is the foundation rule of working form an overall region towards more defined smaller regions. This requires an initial parcel to be established on a site before more can be divided. During the creation, Parcel Segments are created in the background, and remains invisible and harmless until you want to do some fancy footwork. That’s where we come in.

Desired Outcome

Let’s say one of your retention parcels is to be developed in another phase, and the client absolutely does NOT want that parcel, or even the outline to be visible. Good Luck.

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Underutilized Profile View Graphics (HATCH)

I’ve found, while working with customers, that one very useful component of profile views has been underutilized since its addition in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010. This component I’m referring to is the profile view hatch. The initial perception users have of this component is that it is only used to show cut and fill locations between an existing surface and a proposed surface. But, that’s not the only use. When creating multiple proposed surfaces that are based on material (ie. Paving), this component adds an additional dimension to profile views. Reviewers and contractors can now see an added entity that helps in deciphering the vertical scale and location of underground utilities. In this post I’ll share with you an easy way to use this graphic which will add more meaning to your profile views.

See the rest of this post…

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GRIPMULTIFUNCTIONAL

Ever go to use someone else’s computer and something doesn’t act as you expected? imageToday that happened to me when I went to go show a user how to rotate a point marker. I expected to hover over the lovely diamond grip and see my trusty flyout (as shown at right) but the flyout was nowhere to be seen. Of course it only made sense that there was some system variable that was “misbehaving” somewhere. Low and behold I had GRIPMULTIFUNCTIONAL on my machine set to 3. If this variable is set to 0 or 1 the hover menu does not show. Now you know.

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Subassembly Composer is a Reality

The labs pre-release version has been inoperative for only a scant couple of weeks before we have a fully functional permanent version.  Create your own intelligent subassemblies WITHOUT needing to have a PhD in Visual Basic coding.  Read on and stay tuned for further posts in the near future.

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AutoCAD MEP into Civil 3D – Display View Representations

My company has recently taken the next step in going 3D by adopting AutoCAD MEP for our process, pump station, and wastewater treatment plant designs.

As we go down the rabbit hole more and more with MEP the similarities and dissimilarities with Civil 3D amaze me.  For instance, both Civil 3D and MEP use Parametric Parts (Parts Builder), MVparts, modeled objects that control 2D objects (sections; profiles), etc…  What I don’t understand is why Civil 3D doesn’t work more like MEP, knowing MEP was first.  Why doesn’t it use Layer Keys; why does it not include the Parametric Part Wizard; why does it not include pressure pipe tools; why doesn’t it allow the use of MVparts as a substitute for Parametric Parts in a pipe network, etc…

Finally, why does it not use Display View Representations to control the display of objects?  Well, in a way it does when you Xref AutoCAD MEP drawings into Civil 3D drawings.  Learn more after the jump…

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