IMAGINiT Civil Solutions Blog

Civil 3D 2009 and the Design Criteria Editor Part 2

imaginitfeeds@rand.com (Douglas Benoit, PE, ICE) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:53:22 EDT

Today is the day that I make the second part of my two part series on the AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2009 Design Criteria Editor available. So hopefully, during last weekend's hiatus, you had a chance to get acquainted with Part 1 of the Design Criteria Editor?

What? I can't believe that you wasted a perfectly good weekend relaxing on your deck or by the pool or even working on that ever expanding "honey-do" list. I guess I can't fault you for that. Anyways, I hope you are rested, because now we are off to continue the tour and dive into the Design Criteria Editor Part 2.

So take a look at Part 2 along with Part 1 and see if it helps you on your quest to create a horizontal and vertical criteria file that you can apply to your current and future road designs.

But before I go, I would like to show you something else. The other day I was messing around with point styles trying to figure out how to apply one of those cool multi-view blocks (you know the ones that have both 2D and 3D views) to a "tree" shot. That way when I view the data 3-dimensionally, the trees "pop up" to show me way cool 3D trees in my drawing. So, being a smart and groovy guy, I inserted the block that I wanted into the dwg so I could apply it to the Point Style. Pretty smart of me don't you think?

Well, did you know that multi-view blocks are made up of multiple parts, and when you view them within the point style editor all you see are the parts that make up that block? Yeah, I knew that. Did you also know that the name of block does not show up within the point style editor? Yeah, I knew that too.

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So how does one go about assigning a multi-view block to a point style and maintain its integrity. Don't ask me, I don't know either. Just kidding, but I'll admit that I am just a little embarrassed about this because it took a call to Autodesk Tech Support and a talk with Almas to straighten me out. Simply right click inside the block selection window and a super secret "Browse" button is displayed. Now you can browse to the multi-view block or block or you choosing, and it will be assigned to the point style. How simple is that?

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Oh, by the way, this is spelled out in the Help files... plain as day!

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I know, I don't read the help either! But it is there and the secret is out!

And don't forget to check out Civil 3D 2009's Design Criteria Editor Part 1 and Part 2.

Thanks and Enjoy!

Civil 3D 2009 and the Design Criteria Editor Part 1

imaginitfeeds@rand.com (Douglas Benoit, PE, ICE) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:33:42 EDT

As mentioned in my last posting, today I will start you out on a guided tour of the AutoCAD® Civil3D ® 2009 Design Criteria Editor , with yours truly as your guide. What a scary thought that is. Anyways, due to the length of the tour (as usual I got a little carried away with all of pretty pictures); a rest stop will be provided so that you can catch your breath after the first leg (Part 1). This will enable you to thoroughly enjoying the second leg (Part 2) next week.

However, before we embark on our journey, I would like to take just a few moments and pass along a little "mouse" tech tip that comes from Stephen Cowling at Gilbert and Associates in Adelaide, SA which was forwarded to me by Penny Ryall from IMAGINiT's North Adelaide, South Australia office. Below is Stephen's tip...
.....

Some mouse software likes to assign special functions to the middle button. This invariably plays havoc with AutoCAD.

To fix a problem where middle button pan does not work, go to the mouse settings software. This is sometimes accessible through the control panel, sometimes you'll need to find the software in start>all programs.

Assign the middle button to 'middle button' rather than any autoscroll or similar.

To fix a problem where the wheel zoom doesn't work, you'll need to go to the wheel settings. You should see something like 'program exceptions' where you can add in the AutoCAD application by browsing to c:\program files\autocad...\autocad.exe. This forces the wheel to behave like a wheel only, rather than some sort of 'intelligent' scrolling.

This should be once-off, but if you run more than one version of AutoCAD you'll have to add in each exe file separately.

I know the mice that come with the Lenovo workstations have both of these problems. Logitech mice have the first problem but not the second.
.....

Ok, back to the tour. I have painstakingly stepped through the process so that you can create a new criteria file or modify a copy of an existing one. The steps have been divided up into two parts (Part 1 and Part 2) to show you how you can set up a Civil 3D 2009 Design Criteria file. The ultimate goal is a criteria file that applies your area's horizontal and vertical road design values to your project.

Civil 3D Design Criteria Editor - Part 1

Part 2 will be ready and available early next week.

The Design Criteria Editor may not be quite perfect... yet. But it you ask me (I heard you ask), what they gave us in this release of Civil 3D is totally righteous!

Also, thanks Stephen for the mouse tip, and thank you Penny for sending this my way.

That is all... for now.

Thanks and Enjoy!

Civil 3D 2009 and the AutoCAD Tray Settings

imaginitfeeds@rand.com (Douglas Benoit, PE, ICE) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:34:23 EDT

Here's another little AutoCAD® and AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2009 related tip.

Have you noticed that with the last two versions of AutoCAD and the AutoCAD based products that our good friend the little service notification balloon down in the lower right corner pops up for more and more things?

And then, it waits for you to close it. Is it just me or do you also find it just a teeny tiny bit annoying? Good, because I thought that perhaps it was just me.

I'm also betting that like me, you don't mind being informed when to reload an Xref or when to synchronize a data shortcut, but you'd like a way to limit the time that that little balloon is display. By now I'm guessing that you've already figured out that I'm about to tell you how to do this. Darn you're good, and yes, there is a way, and there are settings that allow us to adjust how long that service notification balloon pops up before it automatically closes.

The secret lies in that little triangular button in the lower right corner of your AutoCAD or AutoCAD based product.

Simply left click on that button and select Tray Settings from the pop-up list... it's at the very bottom.

This will display the Tray Settings window. In the Tray Settings, click on the Display time radio button and set the time from 1 to 10 seconds.

Pick OK when you're done, and that's it. The notification balloon will now display for the time selected and then automatically close. If you've set the time between 4 and 6 seconds, you should have ample time to see the notification, read it, and act on it accordingly. Anything less than 4 and it's difficult to see it, read it and react to it.

Hopefully this little nugget will reduce your stress level just a little.

Next time join me for a guided tour of the Design Criteria Editor in AutoCAD ® Civil 3D® 2009 where you can apply your areas horizontal and vertical design standards.

Thanks and Enjoy!

Using Layer Isolate in Civil 3D 2009

imaginitfeeds@rand.com (Douglas Benoit, PE, ICE) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:25:13 EDT

Here is a little tip that I'd like to pass your way...

Did you know that in 2008 the Layer ISOLATE command (originally the Express Layer Isolate command) was not only incorporated into AutoCAD®, but was also enhanced to give us a couple of options to control its behavior and what it did or did not display on screen? Well, it did and below are shown a couple of ways, in AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2009, where you can adjust those settings to your choosing.

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Whether you select the command from Layers Ribbon Panel (like I have), the Layers II toolbar, the Format > Layer Tools, or typed LAYISO on the command line (yes, i too type many of my commands... but i needed a pretty picture), you can enter "S" for settings and then select O for Off or L for Lock and fade.

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Another way is to select the Settings button in the Layer Properties Manager, which can be found in the upper right corner of the manager and will display the Layer Settings dialog box where the Isolate Layer Settings that can be modified to your liking.

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Note: in the 2009, the Layer Properties Manager is modeless which means that it can remain open (floating or docked) and can be set to Auto-hide like other palettes found in AutoCAD.

My guess is that by now you are saying to yourself... Doug, why should I even care about what is set in the Layer Isolate settings. Well, you should care if you are trying to select "Drawing Objects" or "Contours", for example, as C3D surface data. If your Layer Isolate settings are set to "Lock and fade", then C3D won't add the data to the surface Definition. If you set the setting to "Off", then the data will be added to the surface and you will see the fruit of your labor.

Now don't get me wrong, I like the look and feel of the "Lock and fade"; however, that nice look and feel doesn't help me out when I am trying to add certain data types to my surface.

If you're already in the know about this because of another Blog or you've found it on your own, then back to work (just kidding, there is nothing wrong with nice mental break know and then). If this is new to you, then...

Thanks and Enjoy!

The Last Release of AutoCAD Land Desktop

imaginitfeeds@rand.com (Douglas Benoit, PE, ICE) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:45:03 EDT

The day is finally here! Autodesk is announcing today that AutoCAD Land Desktop 2009 will be the last... final... no more... release.

If you haven't made a complete switch to AutoCAD® Civil 3D® or you've just started the process to make the switch you don't have to worry about losing LDT quite yet. The Land Desktop Companion will continue to be available as part of Civil 3D subscription . That's right; you must have your Civil 3D on subscription in order to receive the LDT Companion. And after July 8th, LDT Companion will only be available as a download from the Subscription web site. So what I am trying to say is that it will not be shipped in the box with Civil 3D after July 8th!

Oh, one more thing, after July 8th, subscription will no longer be available for Land Desktop.

However, as we say goodbye to Land Desktop, we are saying hello to a new product called Civil. It has half the fat and a third less calories as regular Civil 3D.

Civil 2009 will have all of the civil functionality as Civil 3D, but will not have any of the Map functionality or include the Hydraflow Extensions. Civil 2009 will also not include the Land Desktop Companion.

The new Civil product will have a lower list price and is destined to be a more affordable solution for technicians and drafters that don't require the Map tools or a need to run and any hydrology or hydraulic analysis.

How's that for news involving the Civil industry? Personally, I'm all for it and it's time overdue. You disagree? Everyone is allowed their own opinion, but before you disagree too hard and too long, you may want to consider the following:

Hasn't Autodesk given us the functionality that we've been asking for, for so many years? Darn right they have. It is pretty hard for me to feel your pain when Autodesk listened and then delivered what we asked for, and then many out there whined because things changed. Well my friend's, technology is constantly changing and you can either get on board and enjoy the ride, or sit on the sidelines.

Isn't the functionality in LDT (an automated manual process) now found in Civil 3D (dynamic modeling)? As far as I can tell, it is all in there and way more.

Isn't Civil 3D just as stable as LDT. Absolutely! I can still crash any release of LDT. I will admit that it does take more "horsepower" to run and efficiently use Civil 3D, but since you are keeping you hardware current that isn't a problem... right?

Check the source of any negative feedback concerning Civil 3D. If the person you are talking to has nothing good to say about Civil 3D, ask them to explain why so many have implemented Civil 3D and are successfully using it. Ask them what release they are talking about (yes, an earlier release or two may have been slightly unstable). Ask them if they've had Civil 3D training... of any kind. My guess is that you will be able to eliminate them as any kind of source on C3D.

Finally, Civil 3D is just...well, Way Cool!

Ok, time for me to step off the soap box and get back into Civil 3D.

As always... Thanks and Enjoy!