Page 1 AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008 Moving from Land Desktop to Civil 3D 23705-010000-5011A April 2007...
Page 2 THE MATERIALS DESCRIBED HEREIN. Autodesk, Inc., reserves the right to revise and improve its products as it sees fit. This publication describes the state of the product at the time of publication, and may not reflect the product at all times in the future.
Page 3 Software-Restricted Rights) and DFAR 227.7202 (Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software), as applicable. Published By: Autodesk, Inc. 111 Mclnnis Parkway San Rafael, CA 94903, USA Acknowledgments Jerry Bartels, C.N.E., Seiler Instrument, Help Becoming AWOL: Adept Without Land, Autodesk University 2006...
Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10...
Page 5: Table Of Contents
Contents Chapter 1 Getting Started ......1 Why Move to Civil 3D? ......2 Civil 3D Features and Benefits .
Page 6 Utilities ....... 26 Comparing User Interfaces ......26 User Interfaces .
Page 7 ......106 Civil 3D Workflow with Autodesk Vault ....107 Level 1: Creating Individual Design Objects .
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Page 9: Chapter 1 Getting Started
Getting Started In this chapter This guide will be helpful for individual civil engineers, Why Move to Civil 3D? designers, surveyors, and drafters who are moving to Civil 3D, Civil 3D Features and as well as for IT and CAD managers who are assessing the Benefits overall process of moving to Civil 3D.
Page 10: Why Move To Civil 3D
Why Move to Civil 3D? Perhaps your organization has already made the decision to move from Land Desktop to Civil 3D. If so this chapter reinforces why that decision was the right one. If your organization is still in the process of evaluating whether it should move from Land Desktop to Civil 3D, this chapter will help you understand the compelling arguments for doing so.
Page 11 Cutting Edge Technology At the time it was introduced, Land Desktop represented best in class technology for automating standard engineering processes. Many organizations have been using Land Desktop for as long as a decade, proving that it is a dependable platform for creating construction documents for the civil engineering industry;...
Page 12 Civil 3D has scalable, multiuser data sharing and project management functionality that includes the use of AutoCAD xrefs, data shortcuts, and ® project management support based on Autodesk Vault. These features help small and large project teams complete projects more quickly and with less risk of errors.
Page 13: Civil 3D Features And Benefits
The Civil 3D project management solution leverages the data management ® capabilities of Autodesk Vault to allow project teams to work more efficiently and with less risk of coordination errors as modifications occur in the project...
Page 14 cycle. For more information about the project management solution in Civil 3D, and how to integrate these features into your workflows, see Chapter 5. Improved Point Features Create points using a variety of coordinate geometry (COGO) and graphical methods. Because Civil 3D points are a part of the engineering model, and not maintained in an external file, changes made to the points are dynamically reflected in the model.
Page 15 Improved Corridor Modeling Features Generate a dynamic model of any road, rail, or corridor project by using design elements—such as alignments, profiles, superelevation, and other design criteria—that can apply constraints and other customized behavior into the model. Changes made to the elements that were used to create the model result in updated corridor volumes, surfaces, sections, and other analysis and output.
Page 16: Preparing For The Move
In addition, an easy-to-use graphical interference-checking feature lets you quickly identify pipe network parts that collide with each other or exist in undesirable locations. You can also share pipe network information, such as pipe and structure material and size, with external analysis applications. Improved Survey Features Survey features are integrated into Civil 3D.
Page 17: Choosing Pilot Projects
Choosing Pilot Projects The next step is to determine which project or projects in your organization are the best ones to use as pilot projects. Choosing a pilot project that has the following characteristics will help make the process of learning to use Civil 3D go smoothly.
Page 18: Dispersing Knowledge
Using existing Land Desktop projects does not allow you to gather real-world metrics on design and production timelines for measuring the success of Civil 3D in a real-world project environment. When you use the second approach—starting a new project from scratch in Civil 3D—the experience presents a broader spectrum of real-world issues and scenarios.
Page 19: Understanding Training Resources
Civil 3D software. The following sections describe a variety of training resources that are available for learning how to use Civil 3D. They include: Civil 3D product documentation Autodesk training programs and products Autodesk website Other resources Civil 3D Product Documentation You ve already taken the first step by reading this book.
Page 20 In addition to being available from within the product, this guide is also available as a free PDF download from the Autodesk website, or you can order additional printed copies from the Autodesk Store at www.autodesk.com/store.
Page 21 If you are a member of Autodesk Subscription, you can access e-Learning and other subscription services from within your Autodesk product. For more information about Autodesk subscription resources, visit www.autodesk.com/subscription.
Page 22 White Papers—A variety of white papers on targeted industry-driven topics are available from the Autodesk Civil 3D website. You can get in-depth technical information, competitive briefings, and valuable return on investment (ROI) analyses. To download Civil 3D white papers, visit www.autodesk.com/civil3d/productioninformation/whitepapers.
Page 23: Chapter 2 Comparing Land Desktop And Civil 3D
Comparing Land Desktop and Civil 3D In this chapter Maybe you knew how to do something in Land Desktop but you need to find out how to perform the same function using Comparing Terminology Comparing User Interfaces Civil 3D. Where do you look in Civil 3D to find features that Comparing Features were familiar to you in Land Desktop? This chapter presents a variety of information that will help you quickly learn how...
Page 24: Comparing Terminology
Comparing Terminology This section provides a list of terms that are common in the Land Desktop product and identifies the corresponding terminology that is used in the Civil 3D product. For some features, the difference in terminology is subtle. For example, in Land Desktop a group of connected pipes is referred to as a “pipe run”, but in Civil 3D they are referred to as a “pipe network”...
Page 25: Alignments
Land Desktop Civil 3D List values Inquiry Tool Alignments The following table compares the differences in terminology between alignment features in Land Desktop and Civil 3D: Land Desktop Civil 3D Define From Objects Create By Layout Create From Polyline Polyline Alignment Labels Alignment Label Styles Station Labels...
Page 26 Land Desktop Civil 3D Design Control Corridor Model Properties Parameters Targets Assembly Properties View/Edit Sections View/Edit Corridor Section Ditches/Transitions Alignments/Profiles Subassembly logic Corridor Model Properties – Targets Sample Existing Ground Create Sample Lines Section Plot Settings Sample Line Group Properties Section Plot Create Views (Section) Single...
Page 27: Grading
Grading The following table compares the differences in terminology between grading features in Land Desktop and Civil 3D: Land Desktop Civil 3D Grading Wizard Grading Creation Tools Footprint Feature Line Targets and Slopes, Daylighting Grading Criteria Appearance Grading Style Grading Properties Grading Editor Grading Properties Create Surface...
Page 28: Parcels
Land Desktop Civil 3D Line/Curve/Spiral Object Properties Roadway Curves Alignment Layout Toolbar: Sub-Entity Ed- Railway Curves itor, Alignment Grid View Spiral Radius Angles Inquiry Command – Angle Information Distance Inquiry Command – Continuous Distance Inquiry Command – Add Distance Area by Lines/Curves, Polylines, or Points Inquiry Command –...
Page 29: Pipes
Land Desktop Civil 3D Define from Parcel Layout Toolbar Transparent Commands Points Slide Bearing Radial Swing Line Swing On Curve Pipes The following table compares the differences in terminology between pipe features in Land Desktop and Civil 3D: Land Desktop Civil 3D Settings Pipe Command Settings...
Page 30: Plan Production
Land Desktop Civil 3D Finish Draft Section Sample Pipe Network (Sample Line Group) Import/Export Runs Import LandXML Export LandXML Align/Run Interferences Create Interference Check Plan Production The following table compares the differences in terminology between plan production features in Land Desktop and Civil 3D: Land Desktop Civil 3D Sheet Creation...
Page 31: Points
Points The following table compares the differences in terminology between point features in Land Desktop and Civil 3D: Land Desktop Civil 3D Point Settings Toolspace Settings tab, Point Command Settings Point Group Manager Toolspace Prospector tab, Point Groups collection XDRef Manager Toolspace Settings tab Point ternal Data References...
Page 32: Survey
Land Desktop Civil 3D Sample Existing Ground – Sample from Create From Surface dialog box Surface Sample Existing Ground – Sample from Create From Surface dialog box File Create Profile Create From Surface Full Surface Create Profile Create View Grid Create Profile Quick Profile Quick Profile...
Page 33: Terrain (Surfaces)
Land Desktop Civil 3D Least Square Settings Survey Database Settings Survey Command Line Survey Command Window Equipment Settings Equipment Databases and Equipment Properties Figure Prefix Library Figure Prefix Databases and Figure Prefix Properties Astronomic Azimuth Astronomic Direction Calculator Terrain (Surfaces) The following table compares the differences in terminology between terrain (or surfaces) features in Land Desktop and Civil 3D: Land Desktop...
Page 34: Utilities
Utilities The following table compares the differences in terminology between features related to various utilities in Land Desktop and the corresponding features in Civil 3D: Land Desktop Civil 3D Object Viewer General menu Utilities Object Viewer Notes General menu Utilities Notes Symbol Manager Toolspace Settings tab...
Page 35: User Interfaces
User Interfaces Many aspects of the Land Desktop and Civil 3D user interfaces are identical. Since both products are based on industry-leading AutoCAD software, Civil 3D still provides you with the familiar graphical work environment and drafting tools you already know. For example, in Civil 3D, you ll notice components like the top-level menu bar, toolbars, command line, drawing area, and model and layout tabs you already know how to use.
Page 36: Workspaces And Menus
The Settings tab provides a powerful set of features for creating and managing object styles, as well as for controlling default object behavior. Becoming familiar with how to use the Civil 3D Toolspace window is an important step to Civil 3D proficiency. Once you understand how it works, it s very easy to use, and you will find many ways to increase your productivity.
Page 37 and other user interface elements to make sure that all the features you need for a specific task are at your fingertips. The following table lists the menus that are displayed in the top-level menu bar for the Land Desktop 2008 workspaces: Land Desktop Workspaces Land Desktop Menus Land Desktop...
Page 38: Civil 3D Lines/Curves Menu
Civil 3D Workspaces Civil 3D Menus Corridors, Pipes, Inquiry, Express, Window, Help. Annotation and Drafting File, Edit, View, Insert, General, Annotation, Inquiry, Map, Express, Window, Help. Survey and Topographical File, Edit, View, Insert, General, Lines/Curves, Points, Surfaces, Parcels, Alignments, Survey, Inquiry, Map, Express, Window, Help.
Page 39 For example, on the Civil 3D Lines/Curves menu, you have the Curve Calculator, which is a tool you use to determine curve parameters based on input. It lets you calculate horizontal curve data and simultaneously interact with active Civil 3D COGO commands as well as AutoCAD commands. With this functionality, you can calculate horizontal curve properties based on arc or chord definitions.
Page 40: Comparing Features
Comparing Features This section explores some of the more commonly used features that exist in both Land Desktop and Civil 3D. It discusses the differences in methodologies and workflows inherent in these features in both products. Understanding the mechanics of how the features are different (for example, understanding what the Civil 3D software is doing behind the scenes, what the menus and dialog boxes look like, and what a typical Civil 3D workflow is like) will greatly reduce the learning curve.
Page 41 Land Desktop Point Functionality Description created after these Point Settings are estab- lished adopt the current Point Settings and are displayed accordingly. Points created before the Point Settings are either estab- lished or changed would remain as they are. Point Object Each point in Land Desktop is an individual object and is part of an external points database file (*.mdb).
Page 42: Points In Civil 3D
Have you ever found it difficult to maintain standards so that points labeled by one individual on your team look the same as points labeled by someone else? Points in Civil 3D When you are working with points in Civil 3D 2008, one of the first things that is important to understand is that in Civil 3D, each point is maintained as an individual object.
Page 43 from their associated points as they may have in Land Desktop. Your point styles can be set in such a way that you can still control visibility of the symbology, and the points still do what they did in Land Desktop. For example, you can still show symbols and no points, or show points and no symbols, or show neither.
Page 44: Creating Points
can decide which method of handling point styles and symbology works best for your situation. A third concept to understand when comparing Civil 3D and Land Desktop point functionality is the fact that Civil 3D project data is drawing based rather than project based as in Land Desktop.
Page 45 Under each button on the toolbar are various drop-down menu options for creating points. These options should look familiar to Land Desktop users because most of the methods are the same as in Land Desktop. Even the Import Points dialog box in Civil 3D, which is shown in the following illustration, should look familiar.
Page 46 Editing Points Editing points in Civil 3D is also not that different from how you did it in Land Desktop. For example, the following illustration shows the similarities between the editing points menus (functionality) in Civil 3D and Land Desktop. The following illustration shows the Land Desktop Edit Points drop-down menu: This illustration shows the Civil 3D Edit Points drop-down menu:...
Page 47 Even though the Civil 3D menu has fewer options than the Land Desktop menu, this is a situation where less is more. In the Land Desktop menu, many of the Edit options are necessary because of the external point database in Land Desktop.
Page 48: Summary
Summary Now that you ve explored the differences between points in Land Desktop and Civil 3D, let s review how Civil 3D can provide you with a better solution for working with points. Land Desktop Limitation Civil 3D Solution Have you ever moved some points only to In Civil 3D, the symbol is part of the point realize your symbols didn’t move with itself.
Page 49: Surfaces In Land Desktop
Surfaces in Land Desktop The Land Desktop concepts and tools that are built into the Civil 3D surface object include the Terrain Model Explorer, Surface Editing, Contour Creation, and the Contour Object. The following table briefly summarizes how these features work in Land Desktop: Land Desktop Surface Function- Description ality...
Page 50: Surfaces In Civil 3D
Have you ever edited a surface and wished your contours would update automatically? Have you ever wished you could use the standard Undo command to fix a mistake you made to your surface? Have you ever had to extensively edit a surface created from contours to correct areas not interpolated correctly? Have you ever wished your contour labels could faithfully be used for multiple scale drawings?
Page 51 After supplying a name for the surface and clicking OK, the new surface object is displayed in the Prospector tree. Similar to the Land Desktop Terrain Model Explorer, you can expand the + symbol next to the newly created surface to view the items beneath it and assign the data you want to use to build the surface.
Page 52 The process of building a surface from contour data in Civil 3D produces far superior results than what can be created with Land Desktop. For example, in Civil 3D, if you display contours on a newly created surface that was created from contour data, the contours will match the original.
Page 53 Civil 3D includes drawing templates that contain numerous predefined surface styles you can choose from or use as a starting point for creating your own. Surface Editing To edit a surface, you can set up the surface style to display both triangles and points.
Page 54 The following illustration shows the Civil 3D Edit Surfaces drop-down menu: 46 | Chapter 2 Comparing Land Desktop and Civil 3D...
Page 55 Because a Civil 3D surface is not connected to an external data file, many steps that were required in Land Desktop become unnecessary, such as using commands like Import 3D Lines, Create Contours, Build Surface, and Quick View. Also, other commands become a lot simpler to use—for example, Undo, Redo, Move, and Rotate.
Page 56 surface is updated. Unlike the static methodology used in Land Desktop, using the dynamic model-based design in Civil 3D, you can automatically roll forward any changes made to your data. Labeling Contours Labeling contours in Civil 3D is similar to labeling contours in Land Desktop. Actually, the process is similar but the end result is different.
Page 57 The Panorama is displayed. You first create a new volume entry in the list by clicking the Create New Volume Entry icon (upper left corner of the Panorama window). Then click in the cell under Base Surface and select the starting surface, select a surface in the cell under Comparison Surface, and select your finishing surface.
Page 58 As a result of performing a calculation this way, you have the added benefit of creating a surface that can be used to display cut and fill contours or elevation banding to validate earthwork numbers. The following illustration shows an example of a surface style being used to display earthwork cut and fill data by using elevation banding.
Page 59: Summary
Summary Although working with surfaces in Civil 3D is very different from working with surfaces in Land Desktop, there are many benefits. From creation to completion, working with surfaces in Civil 3D is more intuitive, requires fewer steps, and helps eliminate the possibility of error. The following table provides Surfaces | 51...
Page 60: Alignments And Profiles
a quick review of how Civil 3D solves many of the issues you may have had when working with surfaces in Land Desktop: Land Desktop Limitation Civil 3D Solution Have you ever created a surface and Civil 3D, uses surface styles to display your wished there was some immediate visual surface from the minute you add your first feedback to show what you created?
Page 61: Alignments And Profiles In Land Desktop
Alignments and Profiles in Land Desktop As with other Land Desktop features, working with alignments and profiles in Land Desktop involves working with, and having to maintain, data in external files or databases. Land Desktop Functionality Description Alignment Creation Create alignments from objects or polylines by select- ing the desired entity, selecting a reference point, and then giving the new alignment a name and sta- tion information.
Page 62: Alignments And Profiles In Civil 3D
Land Desktop Functionality Description and picking a point in the drawing, the profile is displayed. Moving it, however, can cause problems. Vertical Alignment Editing If you would like to add a proposed (finished ground) profile, you have two options. You can generate the proposed profile graphically (using several tools) or you can use the Vertical Alignment Editor.
Page 63 The process of creating an alignment from a polyline is nearly identical to that same option in Land Desktop. Once the polyline is created, you select it and then use the Alignments menu to convert it into an alignment (Alignments menu Create From Polyline).
Page 64 Another important concept to understand is that after it is created, the alignment itself is an object. As such, by default it contains station labels. Therefore, you no longer have to add them. Because in Civil 3D an alignment object is not connected to an external database, you can edit your alignment as often as necessary without having to go through any re-creation process.
Page 65 Profiles You ll find that the way you work with profiles in Civil 3D is dramatically different from the way you worked with profiles in Land Desktop. In Civil 3D, a profile is simply a vertical representation of data from an alignment (and a surface).
Page 66 Creating Profiles and Profile Views Now that you have an understanding of profiles and profile views, let s explore how you create them in Civil 3D. This section explores creating an existing and a proposed profile, and begins by using the Profiles menu. For the most part, existing profiles are created using the Create Profile From Surface command, and proposed profiles are created from the Create Profile By Layout command.
Page 67 After selecting the desired alignment and surface, click the Add>> button to create your new Existing Ground Profile in the Profile List. If you look closely at the dialog box, you will see options for controlling which portion of the alignment is sampled, as well as the ability to sample offsets.
Page 68 Profile View Name—To assist in keeping things organized, you must give this profile view (object) a name. As with all Civil 3D objects, you can accept the default name that is displayed automatically, if you wish (for example, Profile View [1]). Station Range—If your profile is very long and you only want to present a small portion of it, you can specify a desired station range.
Page 69 NOTE When you are trying to select a Profile View in a drawing, you must make certain that you click on a grid line rather than on a profile line. The grid lines are part of the profile view object. The profile lines are profile objects. Even though the two object types can be displayed together, it is important to understand that the profile view and the profile are two separate and distinct object types.
Page 70 Create a Proposed Profile from Scratch Using the Editor By clicking the button on the Profile Layout Tool toolbar, you open a dialog box where you can create the profile by typing in PVI stations, elevations and vertical curve information. If you look at the top of this dialog box, you ll notice that you can now create asymmetrical vertical curves.
Page 71 Create a Proposed Profile Graphically and Using the Editor After creating some or all of the Proposed Profile graphically, you can click the Profile Grid View button to open the editor (Panorama window). In the editor, you can create or refine the Proposed Profile geometry. The column headings are similar to those in Land Desktop.
Page 72: Summary
Summary It s easy to see that creating alignments and profiles in Civil 3D is more powerful and requires fewer steps than in Land Desktop. Also, the use of built-in style features in Civil 3D assists in maintaining standards throughout your organization.
Page 73: Chapter 3 Setting Up Styles In Civil 3D
Setting Up Styles in Civil In this chapter As you move from Land Desktop to Civil 3D, one of the first tasks you ll encounter is understanding styles. Using styles Overview of Styles in Civil provides you with enormous gains in productivity, precision, Styles Workflow consistency, and quality.
Page 74: Overview Of Styles In Civil 3D
Overview of Styles in Civil 3D In Civil 3D, styles control the display of all the visual elements of objects, labels, and tables. Using the styles you create, all elements of the design object are automatically set to a specific linetype, color, and layer reference. To get the most from Civil 3D, organizations can create customized styles, according to their standards, which, along with various other drawing settings, can be saved in a drawing template file (.dwt) for easy reuse.
Page 75: Style Considerations
Alignment style collection on the Settings tab in Toolspace Style Considerations Creating hundreds of styles can seem like a daunting task, but it is important to remember that you do not have to create all styles at once. Review the default Civil 3D templates and choose one of these templates as a starting place.
Page 76 Template choices in Civil 3D Civil 3D provides several drawing templates based on National CAD Standards. These templates contain many pre-defined styles for typical use in the land development industry. Use one of these templates as a starting point to become familiar with styles.
Page 77 Template Description NCS Extended This template contains multiple styles for almost every Civil 3D object. The variety of use cases in this template makes it a good place to start. The less experienced CAD manager can use it to explore how styles and labels are built.
Page 78: Styles Workflow
Another consideration is to determine whether you want the display of objects and labels to be ByLayer or as defined in the style. On the Display tab of the object style dialog box, you can either apply the style ByLayer or specify style values for each object component type.
Page 79: Styles Hierarchy And Creation
In the drawing template, create styles for objects, labels, and tables. You can start by copying the existing styles in the template and making modifications to resemble your company standards. Adjust the drawing and feature settings in the template so that the drawing defaults to your customized styles.
Page 80 To set style defaults at the object level 1 On the Settings tab in Toolspace, select an object collection. Right-click Edit Feature Settings. 2 In the Edit Feature Settings dialog box, expand the Default Styles Property. The default styles for the feature object are listed. 3 Click a cell in the Value column and click 4 In the feature Style dialog box, choose from the following options: Select a style from the drop-down list.
Page 81: Label Styles
Label Styles Using label styles, you can easily annotate design elements. Like objects, if you assign a new label style, labels are automatically updated to reflect the applied style. The basic process for creating and working with label styles is similar to object styles, but because labels have more attributes, the specifics for label styles are more detailed.
Page 82 The General Tab This tab is where you specify the following visibility and orientation properties: Label—Controls the text style, visibility, and layer for the label Behavior—Defines the location and orientation of the label. Plan Readability—Determines the text readability in relation to the page. The Layout Tab 74 | Chapter 3 Setting Up Styles in Civil 3D...
Page 83 This tab is where you define the object components and their associated text labels. You select a component name in the component list, such as Major Station or Tick, and then specify whether the component is Text, Line, Block, or Tick. The list of properties varies, depending on the selected component. For more information about the properties of the Layout tab, see Managing Layout Properties for Labels in the Civil 3D Help.
Page 84: Table Styles
Table Styles You use tables to present some types of Civil 3D data. The process of creating table styles is similar to that of objects and labels. For more information on table styles, see Table Styles in the Civil 3D Help. Tips for Working with Styles Use the following tips when you start working with styles: There are potentially over 300 styles in Civil 3D.
Page 85 You may want to create several .dwt files for the various aspects of a project, for example Grading Plans or Finish Plans. The defaults for the display of geometry label text in a drawing are set on the Abbreviations tab in the Drawing Settings dialog box. Tips for Working with Styles | 77...
Page 87: Chapter 4 Tools For Moving Data
Tools for Moving Data In this chapter This chapter describes the variety of tools and methods that Overview of Moving Land are available for moving Land Desktop data into Civil 3D. Desktop Data into Civil 3D There are many reasons why you may need to move or share Opening a Land Desktop Drawing data between Civil 3D and Land Desktop.
Page 88: Overview Of Moving Land Desktop Data Into Civil 3D
Overview of Moving Land Desktop Data into Civil 3D The following is a summary of the various ways that you can move Land Desktop data into Civil 3D. Each of these is discussed in more detail in the following sections. Open a Land Desktop Drawing in Civil 3D—You can open a Land Desktop drawing in Civil 3D to view Land Desktop objects in Civil 3D as proxies or as objects.
Page 89: Setup Object Conversion
proxy objects. (If you have either the Land Desktop application or its object enabler installed on the same machine as Civil 3D, then these objects are displayed in Civil 3D as Land Desktop objects. However, you cannot edit these objects. For more information, see the Civil Object Enabler Help. Geometric data, such as alignments, profiles, sections, pipe runs, hydrology graphs, sheets layouts, and plotted sheets in paper space, remain in the drawing as AutoCAD primitives (lines, arcs, and text).
Page 90: Using The Import Data From Land Desktop Command
Because Civil 3D stores all objects in drawings, the drawing does not have to be associated with a project. However, if you are using the Civil 3D project management features (Autodesk Vault), you can associate the current drawing with a Civil 3D project and check the data (points, surfaces, and alignments) in to a specified project.
Page 91 2 In the Import Data From Land Desktop Project dialog box, enter a valid path, or click to browse to the project root folder and select a path. For example, C:\Land Projects 2008. 3 In the Project Name list, select a project from which you want to import data.
Page 92 6 Optionally, create new sites to separate the data. Right-click Sites New. The new site will appear under the Sites collection. You can move parcels and alignments (and associated profiles) by dragging them into different sites. 7 Either click Apply, to iteratively import and check messaging, or click A message box is displayed, indicating the status of the import.
Page 93: Converting Point Data From Land Desktop
Converting Point Data from Land Desktop In Civil 3D, you can use the Convert Land Desktop Points command to convert Land Desktop points in a Civil 3D drawing to actual Civil 3D points. You may choose to use this command if you do not have Land Desktop installed, or anytime you have non-Civil 3D point objects (for example, Land Desktop point objects) in your drawing that need to be converted to actual Civil 3D point objects.
Page 94: Importing Point Data From Land Desktop
Importing Point Data from Land Desktop If you need to import point data from a Land Desktop project, you can import the external Land Desktop point data (database) file into Civil 3D. ® Civil 3D can import point data from an ASCII (text) file or a Microsoft Access .mdb file into a drawing.
Page 95: Landxml Export
The LandXML import and export features are based on the LandXML schema. For detailed information about exporting and importing using LandXML, go to www.landxml.org, or you can refer to the Civil 3D or Land Desktop Help. The following sections summarize how this functionality works. LandXML Export Whether you are exporting from Land Desktop or from Civil 3D, the process is similar.
Page 96 2 Under Export Options, click Data to specify the precision settings for the exported data, the imperial unit foot type, the units of exported angles and directions, and whether to export raw descriptions, full descriptions, or both. 3 Under Export Options, click File and specify the reference location for the schema, the default destination location for the exported LandXML file, and whether to export detailed or minimal XML.
Page 97: Landxml Import
3 In the Export To LandXML dialog box, enter the name of the LandXML (*.xml) file you want to export. Click Save. LandXML Import After you have Land Desktop data exported to a LandXML file, you can easily import it into Civil 3D using the LandXML Import command. To import data from a LandXML file into Civil 3D, first specify the import settings that control the data for import.
Page 98: Civil 3D Migration Commands Summary
NOTE The check boxes have a tri-state display. If only some objects are selected under a collection, the check box is dimmed ; if all the items are selected, the check box is selected ; if all the items below the collection are cleared, the check box for the collection is cleared 5 Click OK to import the LandXML file.
Page 99: Chapter 5 Adopting Civil 3D Project Management
Overview of Civil 3D Project Management can determine the best data structure and workflow to use in Features Understanding Autodesk your organization. This chapter takes an in-depth look at Civil Vault 3D project management options and discusses how to Implementing Autodesk Vault implement them into your organization.
Page 100: Overview Of Civil 3D Project Management Features
The three main methods that can be used for sharing data in Civil 3D are: External references (xrefs) Data shortcuts Object references in Autodesk Vault Each option is discussed in the following sections. Using External References An external reference (xref) inserts the entire contents of another drawing into the current drawing as a display-only object.
Page 101 Advantages Limitations and Autodesk Vault object references provide access to object data. Updates to the external drawing appear External references provide no inherent automatically in the host drawing when security. Anyone can break links by moving the drawing is opened, and notification of or renaming referenced files.
Page 102: Using Data Shortcuts
Autodesk Vault. This can be ideal for small teams or small projects. Data shortcuts offer access to object geo- Data shortcuts provide no security or data metry in a consumer drawing while ensur- integrity controls.
Page 103 Advantages Limitations Reference objects in the consumer drawing Unlike Autodesk Vault, data shortcuts do can have styles and labels that are different not provide a secure mechanism for shar- from the source drawing. ing point data or survey data. Reference objects automatically update...
Page 104: Using Autodesk Vault
Autodesk Vault is the recommended project management solution for large design teams working with Civil 3D. When using Autodesk Vault, a main database resides on a designated server, such as a file server on the network, and client software is installed on each computer that requires access to the database.
Page 105: Understanding Autodesk Vault
Civil 3D, and a stand-alone file system management tool called Vault Explorer. With Autodesk Vault, your data stays secure and is less likely to be unintentionally corrupted because you determine who can manipulate data Understanding Autodesk Vault | 97...
Page 106: Implementing Autodesk Vault
Set up working folders Organizing Your Projects Autodesk Vault can be set up in a variety of ways, so you can manage and store your projects in the manner that best meets your business needs. Below you will find information about three ways—using a single vault, using folder permissions, or using multiple vaults—to organize your Civil 3D projects...
Page 107 For example, you may choose to keep projects organized by year, in which case you would create a vault for every year. Thus, you could have several office locations with their own Autodesk Vault to log onto, using the following hierarchy: Location \ Year \ Project.
Page 108: Setting Up Working Folders
“checked out” in Autodesk Vault. You can then edit the files from within the working folders, with the assurance that while other users can still get read-only copies of the files, they cannot check them out for editing until you have checked them back in.
Page 109 By maintaining private working folders on the server, you secure an individual s work-in-progress from other users who may be less familiar with the proper means of interacting with Autodesk Vault data. Locating these folders on the server also allows for nightly backup of the data. The drawback to having individual network working folders on the server is the increase in network traffic.
Page 110: Project User Interfaces
Project User Interfaces To work in and manage Civil 3D projects stored in Autodesk Vault, you can access one of two user interfaces: either the Civil 3D Prospector Toolspace or Vault Explorer. Often you can use either for a specific task, but in certain situations there are distinct advantages to using one or the other.
Page 111: Vault Explorer
Once a project has been created using the Prospector tab, you can set up the project folder structure for storing files that adhere to your company standard. There are two methods for creating these project folders once the project has been created in Civil 3D.
Page 112 You can use Vault Explorer to conduct many administrative activities. Your Autodesk Vault administrator can set up your working folders and enforce their location—such as in individual folders on the server, shared ones on the server, or folders on individual computers, as explained previously.
Page 113: Microsoft Office
You can also access Autodesk Vault from within Microsoft Word, Microsoft ® ® Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint applications. When Microsoft Office is installed on the same computer as Civil 3D and an Autodesk Vault client, the Microsoft Office | 105...
Page 114: Backup Procedures
This section discusses the issues to be aware of for implementing backup systems for data that is maintained by Autodesk Vault. If you are using Autodesk Vault, it is critical to have a secure, reliable system in place for backing up project data. Without an appropriate backup system,...
Page 115: Civil 3D Workflow With Autodesk Vault
Civil 3D Workflow with Autodesk Vault This section discusses how you can use Autodesk Vault to create an efficient project management workflow in Civil 3D. For most civil engineering projects, multiple team members need parallel access to design data.
Page 116 As a framework for a proposed workflow, individual design objects are created in Level 1. Base drawings and engineering plans are created in Level 2 by combining individual design objects with linework and geometry. Top-level production sheets are created in Level 3 by combining base plans. This workflow consists of three levels as illustrated in the preceding illustration.
Page 117 By using this workflow, you also take advantage of the dynamic link between labels and referenced objects in Civil 3D. This ensures that all your annotation is synchronized throughout all the drawings in the project. Civil 3D Workflow with Autodesk Vault | 109...
Page 118 The figure above illustrates that in Level 1 you can combine design objects to create base drawings in Level 2 using data references. In Level 2, you create engineering plans by combining design objects with linework and geometry. In Level 3 you can combine base sheets and engineering plans to create production sheets.
Page 119: Level 1: Creating Individual Design Objects
Land Desktop. The main difference is that with Land Desktop, anyone working on a project can edit objects. With Civil 3D and Autodesk Vault, you can set roles and permissions for individual users, defining what actions they can take. By using the one object, one drawing approach in Civil 3D, as many people as possible can work simultaneously on projects in a secure way.
Page 120 Level 1 of the workflow. These practices apply whether or not you use the one object, one drawing or multiple objects, one drawing approach. For each drawing you create, you need to assign a unique file name and save it to the designated project working folder in Autodesk Vault (see Setting Up Working Folders (page 100) for more information about setting up the project folder structure).
Page 121 This wizard will guide you through the entire process. Consider the following options when checking in your drawing: Check in not only your drawing, but all file dependencies as well. This may include external reference drawings, LandXML files, TIN files, and so Leave the Keep Files Checked Out option selected if you want to save the drawing to a vault, but continue to work on it.
Page 122 Survey Data Civil 3D uses a unique database called the Survey Database to store, manage, and edit survey information. This database is created outside the Autodesk Vault environment, but is stored in the working folder with all other project data. When you need to add survey data to your project, simply check the database into the project.
Page 123: Level 2: Creating Base, Linework, And Engineering Drawings
database does not display individual points, you cannot view them using Vault Explorer. However, you can check out, modify, and check in individual project points rather than the entire project point database. When you modify and check back in a point, the project database updates automatically. Level 2: Creating Base, Linework, and Engineering Drawings After you create your design objects and check them in to a vault, there are...
Page 124 “engineer” other design objects for your project. For example, if you want to design a corridor model, you can create a drawing that references—from Autodesk Vault—both an alignment with its profile and the existing ground surface. With engineering drawings, you take advantage of the work done on objects in Level 1 while leveraging the powerful Civil 3D design tools.
Page 125: Level 3: Creating Top-Level Production Sheets
of objects. For example, alignments will be in the alignment collection, surfaces in the surfaces collection, and so on. 2 Data-reference the existing ground surface into the drawing by expanding the surfaces collection and creating a reference. This will import a reference of the surface from the project into your current drawing, allowing you to use the data for design work.
Page 126 Before you create external references for these drawings, you must make sure that you are accessing their latest versions. In Civil 3D, external references are accessed for project drawings (drawings that are part of the Autodesk Vault project) from your working folder. Therefore, you need to make sure that the latest versions of all drawings are in your working folder.
Page 127 File Dependencies option. This ensures that all associated file dependencies will be copied to their working folders when other team members check out the plan set drawing. You will typically use a plan set drawing when using the AutoCAD Sheet Set Manager. Additional Drafting and Annotation Sometimes you need to edit or add annotation to a design object during Level 3 of the workflow.
Page 128: Assessing Your Workflow
Civil 3D drawing across multiple drawings. Using the powerful Civil 3D design tools to create your designs along with using Autodesk Vault to facilitate collaboration and to control access to project files, you minimize manual work, reduce errors, and complete plans more quickly and easily.
Page 129 To learn more about how you can use Autodesk Vault with Civil 3D to manage your civil engineering projects, visit http://www.autodesk.com/VaultForCivil3D. Assessing Your Workflow | 121...
Page 131: The Next Move
Teams and individuals may be ready to move on to exploring other training resources, like those listed in Chapter 1. Or perhaps you are ready to contact your Autodesk representative for guidance. If you still need to convince others in your organization that making the move is the way to go, pointing them to this guide may be the next step.
Page 133: Index
76, 79–82, 85–86, 92, 94, 96, 107, in Civil 3D in Land Desktop alignment layout tools layout tools alignments AOTC (Autodesk Official Training alignments and profiles Courseware) Autodesk Official Training Courseware Autodesk Land Desktop (AOTC) importing points from Autodesk Vault...
Page 134 e-Learning corridors exporting data curve calculator external references (xrefs) grading Help importing data data compatibility importing Land Desktop data data sharing 4, 80, 92 interference checking (pipes) data shortcuts Label Style Composer description keys labeling documentation learning dynamic model-based design 2–3 Lines/Curves menu model-based design...
Page 135 Lines/Curves menu in Civil 3D in Land Desktop Point Group Properties dialog menus 28, 30 point groups comparing with Autodesk Vault Lines/Curves preparing for the move Microsoft Office profiles 6, 52–54, 57–58, 61, 82 accessing Autodesk Vault comparing model-based design...
Page 136 8, 70, 107, 120 subassemblies Autodesk Vault with Civil 3D subscription styles surfaces 6, 40–42, 44–45, 48, 82 workspaces calculating earthwork comparing contours creating editing xrefs 128 | Index...

Autodesk 23703-010008-1600A - Civil 3D 2006 Essentials Manual

Chapter 1 Getting Started

Chapter 2 Comparing Land Desktop and Civil 3D

Chapter 3 Setting up Styles in Civil 3D

Chapter 4 Tools for Moving Data

Chapter 5 Adopting Civil 3D Project Management

Chapter 6 The Next Move

Index

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